Allegations of executive misconduct on the part of American Institute of Architects (AIA) CEO Lakisha Ann Woods and senior staffers who allegedly engaged in nepotism and other forms of unethical behavior have surfaced amidst the annual AIA24 conference that was held last week in Washington, D.C.
The list of accusations stemming from an April 4th letter signed by more than twenty past AIA presidents calls into question the organization’s leadership at a critical time. In an article published by Bloomberg late Friday, Woods and others were maligned for a series of missteps that includes a $152,000 staff retreat to the Dominican Republic in early March, unlawful firings and other retaliation, changes to the College of Fellows nominations process, and an increasingly toxic work culture within the AIA National ranks.
Additionally, as Bloomberg reported, former Chief Council Terrance Ona has recently entered an employment discrimination suit against the AIA, claiming he was unlawfully terminated in response to his March 25th internal complaint detailing Woods’ personal misuse of office privileges.
Ona says he was peremptorily fired just over a month later for what he was told was a racially motivated report on the March retreat and Woods’ indiscretions, which included questions about the relationship with her outside business partner and the AIA's current Chief Strategy Officer, Vicky Schneider, who was first hired as a Strategic Advisor in May of 2022 according to LinkedIn.
The list of serious concerns is added to by rancorous online comments, which alleged even further that the organization had been faltered by a lack of oversight in its financial planning, favoritism, and lack of input on the part of licensed architects within its upper echelons.
In response, the AIA’s Board of Directors has retained the D.C.-based law firm Miller & Chevalier to undertake an external, independent investigation. Ona’s lawsuit was filed only recently (June 6th) and will take time to be adjudicated. Both he and Woods have thus far declined to make specific statements, though, Bloomberg quotes the latter as saying she would be "vindicated" following the results of the firm's outside investigation.
This multifaceted controversy comes as many members have vocally questioned the organization's fees, the ongoing Global Campus for Architecture & Design project at its headquarters, concern for younger members, and status of Architect magazine, which discontinued its longtime print edition late last year.
Over in the Archinect Forum thread, Archinect user curtkram commented: "that doesn't sound like a law firm that fixes problems. it might be more of a law firm that covers up problems" (implying Miller & Chevalier's role in the inquiry might not be as it seems).
User square. added: "and we wonder why everyone is so disillusioned, not just in architecture but everywhere... this shit is endemic in the new gilded age. also glad i didn't renew, and i don't plan to, ever."
Archinect will share further details about the investigation as events unfold.
55 Comments
They should dig more into DEI initiatives, surveys and identity politics.
The rot at the AIA is much deeper than one (non-architect) leader. Who put her in this position in the first place? Seems like the entire organization needs to clean house and start over.
why people give the aia $500+ a year is beyond me.
Oh its so much more than that...
the AIA gives architects credibility and authority. not anymore
To lay this at the feet of black women, I’d like to say I’m SHOCKED, SHOCKED, that there’s racism, nepotism and cronyism going on in our profession. We’ve had past President’s working for Halliburton and Dick Cheney - morally bankrupt companies and people - we’ve had a President stand in front AIA Regions Meeting state that their firm’s DEI initiative was essentially “box checking” - again morally and ethically questionable - what did these people have in common? White men that no one took to task.
How is it you can all get on your horse, when you know that this professional organization is built around capitalist principals, that never cares about workers, never cared about justice, never did anything to push back on the Justice Department, and still believe it wasn’t always morally bankrupt?
Now when two Black Women are in charge you suddenly find moral clarity? Fuuuuuuuuuck yoouse. You trash architects.
This organizations was always garbage now you get to chime in and make the black women your piñatas, well hurrah for you.
Oooo...touched a nerve. Good.
They sucked too. Does that mean we should all look the other way, then?
HipHopop, you can't be that dim and still be an architect. Who is suggesting that we do that? Isn't my criticism based on the fact that no one did say anything?
