Samantha is an Associate Professional and current Educator, currently in pursuit of licensure. She has always had a curious approach to the world around her, which led her to study architecture. She graduated with her Master of Architecture from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Design in Architecture from the University of Florida. After graduation, she worked at architecture firms, gaining invaluable experience. While she deals with challenges, she continues in pursuit of her architecture license. She enjoys giving of her time and energy to help others, namely, mentorship and volunteering. Some of her interests include sustainability, healthcare design, and cycling. In 2023, she restarted the Architecture club at Miami Dade College’s North Campus where she continues to encourage students to get involved within their communities. Samantha is a current AIA Associate member and sits on the AIA Miami Board as Miami Dade College School of Architecture representative. After licensure, Samantha hopes to use her registration to broaden her professional abilities.
Nancy de La Vega, a South Florida native, holds a Master of Architecture from Florida International University and is a LEED Green Associate. After relocating to Fort Myers, Nancy joined her local AIA chapter as a volunteer for the Architecture in Education program, providing hands-on lessons in architecture for 4th and 5th grade students. Her dedication led her to the AIA Florida Southwest Board of Directors, holding a position as Associate Director for several years and earning her the AIA Florida Southwest President’s Award in 2021 and 2022. Nancy has also served as chapter Secretary and assumed the role of President in 2023. As Associate Director, Nancy revitalized the chapter’s ARE study group, conducting a firm-crawl style monthly event at firms across the area, fostering engagement among members and assisting those on the path to licensure. She also updated the chapter’s Exam Resource Library, offering the latest study materials to chapter members at no cost. Beyond her professional contributions, Nancy demonstrated her commitment to her community during Hurricane Ian’s aftermath, aiding in debris clearing and distributing disaster recovery donations. She has since served as an advocate for legislation impacting the profession, emphasizing the significance of resilient design and construction.
Jasmin was born and raised in sunny Miami, Florida, where she attended Florida International University and received her M.Arch degree. A variety of professional experiences, including teaching higher education, construction management, and now working in architecture firms, have nurtured a seed that seeks opportunity for growth. She is driven by her curiosity to engage in purposeful architecture that considers all elements of the practice, from intricate construction details to the community impact of built environments.
An active member in the Austin, TX professional community, she is part of the Executive Board for the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) of Central Texas and is in the 2022 cohort for AIA Austin’s Leadership Collective. As part of her pursuit to become a licensed architect, Jasmin plans to continue seeking opportunities that will empower communities with the tools and knowledge to sustain their built environment.
Marsha J. McDonald is an architectural designer and researcher. She completed a Bachelor of Arts in the Built Environment at Caribbean School of Architecture, University of Technology, Jamaica and her professional Master of Architecture at Florida International University, FL where she began her pre-doctoral studies on the role of culture and community in the Architecture. Marsha was a former professor at Florida International University and was a part of the inaugural design arts team at Young Arts Foundation, Miami, FL. After decades as a consultant, Marsha is pursuing her license to focus on multi-cultural and multi-generational design in housing and hospitality.
She is a mother and mentor to youth as they pursue their life and professional goals. Her educational events include Diversity in Design Arts & Architecture (DIDA), an annual event for established and emerging architects and future design professionals of all ages. DIDA’s past themes included, “The Black Aesthetics” (2016), Women of Influence” (2019) “Caribbean Resiliency” (2020-present). She participates as a guest critic for studios, career days and is the creator of seminars and exhibits such as “Caribbean Culinary Museum” (2018-2020) and “Caribbean Spaces” (FIU exhibit) (2013) reflecting her advocacy for the awareness of architectural contributions of diverse and underrepresented communities.
Malcolm Jones is an Emerging Professional, that is currently in pursuit of his architectural license as an employee of Scott & Cormia Architecture + Interiors. He graduated with his Masters of Architecture in May of 2018 from Florida International University. Malcolm has also acquired a position as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Florida’s CityLab (School of Architecture – Graduate Program).
Along with being a father of two beautiful children and a loving husband, he is also heavily involved in multiple progressive community-based activities and organizations inside and outside the profession. Malcolm’s involvement spans through NOMA Orlando, AIA Orlando chapter, Young Architects Forum Orlando, the Orlando Foundation for Architecture, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc., and as the Chair of Black Architect’s in the Making – Orlando.
Lastly, Malcolm is a member of the 2020 Cohort of graduates of AIA’s Jacob Leadership Institute. Through this program he has developed critical and vital leadership skills that he applies in the workplace, organizationally, and in daily life experiences.
Throughout the life of his professional career he ultimately desires to mentor and to create opportunities for young boys and girls of color that would benefit themselves, and their families for the future.
Brandon Byrd is a Jacksonville, Florida native currently residing in Colorado. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with a degree in Environmental Design and has hopes of earning a master’s degree. In the meantime, he has started to study for the ARE and is excited to be an awardee of the Jason Pettigrew ARE Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship will be a huge benefit to the effort of becoming a licensed architect.
Brandon is an Architectural Designer with seven years of experience across multiple practices. His experience includes assisted living/memory care, residential, hospitality/resorts, commercial, and industrial/warehouses. He is currently set to embark on a new journey with EYP Architecture and Engineering as a designer practicing healthcare architecture with opportunities to also practice government and higher education architecture.
Brandon is also a Navy veteran assigned to the USS Jacksonville, a submarine stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. There, he had duties as one of the boat’s cooks and qualified scuba divers. He has been deployed twice, one across the Atlantic and one across the Pacific. He was active for four years and a reservist for three.
