The “Herstory” of the AWA+D
From Four Women to a National Movement
The Association has a rich history dating back to 1915. The Founders were four female architectural students at Washington University in St. Louis: Mae Steinmesch, Helen Milius, Angela Burdeau and Jane Pelton. After being denied entry into the men’s architectural fraternity, these pioneering women organized their own society, called La Confrerie Alongine. Upon discovering interest from female architectural students at other campuses, in 1922 a national student association was formed that they called, Alpha Alpha Gamma. Mae Steinmesch recounted the forming of the organization, “In 1915 there were four girls in the School of Architecture at Washington University. Apprised of the fact there were other women enrolled at other Universities in the same field, we organized…”.
Between the years of 1924-1948 as female students graduated, they formed professional chapters to provide support for the challenges they faced as women entering the workforce. The professional society flourished and in 1948 at their National Conference in San Francisco, they voted to rename the professional chapters “The Association of Women in Architecture and Allied Arts (AWA).” Even at that time, it was apparent that women in similar fields were experiencing the same professional challenges, thus they expanded the name to additionally represent landscape architects, interior designers, artists and engineers.
By 1950 there were nearly twenty student and professional chapters across the country. The pressures of maintaining a national Association, including funding annual conventions and publishing a newsletter the Keystone, precipitated a re-organization in 1964 and thus the national organization dissolved. Professional and student chapters continued in cities and universities across the nation.
The Los Angeles Area Association
The Association for Women in Architecture – Los Angeles (AWA-LA) was one of the largest and continues to be the only surviving original chapter of AWA. In 1975 we wanted to better reflect the broadening of our membership to include anyone interested in supporting women in the professions, including men, so “for Women” was introduced to replace the original “of Women” in our name. Our organization’s legacy has had a significant national impact as its membership has always included incredibly renowned practitioners and leaders. Among our notable “firsts” is Norma Sklarek, credited with being the first African-American woman to receive her architectural license in New York and the first woman in our country to be elected a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects (FAIA). In 1985 Ms. Sklarek joined the Margot Siegel AIA Architecture firm, established by our member, Margot Siegel, in 1971. Along with fellow AWA-LA member, Kate Diamond, the union of these three members created the largest woman-owned and operated firm of its time in the western United States: Siegel, Sklarek, & Diamond. Each of these women are a great inspiration to young women entering the profession. Sadly, Norma Sklarek passed away February 6, 2012.
AWA+D Today
Distinct in its equal inclusion of professionals from across the architectural and design fields our professional membership currently includes: Architects, Interior Designers, Graphic & Product Designers, Urban Planners, Environmental Designers, Landscape Architects & Designers, Building Engineers, Contractors and students enrolled in these fields. We recognize the tremendous advances and rapid changes impacting all design disciplines and we embrace the need for and benefit of greater collaboration and exchange. In 2012, to emphasize our commitment to furthering the cross-pollination of a range of design disciplines and to refocus and refresh the organization’s programming goals, AWA-LA formally became known as the Association for Women in Architecture + Design (AWA+D). We offer innovative programming not found elsewhere, as well as the time and space for women to contribute more to the design profession while becoming more successful individuals.
100 years of the association of women in architecture
In 2022, we celebrated 100 years of service to members, design professions and our communities. AWA+D, along with our sister organizations, commemorated our dynamic history and legacy throughout the year, with events locally, nationally and internationally, all underscoring initiatives emerging from the cross-disciplinary discourse on women in architecture and the built environment.
Our organization has evolved through numerous iterations, beginning in 1915 as La Confrerie Alongine, to the official formation of the national student organization, Alpha Alpha Gamma in 1922. Renamed The Association of Women in Architecture and Allied Arts (AWA) in 1948, professional chapters across the US were formed to embrace landscape architects, interior designers, artists and engineers. A re-organization in 1964 precipitated the Los Angeles chapter (AWA-LA) and in 2012 we became The Association for Women in Architecture + Design (AWA+D) "to emphasize our commitment to furthering the cross-pollination of a range of design disciplines."
