Academy of Architecture for Health

Dear Members of the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health,

How will we define 2025?
Personally speaking, I’ll define the year, in part, through the lens of a newfound love of running. Most mornings, before the kids wake up, I stride into the darkness with a tiny flashlight and a series of pace and mileage goals for my morning run. Some mornings my legs feel great, my lungs are alive, the temperature is perfect, and the wind is at my back. Other mornings are a struggle. There are setbacks and injuries, but ultimately, progress each day is built upon the many steps and miles that have preceded. Time on the trail has become cherished time of silence, prayer, and sweat. Strava will say I’ve run over 900 miles and hit several PRs, but the growth I’ve felt deep within my soul is a little harder to quantify.

The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health has been on quite an 80-year run. In 1945, with the end of WWII imminent and hospitals needed for our troops returning home, the mission was clear: Unite as an industry and build a ton of hospitals. Today, our mission has grown to include a deeper thread of underlying intention that extends beyond advocacy within our profession. Ultimately, our soul is about fighting to see people flourish. We are about life, dignity, service, and love.

It’s been an amazing year fighting alongside my fellow Academy members to usher flourishing into the communities we serve around the world through the creation of healing spaces. It’s been equally rewarding spending time with our passionate AAH board members and committee chairs, talking about many of you by name. In our Zoom, social media, artificially intelligent world, how do we move against the wave of disconnection and unify to activate future leaders and bring people to the table who have never had a voice?

While growth in the depths of this deep calling is tough to measure, I’m proud of the spirit I see in our crew—a spirit of grit, passion, and purpose. A spirit that celebrates our history and fights for an even brighter future. With each step, mile, and year, we are continuing the journey that began 80 years ago, ensuring the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health will remain a place for leaders to flourish.

I’d like to send my gratitude to Michelle Trott for five impactful years serving on the AAH Board, and I’m proud to soon turn the reins of this great organization over to Pierce McVey as the 2026 AAH President. Thanks to the many icons that have preceded us for laying an incredible foundation to run!

I’m thankful for each of you-