Emerging Leaders

Launched in 2017, the BWAF Emerging Leaders program is a selective professional development opportunity for early- and mid-career women. Within a small group format, participants engage with significant senior women in architecture, design, engineering, construction, real estate, law, and financial services to advance their own career goals and connect with a cohort of ambitious colleagues across at similar professional levels. Participants share common experiences and trade personal strategies for advancing their field. Over 200 women have participated in past cohorts, building a timeless network of allies and support for each other.

Risk, Rain-Making, Resilience

Risk, Rain-Making, Resilience was held May 9th, June 13th, and July 11th, 2017. Participants heard from speakers Mary Byron; Jill Lerner, FAIA; and Sabrina Kanner.

Meet our 2017 Emerging Leaders

Ellen Abraham
Senior Technical Project Lead, Skidmore Owings & Merrill LLP
Carolina Abrao
Project Architect / Associate, HLW International
Maricela Alejandre, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Associate, Syska Hennessy Group
Cynthia Barton
Housing Recovery Program Manager, New York City Office of Emergency Management
Samantha Brummell, EIT
Senior Engineer, Severud Associates
Danei Cesario, AIA, NCARB, NOMA
Project Architect
Claudia Cusumano, AIA LEED AP BD + C
Director, KPF
Sara Davis, AIA, LEED GA
Associate, FXFOWLE
Adrienne Helper
Project Manager, Levien & Company
Jinsol Kim
Senior Digital Data Specialist, Arup
Emily R. Kirwan
Junior Architect, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill
Yun Jennifer Lan, PE, SE, LEED, AP
Associate, Gilsanz Murray Steficek LLP
Ana Leshchinsky, LEED AP
Senior Associate Principal, Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kasey Puls, LEED GA
Associate, Robert A.M. St ern Architects J
Cristina Rodriguez, LEED AP BD+C
Designer, FXFOWLE
Michelle Roelofs, PE
Senior Structural Engineer, Arup
Layla Safiani, AIA
Associate, Project Architect, Mancini Duffy
Shaina Saporta, PE
Structural Engineer, Arup
Amy Stroud
Marketing Manager, Dattner Architects
Ksenia Tretiakov
Senior Design Engineer, Leslie E. Robertson Associates
Jenny Werbell
Lighting Designer, BuroHappold Engineering
Erika Yaroni
Structural Engineer, Buro Happold
Diana M. Zakem, PE, LEED, AP
Director, Construction, Brookfield Property Partners
Allison Robin Zampetti, LEED AP
Project Manager, Levien & Co.

RISK

Speaker
Mary Byron
Independent Investor

Emerging leaders explore taking risks along multiple paths to success. Senior women leaders share experiences of courage and risk taking to achieve daring careers and personal power.

Time and location

When: May 9, 2017
Where: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

RAIN-MAKING

Speaker
Jill Lerner, FAIA
Principal | Kohn Pedersen Fox

Explore the power of your personal magnetism, friendships, and authentic relationships in small group setting and understand the role of strong allies in your career trajectory.

Time and location

When: June 13, 2017
Where: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates

RESILIENCE

Speaker
Sabrina Kanner
Executive Vice President of Design & Construction | Brookfield Office Properties

Have a conversation about common work situations from an expert in construction and development with other influential women who have taken unexpected career turns and landed on their feet. Are you getting what you deserve? Do you know how to ask for it?

Time and location

When: July 11, 2017
Where: TBA

View previous sessions from recent years:
2023: Detours, Diligence, Dreams→
2023: Energy, Environment, Engagement→
2022: Agility, Ambition, Authenticity→
2021: Imagination, Integrity, Influence→
2021: Perseverance, Politics, Power→
2020: Priorities, Personhood, Profit→
2020: Determination, Design, Disruption→
2019: Confidence, Compensation, Competition→
2018: Finance, Fulfillment, Family→
2018: Networking, Negotiation, Nice→

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Please make your check payable to:
Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

Please mail your check to:
Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation
424 W 33rd St., unit 280
New York, NY 10001

All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged and are 100% tax deductible.