🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #27: From China to Dubai: Li Ren’s Global Journey as a U.S.-Licensed Architect, by Li Ren, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C Li Ren, originally from Chengdu, China, is an Architect and Associate at Perkins Eastman in Dubai. He specializes in hospitality, senior living, and master plans. His approach to design is sustainable and inclusive. He seeks to involve the community in the design process to enhance the design's quality and social engagement. Li is passionat...
Samia Rab Kirchner, originally from Quetta, Pakistan, makes, studies, and analyzes architecture that contributes to urban civic identity. She is currently a tenured Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Morgan State University Department of Architecture. She has previously taught architecture, urban design, historic preservation, and urban heritage management at the American University of Sharjah in the UAE, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Georgia Institute of Technol...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #25: Cloudiya Ochoa, AIA, NCARB, CDT. Licensed in North Carolina and Mexico. Cloudiya Ochoa, AIA, NCARB, CDT, is a licensed architect in the North Carolina and Mexico, with over 12 years of experience. She brings a global perspective to her work and is passionate about helping others navigate the path to licensure. As a working mom of almost three and a foreign-trained professional, Cloudiya shares her journey balancing family, career, and professional gro...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #24: Anuya Sant, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C. Licensed in Wisconsin and India. Anuya is a seasoned health care architect, planner, and project manager with over a decade of experience in operational planning and evidence-based design. Originally from India, she brings her passion for historic preservation, sustainable and community design to her projects to create effective and long-lasting environments. Anuya has been a dedicated volunteer for the community ...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #23: Rajan Karmacharya, PMP®, AIA, NCARB, licensed in Texas and from Nepal. Rajan, originally from Nepal, is a Senior Architect and Project Manager with over a decade of experience and a story that’s anything but typical. After being diagnosed with dyslexia, he didn’t just navigate the challenges of architecture school; he crushed the ARE 5.0 with just six months of preparation, earning his license in 2022. He currently serves as the Chair of the ARE Study...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #22: An Immigrant Architect's Path to Giving Back with Mahbuba Khan AIA, MPA, LEED®AP BD+C Mahbuba Khan is the founding president of MnKhan Architects, a minority-owned firm specializing in public projects across community, institutional, and municipal sectors in Coppell, Texas. Most recently, she served as a Technical Lead Architect for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and as a Capital Project Manager for the City of Dallas, TX. She holds a Bachelor of Ar...
Olga Whitmoyer is a New York-based, Russian-born architect dedicated to enhancing public education and building stronger, more equitable communities across New York City. With a professional mission focused on advancing both equity and sustainability, Olga strives to make a lasting impact through her work as a registered architect. Olga earned her first Master’s degree in Architecture from Moscow State Academic Art Institute of Russian Academy of Arts in 2006, where she contributed to award-w...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #20: Manuel Granja, AIA, LEED Green Associate. Licensed in Florida, Ohio and Panama. Manuel Granja, originally from Ecuador, is a Project Coordinator at Sol Design and Consult, specializing in sustainable design and occupant well-being. With a portfolio spanning over 100,000 sq ft of fitness facilities worldwide, he brings a global perspective to energy-efficient, human-centered architecture. Manuel is the 2025 AIA National Associate Representative for O...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #19: Taruna Gupta, NOMA, Assoc. AIA and Yash Mehta, NOMA, Assoc. AIA, Co-Founders of Defining Humanity! Taruna is a Senior Associate at HGA Milwaukee, working as a programmer and planner. She values the importance of a holistic design process and champions equity and sustainability principles that enrich her projects. As Co-Founder and President of Defining Humanity, a Wisconsin-based non-profit, Taruna has spearheaded global initiatives that b...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #18: Alejandro Calle, AIA, NCARB, Green LEED Assoc. licensed in US in Fl and Georgia, and in Colombia Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! Alejandro is an Architect for RS&H's Health and science practice in Jacksonville, Florida, where he ...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #17: Bridging Cultures Through Architecture, with Gemma Devesa, AIA. Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! Gemma Devesa Gasco, AIA, is an international architect and Principal of her NYC WBE-certified firm, Gemma Devesa Gasco Architecture...
Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! Juan Ricardes holds a Master of Architecture from the University of Buenos Aires and is a registered architect with the Professional Council of Architecture & Urban Planning in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He is also an International Ass...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #15: Pathways to Licensure for Immigrants, A Conversation with NCARB. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new Licensing series episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adve...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #14: Forging a Sustainable Future: a conversation with Eddy Santosa, AIA, LEED Fellow. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Eddy is a globally recognized leader in sustainable building strategies and design, boasting over 24 years of experience. He has successfully delivered high-performance, sustainable designs for more than 300 building projects across the US an...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #13: Emerging as a Future Architect: A Conversation with the 2024 IAC Scholarship Winner Kuna Bhardwaj. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Kunal Bhardwaj is a recent graduate from NC State University with a Bachelor of Environmental and Design (BEDA) and a Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch). He plans to move to New York City to practice architecture in the ...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #12: Legacy of Design: A Mother-Daughter Journey in Architecture, by Esther Sherman and Laura Sherman, AIA. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Esther Sherman, originally from the Philippines, is currently a retired architect who previously worked at the University of Georgia. Despite her shift to handmade crafts post-retirement, she remains deeply connected to t...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #11: Radically Authentic, by Meghana Joshi, AIA, NOMA. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Meghana Joshi is an award-winning architect and Managing Principal at MG2 in Irvine, CA. Her work in Affordable Housing and Senior-living projects has been honored with accolades, including SAGE Gold, PCBC Gold Nugget, SoCal, Argentum, and NAHB awards. Committed to fosterin...
Shaped by years of globetrotting and an insatiable passion for the practice, Sara Jazayeri is an award-winning licensed Architect and certified Interior Designer. Sara began her studies in Paris, France, receiving a master’s degree in architecture from L’Ecole Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette. Recently, she finished a two years business program, CCBP, at Columbia University. In 1996 she traveled to New York to work at the United Nations headquarters and later worked in...
🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #09: Balancing Acts: Mentorship, Goals & the Immigrant Experience with Saakshi Terway, Assoc. AIA. We are thrilled to announce the release of our new episode, where we delve into the inspiring world of immigrant architects. Originally from New Delhi, Saakshi Terway is a licensed architect from India currently working at Quinn Evans in Washington DC. As a design professional, she has contributed to many featured mixed-use, multi-family, seni...
Gabriela is originally from Brazil, and is also a citizen of Italy and the United States. Gabriela is an Associate Principal and the Strategic Practice Manager at Utile, where she treats the practice like a design project. In her role, she works to formalize and advance architectural and planning processes in relation to firm-wide management, strategy, and culture. Prior to joining Utile, Gabriela worked for over ten years as a project architect for academic spaces. Gabriela is also an Assist...