Make a Difference. Make an Impact.
AIA New York State is building a stronger architectural community one member at a time. The Councils are your opportunity to share your voice and expertise to help shape the profession of architecture in New York State.
No matter where you are in your career, there’s a place for you.
What are the Councils?
AIA New York State Councils are collaborative, member-driven groups that guide initiatives and programs across priority areas. Councils include a combination of Board members, volunteer members, and a staff liaison, their goal regularly identify and assess member and industry needs that fall within the scope of their respective focus areas.
To address these needs, councils form time-bound project teams to execute specific goals or explore new ideas. Project teams vary in scope, size, and duration and are open to participants both within and beyond the architecture profession and AIA membership.
Current Councils and project teams are as follows:
Advocacy Council
Engages in public policy, legislation, and grassroots advocacy on behalf of the profession.
Estimated Time Commitment
Does not include commitments if also serving on a Project Team (see below for Project Team descriptions) Excludes tasks, projects, and special meetings that may be assigned to Members.
• January – June: Bi-weekly 1-hour meetings
• June-December: Monthly 1–2-hour meetings
▼ Project Teams
Statute of Repose
The Statute of Repose Project Team works to advance legislation establishing a ten-year statute of repose for third-party claims. The team monitors legislation, develops advocacy and communications strategies, and analyzes the law’s impacts on architects’ liability, insurance costs, and professional risk.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Sustainability & Resiliency
The Sustainability & Resiliency Project Team advances AIANYS’s sustainability priorities by applying architects’ expertise to support New York State’s climate, environmental, and infrastructure goals. The team evaluates and shapes policy solutions that promote resilient, low-carbon, and sustainable communities through informed legislative and regulatory engagement.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Housing
The Housing Project Team promotes legislative and regulatory initiatives that expand access to affordable, equitable, and sustainable housing across New York State. It supports policies that strengthen housing production while advancing resilient and inclusive development of the built environment.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Advocacy Day
The Advocacy Day Project Team is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing AIANYS’s 2026 Advocacy Day in Albany in support of the organization’s legislative priorities. The team works closely with Government Affairs staff to shape the event’s structure, messaging, and legislator engagement strategy to ensure a successful and impactful presence during the legislative session.
January-June: 1-Hour Monthly Meetings / 2-hour Training Webinar / Attendance of Advocacy Day (May 6)
June-December: TBD
State Agency Engagement
The State Agency Engagement Project Team strengthens AIANYS’s involvement in state regulatory and rulemaking processes by monitoring agency initiatives and assessing their impacts on the architectural profession. The team supports direct engagement with agencies through expert analysis, testimony, and member participation in specialized regulatory matters.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Artificial Intelligence
The Artificial Intelligence Project Team evaluates and helps define AIANYS’s stance, approach, and advocacy strategy related to artificial intelligence within the architectural profession. The team monitors and analyzes New York State legislation and regulatory initiatives on AI to assess their impacts on architects and recommend informed policy positions and engagement strategies.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Inter-Borough Coordination
The Inter-Borough Coordination Project Team aligns state-level government advocacy efforts among New York City AIA Chapters. It establishes shared policy priorities on NYC-specific legislative and regulatory issues to ensure coordinated, collective engagement.
Bi-Monthly 1-hour meetings
Architect Visibility Council
The AIANYS Architects Visibility Council advances recognition of architects, design professionals, and the profession by increasing awareness, participation, sponsorship, and promotion of AIANYS awards, honors, and scholarship programs.
▼ Project Teams
Design Awards Team
Advises on strategies to raise awareness and increase submissions, suggests updates to award guidelines (if applicable), promotes award-winning projects, and identifies potential sponsors to support the program.
Honor Awards Team
Focuses on outreach to encourage nominations, recommends updates to program criteria as needed, and helps highlight recipients’ achievements publicly.
Excelsior Awards Team
Guides initiatives to boost participation, reviews and refines submission standards (if applicable), promotes honorees, and identifies potential sponsors to support recognition efforts.
Professional Service Awards Team
Supports awareness campaigns to encourage nominations, advises on program guidelines (if applicable), promotes recipients, and seeks potential sponsors to help sustain the awards.
Scholarships Team
Encourages student and emerging professional applications, provides input on selection criteria (if applicable), and recommends vehicles to share recipients’ stories to enhance visibility.
Early Career Professionals Council
Supports members in the early stages of their careers with resources, mentorship, programming, and community.
