Pillars Leadership Program
AIA Kansas City's Pillars Leadership Program is a training program that prepares a representative cross section of the chapter’s emerging leaders for their role in shaping the future of both the architectural profession and the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. The training program includes active participation in programs and exposure to community leaders and issues. Applications are accepted for the program once each year. Criteria for acceptance include proven career success and community involvement. The benefits of the program include: development of relationship skills, skill development, team performance, and chapter and community leadership.
Topics that will be discussed throughout the year include: politics and advocacy, academia and mentorship, business and legal issues, project delivery and partnership, communication methodologies, outreach, industry trends and economic development.
2024 - 2025 PILLARS CLASS
Caleb Bertels, AIA - Hoefer Welker
Steve Burton, AIA - BRR Architecture
Rachel Dumsky, AIA - NSPJ Architects
Andra Eglitis, AIA - SFS Architecture
Allison Kelly, Assoc. AIA - Pulse Design Group
Phillip Perkins, AIA - HNTB
Bruno Rodriguez Escobedo, Assoc. AIA - Populous
Claire Ryan, AIA - Black & Veatch
Tanvi Sanghvi, AIA - Helix Architecture + Design
Keegan Thompson, Assoc. AIA - DLR Group
Melissa Watson, Assoc. AIA - HOK
Kathryn Eckhoff - Wallace Design Collective
Travis Kingsley - 5BY5 Engineers
Kate Moeder - Hufft
Wesley Morris - Garver
Zach Russell - PMA Engineering
Pillars May 2025 Overview
For the May session of Pillars, participants explored the role Sports play in shaping Kansas City’s growth, economy, and urban landscape. The event kicked off with lunch at HyVee Arena provided by one of the in-house concessions.
From there, the Pillars visited with Steve Foutch, CEO of Foutch Brothers. Steve gave a breakdown on everything that they did to rehabilitate the arena and reactivate as a sports hub in Kansas City. After the Q&A session with Steve, he gave the Pillars class a tour of
the facility and continued to answer questions.
The group then headed over to the Kirk Family YMCA, where we met with Mark Hulet, President & CEO of the YMCA of Greater Kansas City. Mark talked about his years of work with the YMCA and the process of opening a new YMCA location and the challenges that came with renovating a historic building into a great community asset. Mark then gave us a tour of the new facility and explained the different community engagement activities that draw families to the YMCA for various needs.