Very good point. Corruption is business as usual for the white men that run every other company but when they do it, it's seen as shrewd and realistic, even celebrated. It's the same double standard that leads to massive pay gaps throughout the industry and a minority of women, especially poc, in leadership positions. I almost feel like they set her up to take the fall, so that no one ever looked past her. Not to take away from her complete and total agency in this scandal. There needs to be a full reorganization of AIA. Like someone else said, it needs to be reorganized like a union that actually advocates for the profession. Whatever it is now is just a MLM scam and has been for a long time.
Sounds like a defense of looting to me.
No, what it sounds like is that the Architecture Karen's were fine looking the other way when it was a bunch of whites doing the thing, but when a black woman does the thing, and isn't putting up with the white tears, she's brought down. The snowflakes in the profession, and there are many, are fine with letting Nazis roam free, the misogyny, and racism that dogged the profession for ever. They cynically put a black woman in charge, knowing the ponzi scheme would fall on her, and they could point the melanin challenged fingers at that black woman. So don't try to front.
So you are a sad black nationalist.
Okay Karen, go break up a barbecue.
Eamez what does your comment "So you are a sad black nationalist" mean? I'm seriously asking you to explain it.
It points to the fact that corrupt is color blind. Corruption and bad actors exists regardless of race. Just because someone is black doesn't mean the person is not corrupt or bad. Simply put, whoever holds leadership position at AIA should not engage in nepotism, misconduct, or any other wrong doing. Period. Lets stop making this about race if the allegations are true. It simply proves everyone is an asshole. Then again, everyone has one. In any case, it would prove that being bad or corrupt isn't a "white male" thing that politics of late tends to shove down the throats of white men these days just because of ones skin color. Skin color and ethnicity has nothing to do with whether a person engages in wrong conduct.
However, there is always a lot of whataboutism bullshit that goes on. Yes, some past AIA Presidents may have done a lot worse and got away doesn't mean that just because someone gets away with it or gets away with a crime that it means we stop enforcing rules and laws against such. Otherwise, every time a business violates a rule, a law, or any person of that company.... straight to the corporate death penalty and then death penalty for the executives in charge. OFF with their heads....
Seriously, there is serious allegations at hand and while I would hope it is just that but if she did engage in wrong doing, she should not continue as CEO nor should anyone else who makes similar or worse conduct as CEO regardless of color. It should be noted even to white male CEOs that if they do the same, they too will be likewise punish. The rules are for everyone to abide by.
I encourage we don't select CEOs on skin color and use that as reason to make them CEOs. That leads to issues if you select a person who isn't qualified for factors beyond just skills on paper. The allegations of nepotism and misconduct is serious and would seem to violate rules of the organization. If this allegation only happens to her because she's black... that would be a problem but you can't do much other than suing former CEOs of AIA. You can't do much otherwise. You can't fire them out of a position they don't hold anymore. If we enforce this now, we enforce this with anyone and every CEO regardless of skin color.
Eamez, b3tadine isn't black, IIRC. That is as far as I am going to say with regards to his ethnicity.
The term “melanin challenged” above is a black nationalist dog whistle. If you don’t know what “black nationalism” is it’s easy to find out — it’s a common ideology in 20th century politics. Otherwise, you knew Donna would be scanning this convo for things that seem racist instead of any criticism for her corrupt DEI buddies.
Mighty Whyte of you. However, it's the dumbfuckkkery that has me aghast. DEI initiatives did not come at the barrel of a gun, it came because corporate whoredom thought it was best for their ESG to do it, meaning they saw Dinero. Anyone with more than the one braincell you seem to be sharing with your pet would've understood that this was always a cynical ploy by capital, and was always going to position the 13% of this country as the baddies. You Klan.
Eamez, again, what does "So you are a sad Black nationalist" mean to you? I'm assuming it's a pejorative, but I honestly can't be sure.
Isn't there an ethnic / race requirement to be a "Black Nationalist" just as it is to be a "White Nationalist" ????
From what I recall and I could be mistaken or things have changed, you have to be part of the ethnic culture. Otherwise, you add "-supporter" if you don't ethnically/racially belong to the particular people.
An administration with no acountability abuses its position? Fire the lot and hire a new bunch.
Does CAE stand for Certified Association Executive? What is that?
