Finale: On Leadership and Legacy

Welcome back to Architecture 5 10 20! I’m your host, Guy Geier, Managing Partner of FXCollaborative Architects in New York. My guests for this podcast are pioneers and visionaries shaping the future of the built environment across various disciplines. Join me in exploring their remarkable journeys, discovering how they reach their current heights, and envisioning what lies ahead in the next 5, 10, and 20 years.

For this finale episode, I am joined by Carole Wedge of The American Institute of Architects (AIA). Carole and I trace her 40-year career from a nontraditional start at Shepley Bulfinch, through Wall Street detours, to leading one of the country’s oldest architecture firms! She reflects on how those experiences shaped her approach to mentorship, inclusion, and professional growth, and she shares how saying “yes” to opportunities that she didn’t fully understand introduced her to national networks, long-term collaborations, and initiatives such as the Women’s Leadership Summit!

We explore Carole's priorities as CEO, including but not limited to how the organization can better support architects via practical business training, and technology integration. Carole highlights the importance of architects having the tools to help communities prepare for and recover from disasters such as Hurricane Sandy while also ensuring that the next generation is engaged, supported, and inspired to lead. We touch upon challenges facing the profession, from post-pandemic workplace changes to attracting young talent, including underrepresented voices, and the need to address long-standing issues such as compensation and access to education.

Our discussion also takes a global perspective, with Carole highlighting examples of innovative approaches to design around the world and stressing the value of collaboration across firms, communities, and government. She also talks about how architects can step into roles that make a real difference in shaping cities and public spaces, and, along the way, she shares her reflections on giving back to a profession that has given her so much.

If you’re curious about where architecture is headed, the responsibilities of professional leadership, and the strategies needed to make a real impact on both the profession and the communities it serves, this episode is for you. Thank you for tuning in to the final episode!

Time stamps:
[2:37] - Hear how Carole shifted from biology to architecture, combining climate awareness, sustainability, and creativity.
[5:24] - Economic downturns led Carole to Wall Street, teaching her business skills which architects rarely learn.
[8:12] - Beginning nontraditionally, Carole embraced mentorship and helped change her firm into a national practice.
[10:29] - Carole discusses how Shepley Bulfinch evolved via resilience, relationships, and adaptability.
[13:03] - Carole highlights her work on landmark hospitals, including Boston Children's.
[14:03] - Carole credits saying yes to opportunities for building leadership networks and driving meaningful initiatives.
[17:11] - Hear how, retiring from Shepley, Carole embraced AIA leadership to use her experience for broader impact.
[19:25] - Carole highlights supporting architects via technology, business skills, and climate-resilient community rebuilding.[22:38] - Carole advocates for proactive design and mentoring young architects to strengthen the profession.
[25:29] - Since COVID, younger professionals are missing out on the informal learning and mentorship that used to happen naturally in the office.
[26:09] - Carole regards hybrid models as opportunities, stressing listening to members and supporting local AIA efforts.[28:42] - Carole stresses that AI complements, not replaces, architects, and she highlights attracting the next generation.
[29:54] - Carole advocates for teaching business, technology, and career skills to architects.
[32:55] - Carole highlights NOMA and Project Pipeline’s role in K–12 design education and hands-on career exposure.
[34:47] - Carole stresses the need to reform compensation and support architects amid rising education costs.
[36:52] - Fair profit-sharing and transparency about salary help address student debt challenges.
[37:55] - Hear how AIA’s Washington presence enables advocacy.
[40:26] Carole highlights aligning architects with communities and students to address climate, housing, and technology issues.
[43:38] Carole encourages optimism, continuous improvement, and saying yes to opportunities while giving back to the profession.

Links / Resources:
Guy Geier
Instagram | Twitter

Carole Wedge
Carole’s LinkedIn | AIA Website | AIA LinkedIn