The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has formally announced AIA San Francisco and AIA California chapter member Evelyn Lee as its 2024 First VP President-Elect and 2025 President.

Lee is currently the Global Head of Workspace Strategy and Innovation at Slack in San Francisco and is also a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA). She also served as the AIA National Treasurer from 2020 to 2021 and comes to the position with extensive experience within the organization, including a stint as the Past Chair of the Young Architect's Forum and National Associates Committee.

Lee has also contributed to the profession as a design strategist and writer, discussing with Archinect in a 2018 featured interview that she sees a need for manifold changes throughout the profession for architecture to maintain its relevance in society more broadly. 

"Architects need to take hold of our identities as multi-faceted problem solvers, conveners, and human-centered design thinkers. I realize at heart, we are builders, but ultimately, we serve those who we design the buildings for and the value we can provide them goes further than construction documents," she said. "Architects are subjected to the most predictable economic cycles in history – the construction industry. We need to make sure we are providing value (and being paid) when our clients aren’t building."

Lee's candidacy accordingly revolved around three main concepts: [Re]Thinking How We Practice Architecture, [Re]Designing How We Collaborate as a Profession, and [Re]Designing How We Collaborate as a Profession, according to a LinkedIn post she made last month.

She is also a founder of Practice of Architecture, and co-host of the podcast Practice Disrupted. In an AIA statement announcing her presidency, she said: “We have the training our society so desperately needs to solve its most pressing challenges,” adding, “the desire for transformation in our industry is so great, and I believe I’m the right leader to empower our members to meet the moment.” Lee holds an M.Arch degree from SCI-Arc and B.Arch degree from Drury University, in addition to an MBA and MPA from Presidio Graduate School.

Along with Lee, the AIA announced Heather Philip-O’Neal from the AIA New York will be the Treasurer for 2024–2025, joined by the Latoya N. Kamdang (also of the New York chapter), who will serve as At-large Director for 2024–2025.

Lee will take office following the tenure of Kimberly Dowdell, who was elected as the 2024 president, the AIA's first-ever Black woman President.