I don't know... Sounds like pay some dues and show you have some degree and maybe pass the hazing exam.
If anyone has any good friends working at the AIA, you should definitely give them a call to see what they have to say. It is crazy, crazy stuff, some of which hasn't even leaked out yet because everyone on staff is terrified of getting fired. The CEO held a mandatory 'Ask Me Anything' with the staff, where she apparently had her new crisis counselor (a former FBI profiler turned corporate scandal pr whisperer named Chip Massey?) lurking unannounced on the line while she gaslit staff and defamed the newly fired head counsel. She hired her business partner as the number two position at the AIA, and then the number two hired her own sister. The CEO apparently even hired her husband's cousin as a special outside consultant who put the staff through multiple mandatory diversity and inclusion sessions, at least until the cousin reduced staff to tears during one of the trainings. The ONLY reason the President was outed as a failed Fellow was because the CEO tried to override the jury. The CEO then fired the staff members who ran the program even though they had no say in whose application was successful. It goes on and on, and that's not even touching on the CEO making a separate scoping visit to Punta Cana with her number two, planning the entire retreat instead of using the very well staffed meetings and events team, and then picking up all of those thousands of Marriott points for herself. I can only imagine what else has gone on.
I went to architecture school with a Chip Massey!!! I wonder if it's the same guy (off to google...)
The problem with the AIA is the same with most architecture institutions -- or even American institutions -- in 2024. They thought that DEI was The Next Thing and decided to open the gates and let in all of the charlatans, grifters and worse in instead of reaching out to bring design to the greater public. Now they are looking around and finding that their institutions have no credibility and the public is looking elsewhere for authority.
You're comfortable saying all DEI hires are charlatans, grifters, and worse. You're comfortable saying no DEI hires are qualified.
An exciting opportunity for you to covertly (you think) express racist bullshit. This has nothing to do with DEI. The AIA is dealing with issues that long predate the new CEO, who also happens to be an single individual. Crawl back into your paranoid, regressive cave.
They could have found a black architect but they didn’t. They found a DEI DC bureaucrat to promote anti-white and anti-Asian racism. Maybe they should look closer as where modern architecture comes from.
Eamez, there it is, the not so hidden, not so subtle, racist bullshit said in the boardrooms across America. Huzzah to you klansman.
Like Caitlin Clark in the WNBA, we are finding out that DEI doesn’t really want diversity, they want anti-white racism like you have displayed.
CC is getting everything she earned, fucking rookie. She should work harder, instead of relying on her mediocre talent, and her Karen-like whining. Her fans are a bunch of white hope-ists hoopers.
Several things can be true at the same time -- 1) DEI is necessary in the US as minorities have been disproportionately locked out of equal access to education, jobs, and groups. 2) A person of color can also be a grifter, self-promoter, corrupt and an opportunist. The real problem is that the hiring committee did not do their due diligence in choosing an individual that was not only a diverse hire, but also someone who has the chops, brings a lot to the table, and has the track record to prove it. It seems that they did not find or care about the easily internet searchable side business, the easily searchable quick tenure at a prior association, and not to mention she has the personality of a brick. Now, the board seems to be circling the wagons and surprise! - A board of self-promoters with their own agenda is feckless in light of blatant abuse and malfeasance. So, take the dog whistles somewhere else. Racists love to make false equivalencies and act as if everything is a zero sum game.
The board/committee hired an executive search company to find the best candidate. Now, we don't know the criteria for said search, and that would be great to see, but the committee didn't actually perform the search.
That's a very good comment HipHopopotomas2024 but sadly the folks here who regularly make racist statements (both intentionally and not, as they aren't very well-educated when it comes to race conversations) will likely never read it. But thank you for your patient attempt to educate.
@Eamez: Woods' cronies comprise multiple races.
Has Fox News got hold of this? I hate to think what they'd do with it. These are toxic times.
This looks bad on the face of it, but there's a larger understanding needed that I don't think we'll ever get.
See my post above. That's the gist of it.