Caroline Arrigoni is a young and emerging professional currently on the path to architectural licensure. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, then moving to Orlando, Florida in 2010, Caroline uses many influences from Brazilian culture to inspire her designs today. Coming from a creative family of architects and engineers, she developed an early passion for the field of architecture which unites design and construction into a medium of artistic expression.
Caroline has a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from Rollins College and a master’s degree in Architecture from University of Florida. She is the recipient of the Graduate Architecture Academic Achievement Award and the Graduate Architecture Design Honor Award. Caroline has been employed as a designer at ACi Architects for over five years, where she has a background in mixed-use projects, public development, and residential communities.
Caroline’s next goals are to complete architectural licensure, stay involved in the local architectural community, and continuing to expand her passion for architectural design.
Natalie has always had a passion for reaching back into under-served communities and inspiring others to reach beyond their current environment. During her studies at the University of Florida, she has been involved in number organizations that sought to empower minority communities such as BAM (Black Architects in the Making) and she serves as a Community and DEI leader for CREW Orlando (Commercial Real Estate Women). Her passion for design that empowers people serves as a foundation for the core principle of form that meets function. She loves spending time laughing with her family, outdoor activities, and spontaneous day-cations.
Natalie’s career emphasis has been designing for government and private healthcare as well as corporate office design. She has served as Project Designer on roll-out projects for private healthcare organizations which included comprehensive design and construction documents implemented in multiple facilities across the nation.
Natalie has developed a profound appreciation for efficient productivity in seeking elegant design solutions. She prides herself on creating lasting relationships with clients that promote communication and enhances outcomes. Natalie has been serving as a LEED Certified Interior Designer since 2008 and helps facilitate research projects and design implementation for clients desiring to build a sustainable environment.
Laura Pisciotte is a first-year student at the University of Southern California. In high school, she was part of the Key Club, Speech and Debate team, and Mu Alpha Theta, all in which she held leadership positions. She volunteered at her local hospital and taught Spanish virtually to low-income students. Her passion for architecture blossomed in her childhood while in Colombia and fostered through a summer architecture program at Washington University. Laura hopes to become a licensed architect with a focus on sustainability and accessibility.
Omar Leon is a first-generation student who will be attending Cornell University to pursue his 5-year Bachelors of Architecture degree. He was born in Bogota, Colombia and moved to Miami at the age of seven. During his high school career, he was the President of the National Honor Society, Vice President of the Architecture Club, and active member of the Spanish and French Honor Societies. Omar was the winner of the Miami Beach Parklet design and construction competition. He also received gold and silver Scholastic Awards for writing, painting, and architecture. Omar was hand-selected to receive a full scholarship to Parsons New School of Design Pre-College to study fashion construction.
Omar also volunteered as a camp counselor in his neighborhood. His passion for helping the community led him to initiate a service project collecting art supplies for 40 underprivileged children in a shelter in his hometown in Colombia where he held art classes for two consecutive summers. He continued his commitment to the shelter and used his love for art and design to beautify the entrance with a mural.
Omar hopes to use architecture as a medium for aiding underrepresented communities.
Omar’s scholarship is funded by the AIA Custom Residential Architects Network, an AIA Knowledge Community.
Yanela Diaz is graduate of G. Holmes Braddock Sr. High, who will be attending Rice University this fall to study architecture. Her interest in architecture was fueled from experience in an internship and summer program, where her skills and drive led her to win the Top Architecture Student award. She wishes to pursue a master’s in architecture and a bachelor’s in material sciences. Her future goal is to combine the field of architecture and sciences; she wishes to research new recyclable construction materials and advocate for environmentally aware designs. Thanks to the Diversity Advancement Scholarship, her dreams are a closer step to reality.
I was born in Santiago, Chile to two Chilean parents but moved to the United States at a young age due to a promotion in my father’s position at the company where he worked.
I was interested in art from a young age but I started to become interested particularly in architecture around the end of middle school and decided to apply to Design and Architecture Senior High. During high school, I did my best to involve myself in the subjects I am passionate about by taking multiple classes related to art and architecture such as art history, painting, drawing, AutoCAD 2D design and 3D design. At the end of my sophomore year I was given a full scholarship to attend a pre-college program at the School Of Visual Arts where I took a sculpture class and was able to experiment with clay, plaster, woodworking and more. When I returned to my high school I was part of the Young Designers Consortium and helped set up an exhibition displaying the experiences and work of students who attended the School of Visual Arts Pre-college. I also attended a pre-college program at Cornell University where I participated in a design immersion program that focused on product, interior, branding, packaging, and exhibit design.
Throughout the past few years I have also tried to involve myself in multiple clubs such as the National Honor Society, Architecture Club, National Science Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, and Future Educators of America. I am currently the historian for National Honor Society and I am in charge of finding community service opportunities for members, and tracking their activity in the club, and I also co-coordinated the school’s food drive, and participated in toy drive, and tutoring. I am also currently the co-treasurer of Architecture Club.
I also participated in the ACE (Architecture-Construction-Engineering) Mentorship Program where I was able to design an event space in Design District with other students and under the guidance of professional architects from Coastal Construction.
Some of my recent awards include Scholastics Regional Gold Key, Silver Key and two Honorable Mentions, AIA Student of the Year, National Hispanic Recognition Program Scholar, AP Scholar of Distinction, AP Studio Art Award of Excellence and AP Calculus AB Award of Excellence.
I have also been an intern at Glottman, a design firm and shop in Wynwood, for the past eight months. In the fall, I will be starting classes at Cornell University to earn my Bachelors of Architecture.