Pratt Institute School of Architecture, Higgins Hall Auditorium, 61 St. James Place, Brooklyn NY 11238
Passion, Practice, Purpose: How Architects Shape Meaningful Careers
Monday, October 20
6:15 PM (Reception to follow)
Pratt Institute School of Architecture, Higgins Hall Auditorium
61 St. James Place, Brooklyn NY 11238
1.5 AIA LU
FREE
AIA Brooklyn’s Women in Architecture Committee invites you to an inspiring evening exploring the diverse career paths that lead to architectural leadership. This panel features architects who have achieved the profession’s highest honor — elevation to the AIA College of Fellows (FAIA) — sharing personal stories, pivotal projects, and unique journeys through practice. Each Fellow will present their Fellowship Object — a defining project, contribution, or achievement that represents their path to recognition — offering insights into how different approaches to practice can create meaningful and impactful careers. From students exploring career possibilities to experienced architects considering Fellowship, this event offers rare access to diverse perspectives on building a life in architecture.
Panelists:
Alexandra Barker, FAIA, LEED AP, is an architect and educator, and principal of Barker Architecture Office (BAAO), a New York-based firm founded in 2006. She is also a founder of Pratt Institute’s Graduate Architecture program, where she recently served as Interim Chair and is an Associate Professor. BAAO’s award-winning work includes institutional, educational, retail, residential, and community-based projects locally and internationally. Recent work includes the City Kids Education Center, Mi Casita Preschool and Cultural Center, and Surfboard House. Barker is a board member of Design Advocates and a former member of the Hart Island Project, supporting communities through design and storytelling.
Graciela Carrillo, FAIA, serves as Senior Manager at Nassau BOCES Facilities Services, where she oversees capital and operational construction projects that support school districts throughout Nassau County. Deeply engaged with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the local, state, and national levels, Graciela currently holds the position of 2025–2027 At-Large Director on the AIA Board. She is also the Co-Founder of the Immigrant Architects Coalition, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering immigrant architects in their professional journeys. A national speaker and podcast host, Graciela has co-authored two books—City Shapers: Stories of Immigrant Designers and Prospering in the U.S.: A Handbook for Immigrant Architects—and contributed to Latinas in Architecture. Her contributions have been recognized with several honors, including the AIA Young Architect Award (2022), AIA New York State President’s Honor Award (2023), AIA Long Island Community Service Award (2024), and the AIA New York State Matthew Del Gaudio Award (2024).
In 2006, Laura Heim established her award winning neighborhood-based practice in a storefront in Sunnyside Gardens, Queens, New York, after two decades of practice leading restoration efforts in prominent firms. Laura was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2018 in Category Two – Practice (Technical Advancement), Specialty Area – Restoration. She has taught architectural design at the University of Virginia, University of Florida, and Pratt among other institutions. She served as the AIA Queens president in 2009 and 2010 and was honored to serve on the AIANY Fellows Committee from 2021-2023, leading as Co-chair in 2023. She currently holds the position of COF NY Regional Representative.
Carol Kurth, FAIA, ASID, is an award-winning architect and interior designer and Principal of Carol Kurth Architecture + Interiors. Carol’s distinguished and award-winning body of residential and commercial work is notable for its elegant and imaginative integration of site, form, structure, and materials. Through the lens of design, Carol Kurth brings an architect’s eye with a unique and modern viewpoint to the design industry. Her namesake furniture collection launched in 2018 at ICFF in New York City. Hallmarks of the Carol Kurth® brand are modern lines with subtle textures, thoughtful finishes and discerning details. 2011 marked Carol’s elevation to Fellow, as an FAIA in category Object 5 Alternative Careers, Service to Society and Volunteer Service. Carol is a member of the Baldwin Design Authority and serves on the board of the American Cancer Society Leadership Council. Additionally, she is an active board member and Third Vice President at The City College Alumni Association as well as past president of the Architecture Alumni Group at the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of the City University of New York (CCNY). Carol Kurth founded the AIA Westchester Hudson Valley Chapter of the Women in Architecture Committee, which encourages the development and involvement of women leaders within the AIA and the profession. Through mentorship, continuing education, and industry networking opportunities, the Committee seeks to recognize and promote the role of women architects in transforming spaces and elevating awareness of their portfolio.
With extensive experience leading award-winning projects of all types and scales, Vivian Lee brings over 30 years of passion for the design industry to Gensler, NY. Driven by a belief that good design can and should inspire, Vivian encourages the team to balance creative vision with practical solutions. Her design contribution to the built environment and leadership within the architecture profession led to Vivian’s elevation to the distinguished American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2020, under Object One: Design. She served on the AIA New York Board of Directors and is committed to mentoring the next generation of designers.
Porie Saikia currently serves as Principal for Sustainable Strategies for the Americas at the global consultancy of the MACE Group. Porie’s contributions to the design and construction industry have included climate leadership, transportation initiatives, architectural design, innovative project development, management, and delivery on a range of projects in both buildings and infrastructure in public and private sectors. Porie mentors young professionals at AIA, RIBA, CIOB, CMAA, NY Building Congress, and teaches Construction Management at the Pratt Institute of New York as an Associate Professor.
Georgeen Theodore, FAIA is an architect, urban designer, and Professor at New Jersey Institute of Technology’s College of Architecture and Design, where she coordinates the school’s Master of Urban Design Program. She received a Bachelor of Architecture from Rice University and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. Theodore is founding partner and principal of Interboro, a New York City-based architecture, urban design, and planning office. She is an expert in coordinating complex urban projects that involve many diverse stakeholders, infrastructures and ecosystems.
Moderator:
- Julie Torres Moskovitz, AIA
Julie Torres Moskovitz, AIA, WELL and LEED AP, CPHC – is Principal of Fete Nature Architecture (FNA Studio) based in Brooklyn, NY which is a firm that explores new ways to inhabit the urban fabric. Her work has ranged from residential and commercial hyper-efficiency and passive house retrofits to public realm and social impact projects. She has worked for over 25 years in NYC construction industry on a range of projects and specializes in energy- efficiency retrofitting and new construction. For several years she was Director of Sustainability at WXY architecture + urban design, an NYC firm well-known for public realm projects. She was the architect on the first certified Passive House project in NYC in 2012 which won an International Passive House Design Award and she wrote a book titled The Greenest Home, Superinsulated and Passive House Design with 18 case studies and has since led passive house strategy projects. Torres Moskovitz is a licensed architect in NY, NJ, CT, PA, WA, OH, and GA and is NCARB- certified. She is also an Owner’s Representative, Sustainability consultant, Certified Passive House Consultant, Certified Passive House Tradesman in Building Envelope, and LEED AP, WELL AP and a Regenerative Design Practitioner. She is a visiting professor and has taught at NYU, Pratt, Parsons, Syracuse U, and RISD.