Women's voices are stronger than ever in campaigning for gender parity, best practices, diversity and inclusion and expansion. The growth of organizations advocating and advancing these principals across professions and communicating the value of design to society is exponential. Female design professionals have created vibrant networks and spaces of dialogue and activism that promote diverse contributions, expanded opportunities, mentorships, leadership, retention, relevant content, research, visibility, awareness, and support for our professions' talent at every stage of educational and professional development. These conversations and actions not only denounce discrimination and harassment, but are redefining the culture, restoring the historical record of women, establishing balance and crafting safe spaces for new generations of emerging design professionals.
Our resilience has enabled us to thrive for 100 years, thus AWA+D's 100th anniversary theme is ‘100 Years: Celebrate the past, Envision the future’. In acknowledging seismic shifts in financial, economic, environmental, geopolitical and social sectors, our role allows us to reframe built environment systems and take the lead in cultivating ecologically and culturally sustainable spaces and places for all peoples. As likely the oldest, continuing organization for women in architecture and design in the world, AWA+D celebrates her legacy in solidarity with the burgeoning body of women advocating for sustainably equitable practice, and have invited all sister organizations and individuals to celebrate her 100th anniversary as one community — an alliance of educators, scholars, practitioners, and activists working in partnership towards our common goals. No matter where we are, we are a society, globally extended to include and support those who are working to advance all women-identified individuals in architecture and the allied professions.
Los Angeles is AWA+D's base, and a nexus of design experimentation, innovation, discourse and cultural influence. AWA+D celebrates our city's history and a view towards the future of practice. How will our advocacy to elevate women's contributions champion new interdisciplinary practices of inclusion to transform the built and natural environments for the communities we serve?
AWA+D LA PAST PRESIDENTS
2022-23 Meg Coffee
2021-22 Sona Gevorkyan
2020-21 Meg Coffee
2019-20 Audrey Sato
2018-19 Sara Guerena
2017-18 Terri Moore
2016-17 Christina Monti
2015-16 Kishani De Silva
2014-15 Anna Harris
2013-14 Nicole Davis Tinkham
2012-13 Pamela Leone
2011-12 Pamela Leone
2010-11 Alissa Kauffman
2009-10 April Sakai
2008-09 Pamela Domingo
2007-08 Mehrnoosh Mojallali
2006-07 Kara Newmark
2005-06 Kate Svoboda-Spanbock
2004-05 Kate Svoboda-Spanbock
2003-04 Gina Najm
2002-03 Rochelle Mills
2001-02 Nina Briggs
2000-01 Stephanie Reich
1999-00 Isabelle Duvivier
1998-99 Diane Lee
1997-98 Mary Werk
1996-97 Barbara Elwood
1995-96 Ethel Rubio
1994-95 Seraphima Lamb
1993-94 Anne Zimmerman
1992-93 Joanne Jackson
1991-92 Lian Hurst Mann
1990-91 Candida Burke League
1989-90 Jan Muntz
1988-89 Alicia Rosenthal
1987-88 Virginia Tanzmann
1986-87 Katherine Diamond
1985-86 Katherine Diamond
1984-85 Margaret R. Goglia
1983-84 Catherine Cunningham
1982-83 Vickie Carter
1981-82 Koje Shoraka
1980-81 Koje Shoraka
1979-80 Doris Power
1978-79 Elsa Leviseur
1977-78 Robin Jaffe
1976-77 Nada Borsa
1975-76 Virginia Tanzmann
1974-75 Bett Marriott
1973-74 Tanya Desmari
1972-73 Dorothy Gray Harrison
1971-72 Peggy Cochrane
1970-71 Peggy Cochrane
1969-70 Lorraine Rudoff
1968-69 Lorraine Rudoff
1967-68 Marjorie (Mikki) Killen
1966-67 Dorothy Gray Harrison
1965-66 Dorothy Gray Harrison
1964-65 Anne Warren Knowles
1963-64 Anne Warren Knowles
1962-63 Barbara Elwood
1961-62 Lillian Herman
1960-61 Barbara Elwood
1959-60 Betty Gardner
1958-59 Edith Shoor
1957-58 Laura Tedesco
1956-57 Elizabeth Boyter
1955-56 Jean Driskel
1954-55 Edith Shoor
1953-54 Olive Chadeayne
1952-53 Lucille Bryant Raport
1951-52 Olive Chadeayne