President's Report and Statement of AIA Maine Principles
Kay Stevens Rosa, AIA, NCARB
President AIA Maine 2017-2018
As we embark on a new year and the new challenges it brings, I am excited about leading the Maine Chapter of the AIA for the next two years. I am grateful to our outgoing President, Rob Tillotson, for his tenure as President and his gentle guidance. I also extend my gratitude to Derek Veilleux for his time on the board and his contributions as a Director and Chair of the Communications Committee.
We are pleased to welcome new board members, Michael Lassel of Lassel Architects in South Berwick and Peter Anderson of SMRT Architects in Portland. Having had our first meeting last week, I can tell you that the Board is energized and already offering some great input.
I am excited to work with Vice President Jesse Thompson, Executive Director, Jeannette Schram and the Board of Directors to make AIA Maine the best instrument of service and advocacy for Maine architects that it can be. Next month, Jesse, Jeannette and I will be in Washington DC at AIA Grassroots to advocate to our legislators the many issues that are important to us as practitioners and citizens. It appears the advocacy will be a strong theme going forward and AIA Maine is determined to work hard to defend the progress we have made i so many arenas, and assure the continued positive impact of our work, locally and globally.
In light of the changing political environment and the uncertainty surrounding its impact on the building industry, the environment and the profession, the AIA Maine Board of Directors remains steadfast in the adherence to our fundamental principles.
AIA Maine will always work towards a vision of a better future for our planet, our communities, and our members. In particular, AIA Maine is focused on promoting the values and resources that make Maine a singular and extraordinary place.
AIA Maine is committed to the following principles:
- Advancement of sustainable practices that mitigate the effect of building on the environment, through such models as COTE, the 2030 initiative and the impact potential of each practitioner;
- Fostering an inclusive and diverse Maine architectural community, and serving and seeking to enhance the well-being of all persons regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation;
- Providing a Maine-based vehicle for the education of new architects (as we now have in UMA), offering continued education opportunities to all practitioners, educating our clients and the public, and advocating for the development of new technologies, methods and policies that lead to healthful environments;
- Promotion of healthy, safe and nurturing communities, starting at the local level;
- Participation in beneficial development of the state's infrastructure, physical and cultural, building walls that welcome as well as protect, and bridges that connect.
Lastly, we demand principle-based policy from officials at all levels and integrity in our practice of architecture. AIA Maine is committed to hearing the voices of its members, and advocating for their interests in local, regional and global arenas.
Our resolve to stand strong as a unified community is uncompromising, even when facing resistance to these aspirations.
Sincerely,
Kay Stevens Rosa, AIA, NCARB
Maine Licensed Architect
President, AIA Maine 2017-18
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