It’s pretty obvious that foreign interests are wanting to kneecap the profession. There’s no other rational explanation. The Global Campus for Architecture & Design is more evidence beyond what is presented here. NCARB’s push to allow anyone that fogs a mirror practice architecture is even more. Or how about the reciprocity agreement with RIBA? I predict they will attempt to absorb AIA and NCARB into RIBA. The king fancies himself a bit of an architect, you know.
Idk I find it entirely possible that we're kneecapping ourselves from paranoia, hubris, and incompetence >D. We're just humans, after all.
If anyone is curious to read the court filing from the fired General Counsel in his lawsuit against the AIA, its easily searchable and is public record. The court case # is 2024-CAB-003572 and can be found on dccourts.gov. The timeline and circumstances are quite damning. And that is only just a small portion of what is going on. The AIA has embarrassingly hired crisis PR (Chip Massey) whose ads have some interesting photo choices.
Weird, i can find google searches but cant download. Are you able to post here? Or where you found it?
https://www.dccourts.gov (Search cases in Superior Court) and enter the case #.
It's kinda boring tbh.
I read it too, I have no familiarity with legal filings though. Could be that such a simple document indicates a simple (strong) case. I wonder if it will even go to trial... seems like discovery would not benefit AIA in any way. And if they settle, I can see another scandal around the amount.
can we all take a deep breath here and stop ascribing racist or antiracist motives to the alleged behaviors and actions in question, and let the investigative process play itself out. ?
Someone I respect highly has personally interacted with the AIA CEO and shared descriptions of her behaviors in a professional setting that led this person to pull back from her involvement in the AIA. This happened well before this brouhaha surfaced, so the comments were not influenced by the current climate of accusation and counter accusation
PLEASE TURN THE TEMPERATURE DOWN.
I'm on board, but I call out racism when I see it here on our boards. Regardless of the topic.
Also how dare you ask us to turn down the temperature and then give us some juicy goss!!
Don't "call out racism" unless you actually have actual racism to call out. Just be careful. Knee jerk calling out "RACISM!!!!" serves no one. It's like the kid that cried wolf. Call it out when its there and real and facts to support it. If you don't have the facts to back it... don't be that kid that cried wolf. If that is too hard, then its just a forum classical... STFU and leave it to the rest to talk. Racism exists very much so in AIA but mostly from regional/State/local AIA chapters in areas where racism and the KKK/Aryan Nation is popular. KKK is particular popular where the Dixiecrats... oops, I mean REPukeblicans....aka MAGGOTS... oops... I mean MAGA.... (Make Attorneys/Assholes Get Attorneys) terrorists are located. As to the person accused, we need more facts to evaluate.
As for Eugeneely, we don't know who the person you highly respect being referred to and we can't credit any value of credibility to those who are entirely anonymous here. For all we know, you could be talking about yourself or your made-up friend from when you were a child. We aren't going to credit that statement because all we know is its hearsay coming from you. I don't know the person who is the CEO of AIA. I can't speak of her, personally. Eugeneely, if you want credibility, show us facts that you can disclose freely. I don't know you from dog turds in the neighborhood. You are as anonymous as the turds the dogs poop around town and so is the person you highly respect... as you presented. Why should I care? Give me a reason and basis to substantiate credibility of you or your friend.
We will let you know when the AIA loses millions from lawsuits from DEI racism.
so you see racism based on ….? Second hand stories that are not yet substantiated as far as I can tell. And I’m not sure whose racism you reference here. There’s more than enough to go around in these comments from people who might not know squat about real events but are only too happy to pile on when they think they see their biases being confirmed.
My “goss” was included because it does seem things need to be looked into and I do want to support the notion of the need for that. But I’m just a bystander like the vast majority of all of you commenters.
I will add that while the CEO and president tout that the accusations are false and a fiction and say that these are grounded in anti-black and anti-women, they have a lot of nerve. There have been six (6) Black women fired by the CEO before April of this year alone and not from their performance as far as we know. So, for all that talk---these two ladies can stuff it.
so happy to see the temperature being turned down. Thank you very much.
thank god I have zero reason to be involved with the AIA anymore. What a pathetic collection of drivel on both sides. I’m done with you people.
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