The American Institute of Architects Rochester has nearly 400 members, 36 percent of which identify as women. Outside of New York City, which has thousands of members, AIA Rochester is the most active chapter in the state.
Despite comprising less than half of the membership, women have held almost half of the board positions over the last seven years, and in every year, except one, the president or vice president has been a woman. This year, for the first time, all four leadership positions are occupied by women, Executive Director, Michelle Murnane, Associate Director Linda B. Hewitt, 2025 President President Sara DeSalvo and 2025 Vice President, Kory Hunsinger.
AIA Rochester was incorporated in 1968 and had its first woman president, Martha Gates, in 1976.
Hunsinger says, “We are fortunate to live in a society where architecture is not gender specific; the practice of architecture shouldn’t be either.” Architects should encourage students of all genders, backgrounds, beliefs to enter the built environment so that it represents the entire community, she explains. “We need to encourage students of all genders, backgrounds, beliefs, etc. to enter this profession to ensure our built environment represents the community at large.”
DeSalvo is at a woman-owned, woman-led firm that specializes in healthcare design. In high school, she was the only girl in any of the building trades classes or drafting classes, but she had a teacher who championed her journey from junior high to college, she says. He helped her get an internship when they were non-existent, especially for women. “From having a champion early on in school to coming out and not having anyone but myself, mentoring and championing for the next generation became a passion of mine, something that is still so important in my daily work life and within our community,” DeSalvo says.
“Every architect, woman or man, draws upon their past experiences and personal preferences when faced with a design challenge. Because women and men have different experiences in their daily lives, they inherently, unintentionally bring different things to design,” Hunsinger adds.
Murnane, Hewitt, DeSalvo and Hunsinger, for the most part, have avoided unequal treatment in the workplace, but Murnane does make some anecdotal observations.
“At one firm, female colleagues noted discrepancies in the type of roles assigned – in my department women were often assigned to interior architecture while men worked on the exteriors of buildings,” Murnane says. “Men also seemed to be offered promotions earlier in their careers—female colleagues and I were told we needed more experience.”
Outside the workplace, working onsite with contractors and other project partners has been more difficult. “Unfortunately early in my career I was belittled on the construction site,” Hunsinger says. “However I took that in stride and learned from the experiences. I was knowledgeable and assertive in my communications and over time, earned the respect that any person in this industry deserves.”
“I also experienced a contractor speaking to me in derogative terms early in my career, and my male supervisor was quick to shut that down,” Murnane adds. “For the most part I feel I have been taken seriously and been treated respectfully in my interactions with those in the industry. A place I encountered the most resistance was in interviewing potential contractors for a project at my own home.”
In leadership roles, women are not represented equally, which has resulted in fewer women mentors, among other issues, Murnane says. “At my first full-time job I noted to a superior that there were no women principals in the firm, and they responded that there indeed was a female principal – she was the head of the interiors department. There were no female principals in the architecture department at that time.” In more recent years, however, Murnane has noticed more women assuming leadership.
Allison Shannon is now a principal at SWBR and current president of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), a technical organization that works to organize, standardize, and communicate construction information. Jessica Kruse of LaBella is set to become president of CSI Rochester this summer.
AIA Rochester, considered the most active chapter in the state, provides multiple programs, awards and outreach. AIA holds a golf tournament to raise over $20,000 in scholarships; the organization provides education for members and students, support and mentoring to college students. AIA Rochester, Murnane says, was instrumental in helping Rochester Institute of Technology develop its architecture degree program.
In 2023, women made up 27% of the total licensed architect population in the US.
"...women comprise 50% of the board. Only 36% of our membership identify as women."