Venue
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USA

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Event Date Tue Oct 8 CDT - Thu Oct 10 CDT (7 months ago)
In your timezone (EDT): Tue Oct 8 1:00am - Thu Oct 10 1:00am
Location Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601, USA
Region Americas
Details

Get your ticket to the industry’s premier leadership training event dedicated to accelerating women into leadership positions in architecture, design, and the allied building industries.

WLS convenes the industry’s largest network of women who are breaking down barriers and manifesting the careers they want—while making a difference in the world. You’ll meet, network with, and learn from an extraordinary lineup of renowned speakers, trailblazing leaders, and industry experts who will share pathbreaking ideas to tackle challenges and lead change.

Get ready for three days of high-impact programming, networking, education, community, and inspiration designed to change the workplace experience and help create gender equity for women in AEC.

WLS pushes boundaries and challenges traditional thinking to create change. This year’s theme, resilience, explores adapting to a constantly shifting landscape and persevering through tough times.

We ask: How can we safeguard society’s health, safety, and welfare amid individual struggles? Where does our power lie? Are we identifying our own blind spots and biases? How does intersectionality reveal the skills needed for impactful change? Join us and lean in.

Speakers

2024 Speakers

FEATURED SPEAKERS:

Kimberlé Crenshaw
Co-Founder and Executive Director, African American Policy Forum

Sumayya Vally
Founder and Principal, Counterspace

Tanja Babich
Anchor, ABC7 Chicago Eyewitness News

SPEAKERS:

Aileen Fuchs
President & Executive Director, National Building Museum

Aisha S. Densmore-Bey, DDes, RA, NCARB, LEED AP
Designer, Founder

Alicia Ponce, AIA, NCARB, LEED BD+C
Founder, APMonarch

Amanda Garner
Principal, The Growth Partnership

Amber Hamilton, SHRM-SCP, MBA
Chief Talent Officer, Perkins&Will

Amy Hathaway
Survey & National Register Specialist, Illinois State Historic Preservation Office

Amy Phillips, AIA
Principal, CannonDesign

Andrea Cecelia, AIA, LEED AP
Project Manager, BWBR

Annya Ramírez-Jiménez
Partner, MARVEL

Anthony (Tony) G. Rohr, FAIA
National Managing Principal, Multistudio

Becky Garnett
Co-Founder, Garnett.DePasquale Projects

Breah Page, AIA
Architect & Project Manager, SOM Chicago

Carmen Wyckoff, AIA
Senior Principal, DLR Group

Carole Wedge, FAIA, LEED AP
Principal, Heaths Bridge: Consulting & Coaching

Carolyn Rickard-Brideau, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Partner & CEO, Little

Casey Rogers
Founder, Telea Insights

Chey Taylor, AIA, LEED AP
Senior Associate, SMNG A

Chyanne Husar, AIA, LEED BD+C, BECxP
Founder, Husarchitecture

Ciere Boatright
Commissioner, Chicago Department of Planning and Development

Colleen Hauk
Founder & CEO, The Corporate Refinery

Danei Cesario, AIA, RIBA, NOMA
Founder, WALLEN + daub

Danielle Tillman, AIA, NOMA
Managing Principal, bKL Architecture

Dena Alspach
Director of Marketing, CVG

Diane R. Yabut, AIA

Dora Ng, AIA
Vice-President, CannonDesign & President, AIA Canada Society

Dr. Akua K. Boateng
CEO, Boateng Psychotherapy & Consulting

Elizabeth A. Blasius
Co-Founder, Preservation Futures

Elizabeth McNicholas, AIA, LEED AP, SfN
Principal, McNicholas Architects

Elizabeth Schneider, AIA
Senior Associate, Goettsch Partners

Emily A. Grandstaff-Rice, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB
2023 President, The American Institute of Architects

Emily Goldenberg

Emily Marsh, AIA, NCARB
Principal, Wellner Architects + Engineers

Erica Ruggiero, Assoc. AIA
Principal, McGuire Igleski & Associates

Evelyn M. Lee, FAIA, NOMA
2025 President-Elect, The American Institute of Architects

Gabrielle A. Bullock, FAIA, NOMAC, IIDA, LEEP AP
Principal & Chief Diversity Officer, Perkins&Will

Gail Wozniak, NCIDQ, LEED
Associate, SCB

Gaylin M. Bowie
Associate, Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA)

Geneva Frank, NCIDQ
Interior Designer, HDR

Georgia E. Cameron, AIA, ACHA

Gia Biagi
Principal of Urbanism and Civic Impact, Studio Gang

Gozde Yildirim, Assoc. AIA, LEED GA, MBA
Senior Design Professional, HOK

Graciela Carrillo, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C
Senior Manager, Nassau BOCES

Hannah Evwaraye, AIA, NOMA, NCARB
Senior Associate, Moody Nolan

Heidi Davis, SPHR, NOMA
HR Director, Gensler

Helen Lee, AIA
Founding Principal, TAO + LEE Associates, Inc.