▼ Project Teams
Schools of Architecture
This project team will guide how AIANYS engages with architecture schools across New York State to strengthen the bridge between academia and professional practice. Early career architects can help shape student engagement, mentorship opportunities, and pathways into AIA New York State, ensuring emerging professionals feel supported before and after graduation.
Podcast Planning Group
This project team will help develop podcast concepts, topics, and guest ideas that elevate early career voices and timely issues in the profession. Members help shape conversations that reflect real career experiences, challenges, and innovations—bringing fresh perspectives to AIA New York State’s storytelling and outreach.
Volunteer Leadership Development Curriculum
This project team will guide the design of learning experiences that prepare early career members for volunteer and leadership roles within AIA New York State. Participants help define the skills, resources, and pathways needed to build confident, effective leaders who are ready to serve at the local, state, and national levels.
Forum Discussion Planning Group
This group curates engaging discussion topics and formats for member forums focused on issues that matter to early career architects. Team members shape inclusive, thoughtful conversations that foster peer learning, community connection, and meaningful dialogue across AIA New York State.
Communications Council
The AIANYS Communications Council guides the development of cohesive messaging, digital engagement, media outreach, and strategic campaigns to strengthen statewide visibility, member engagement, and public awareness of AIANYS initiatives and priorities.
▼ Project Teams
Editorial & Content Strategy Team
Advises on messaging priorities, recommends member stories, and thought leadership opportunities, and provides guidance on voice and tone across platforms to support AIANYS visibility and engagement.
Digital & Social Media Engagement Team
Suggests strategies to strengthen statewide digital presence, advises on campaign themes, and helps identify content opportunities to boost member participation and awareness.
Media Relations & Public Awareness Team (in collaboration with Mercury Public Affairs)
Supports identification of key media opportunities, advises on messaging strategies for public, trade, and policy audiences, and helps amplify coverage of AIANYS initiatives and members.
Member & Chapter Communications Team
Provides advice on communication touchpoints and member messaging priorities, identifies gaps or opportunities for better alignment, and supports ideas to enhance chapter and member engagement.
Strategic Campaigns & Special Initiatives Team
Guides development of high-impact campaigns and time-sensitive initiatives, advises on statewide coordination, and helps identify opportunities to amplify AIANYS programs and priorities.
Professional Development Council
The Professional Development Council champions high-quality, architect-driven professional development, guiding conferences, continuing education, and design excellence programs that serve members across New York State.
▼ Project Teams
Small Firm Symposium
The Small Firm Symposium Project Team supports the planning and delivery of AIANYS’s September 2026 virtual Small Firm Symposium. Volunteers help shape the program by identifying relevant topics, reviewing proposals, and assisting with keynote and panelist outreach. The team may also provide input on marketing and sponsorship opportunities. Members meet virtually approximately bi-weekly during the planning period.
Tri-State Conference
The 2026 Tri-State Conference Project Team supports the planning and delivery of the joint conference hosted by AIA New York State in partnership with AIA Pennsylvania and AIA New Jersey. Volunteers help shape the theme and program, review proposals, and assist with identifying keynote speakers, pre-conference intensive presenters, sponsors, and exhibitors. For this in-person event (4–6 November at the Hyatt Regency Princeton), the team may also contribute to local architecture tours.
Design Awards Series
The Design Awards Series Project Team supports the development of a monthly virtual CE program featuring recent AIANYS Design Award and Excelsior Award recipients presenting the design thinking behind their award-winning projects. Volunteers assist in identifying interested award winners, shaping program structure and cadence, and helping ensure sessions highlight innovative, practice-based design insights. This team helps translate design recognition into ongoing peer learning for members who value in-depth exploration of exemplary work.
Continuing Education Curriculum
The CE Curriculum Project Team advises on the strategic direction and content priorities of the organization’s CE offerings. Volunteers provide architect-led guidance on key topic areas including design innovation, code updates, technology and emerging materials, practice management across career stages, historic preservation, and accessibility. This team helps ensure that AIANYS programming remains relevant, forward-thinking, and responsive to the evolving needs of the profession.
Ready to Make an Impact?
We’re currently gathering interest from members who want to get involved. Let us know your areas of passion and experience, and we’ll follow up when opportunities arise that align.
Please note: Completing the interest form does not guarantee placement on a council. Final appointments are based on alignment with current needs, availability, and ensuring a diversity of voices and experiences across each council.
Council appointments are made annually and may include in-person or virtual onboarding. Short-term or project-based opportunities may also arise throughout the year.
Stay Connected
If you have any questions about volunteering or the new Councils, please reach out to Georgi Ann Bailey, CAE, Hon. AIA at gabailey@aianys.org.