J. Lynn Reda, AIA, LEED AP, NCARB
Community Practice Leader, Little

Jamie L. Benvenuto, AIA
Design Architect, Progressive Companies

Janeen A. Harrell, AIA
Founder & Director, iJ DESIGN STUDIO

Janki N. DePalma, FSMPS, CPSM, LEED AP
Director of Business Development, W.E. O’Neil Construction

Jen Doornbos, AIA, CDT
Architect, HDR

Jen Johnson
Chief Product Officer, ConstructConnect

Jen Park, AIA, NCARB
Founding Partner, ParkFowler Plus

Jen Sobecki, Industry IIDA
CEO, Designs for Dignity

Jennifer Kleckner, AIA, NCARB

Jennifer Rittler, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Fitwel Amb.
Associate Principal, Moody Nolan

Jennifer Stone
Partner, Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA)

Jessica Bantom
Global Leader of Equity, Diversity, & Belonging, DLR Group

Jessica O’Donnell, AIA, NCARB

Jessica Soares, Intl. Assoc. AIA, NOMA
Business Development Manager, Dattner Architects

Je’Nen M. Chastain
Founder, Apostrophe Consulting

Jill Bergman, FAIA, FACHA
Senior Health Strategist, HDR

Julia Oderda, AIA
Principal, VCBO Architecture

Julie Wellner, AIA
Principal-In-Charge, Wellner Architects + Engineers

Karen Robichaud
Founder and Strategic Communications Consultant, Karen Robichaud LLC

Katherine Darnstadt, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, NCARB
Founder, Latent

Kelly L. Westwood, AIA, NCARB, NOMA
North Central Practice Area Leader for Critical Facilities, Gensler

Kelly Moynihan, AIA, NCARB, WELL AP, LFA, CPHC®, LEED Green Associate
Principal, Nurture

Kimberly N. Dowdell, AIA, NOMAC
2024 President, The American Institute of Architects

Kirsten A. Sibilia, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP
Managing Principal, Dattner Architects

Korey White, AIA
National K12 Planning Leader, DLR Group

Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE
EVP/Chief Executive Officer, The American Institute of Architects

Lara Presber, AIA
Principal, Studio Presber Architecture

Laura Ettedgui
Design Director, Studio Gang

Libertad Lauren Harris, AIA, NCARB
Regional Digital Delivery Lead, Stantec

Lisa Warren, LEED AP, NCARB
Senior Project Manager, Progressive Companies

Lydia Link
Build Shop Manager & Urban Ecology Specialist, Studio Gang

Lynda Dossey, AIA
Principal, JAHN

Margaret Cavenagh, AIA, LEED AP
Design Principal, Studio Gang

Margaret M. Bailey, MBA
Vice President, CannonDesign

Maria Simon, WELL AP, NCARB
SAR+

Marquisha Powell, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA
Senior Associate, StudioMB

Mausharie Valentine, AIA
Architect & Urban Designer, Progressive AE

Melissa Malburg, NCIDQ, LEED AP
Principal & Design Strategist, Progressive Companies

Mika Naraynsingh, AIA, LEED AP BD+C
Project Architect, Perkins&Will

Naomi C. Harrison, AIA, NCARB, LEEP AP, NOMA
Senior PM, MCHarry Associates

Natasha Engan
Senior Vice President of Global Sales, Deltek

Natasha Espada, AIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP
Founding Principal, STUDIO ENÉE

Nicholette Driggs, CFLE, CAPS
Business Development Coordinator, Disability Advocates of Kent County

Pascale Sablan, FAIA
President, NOMA & CEO, Adjaye Associates

Patricia A. Harris, Esq., MBA, LEED AP
Special Counsel, Zetlin & De Chiara LLP

Patricia Gruits, AIA, LEED AP
Co-Executive Director, MASS

Pauline Thimm, AIA
Higher Education Practice Leader, DIALOG

Rachael Flynn
Project Manager, Consigli Construction

Rachel Brehm
Marketing Director, Page

Rachel Engledow, NCIDQ
Designer, Maude Group

RaMona Westbrook
Founder and President, Brook Architecture

Rosa T. Sheng, FAIA, LEED AP
Vice President, SmithGroup

Ruth Ro, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C
Principal, Dattner Architects

Saakshi Terway, Assoc. AIA
Design Professional, Quinn Evans

Saboura Rokhsari

Sasha Petersen, AIA
Associate, Studio M

Saskia Dennis

Shelley Jones-Holt
Founder, Leadership Legacy Consulting

Sheyla Conforte, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEEP AP
Principal, SCB

Shiva Mendez, CID, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C, EDAC
Principal & Behavioral Health Practice Leader, HOK

Sierra Bainbridge, RLA
Principal, MASS

Stacey Z. Keller, AIA, NOMA, NCARB
Senior Architect, InSite Consulting Architects

Sun Joo Kim
Senior Management Consultant, CVG

Swapna Parab, AIA, NCARB

Tannia Chavez, International Assoc. AIA
Project Manager, Jeffrey Cole Architects

Tara Stoinski
CEO & Chief Scientific Officer, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund

Tizziana Baldenebro, BWAF
Executive Director, Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, SHRM-SCP, NOMA, NAAB, LSSYB, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP

Sponsors & Partners

2024 Sponsors

FEATURED SPONSORS:
• Andersen Windows & Doors
• Constructconnect
• Deltek
• JamesHardie
• Oldcastle Building Envelop
• Oknoplast
• Owens Corning
• Studion Gang

COLLABORATING SPONSORS:
• HDR
• Ramsa
• Sherwin-Williams
• GAF
• Madcad.com
• National Gypsum
• Rockwol
• SaftiFirst

CONTRIBUTING SPONSORS:
• Carlisle Construction Materials (CMM)
• Behr
• Glen-Gery
• PAYETTE
• Quinn Evans
• HOK
• Procore
• Hart Howerton
• AGS Stainless
• Sierra Pacific Windows
• USG
• Cosentino
• Perkins Eastman
• Ayers Saint Gross

FIRM VISIT SPONSORS:
• Perkins + Will, Inc
• CannonDesign
• Epstein