2025 AIA Wisconsin Associate Award Winner
Emily Neal, Assoc. AIA, is a Project Manager with Quorum Architects in Milwaukee and is AIA Milwaukee's 2025 President.
"Emily has all the qualities one looks for in a project team leader, whether this is in the office setting or volunteering. She has an outstanding ability to efficiently organize complicated information and prioritize data to align with the desired goals. She is a natural leader who is deliberate in considering all points of view, project constraints and opportunities, before evaluating potential solutions to pursue."
- Allyson Nemec, AIA (Nominator)
Emily is a passionate advocate for sustainability, mentorship, and community engagement within the architectural profession. As a dedicated leader, she has made significant contributions to AIA Wisconsin through her work with the AIA Milwaukee Section, and the creation and continued leadership of the AIA Milwaukee Emerging Professionals Committee. A graduate of the AIA WI Architect Mentor Program (AMP), Emily now returns as a regular presenter on sustainability, sharing her knowledge and inspiring the next generation of leaders. Her commitment to sustainability extends beyond AIA, including her service as Chair of the USGBC Wisconsin Executive Committee and her hands-on work with Habitat for Humanity, both locally and abroad.
Emily’s leadership extends into mentorship and youth engagement, notably through her work with the Girls Let’s Build program—an initiative she has supported since its launch in 2019 to inspire and empower young girls to explore design and construction. Whether organizing complex projects in the office or leading volunteer teams in her community, Emily is recognized as a thoughtful, inclusive, and driven leader. She brings people together with purpose, always aligning action with vision and values.
NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN FOR 2026
Nomination Deadline: Monday, January 26, 2026
The AIA Wisconsin Associate Award recognizes an individual Associate member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership potential or notable service to the AIA, the architecture profession, or their community.
The AIA Wisconsin Associate Award recognizes architectural talent in one or more of the following ways:
Eligibility
AIA Wisconsin Associate member who meets at least one of the following criteria:
Current AIA Wisconsin Board of Directors members are ineligible to apply for the award during their tenure.
Criteria
Nominees will be evaluated based on how well they meet the program criteria which include:
Nominees, or those submitting on their behalf without their knowledge, are asked to articulate the 'ripple effect' of the nominee's leadership influence on the profession. This term encapsulates the impact extending beyond the routine aspects of one's practice or local community. Demonstration of a ripple effect might include metrics of activities such as public speaking, publications, mentorship, professional service, geographic reach, or leaving a lasting legacy through others.
Any AIA Wisconsin member in good standing is invited to nominate themselves or another eligible member for the AIA Wisconsin Associate Award. There is no limit to the number of nominees a member may submit.
Unsuccessful nominations can be resubmitted; however, a nominee may receive the award only once.
Nominator Responsibilities
The nominating member is responsible for the following:
Entry Fee
There is a non-refundable entry fee of $100 for each nomination.
Nomination Deadline
AIA Wisconsin must receive all nominations by the award submittal deadline of December 1st. All deadlines are strictly observed. Nomination letters should be addressed to the AIA Wisconsin Associate Award Committee Chair.
General Submittal Requirements
Information submitted should specifically demonstrate how the nominee’s achievement, work, contributions, and experiences meet the purpose and criteria of the award.
1. Nomination Documents (single PDF)
a. Contact Information
b. Nomination letter (one-page maximum) written by the nominating member summarizing the nominee’s contributions to the criteria above.
c. One to Three (1-3) Letters of Reference (one-page maximum each) from individuals familiar with the nominee’s contributions.
d. Biography of the nominee (two pages maximum) including date of registration and WI license number, professional history, honors, and activities related to the purpose of the award
2. Photograph of the nominee (JPG format)
3. Exhibit Information (single PDF)
a. Submit a minimum of four (4) and no more than six (6) exhibits, emphasizing your work and supporting the application. For each exhibit, submit a collection of no more than five (5) drawings, photographs, or other exhibits. External links to articles, proposals, and other supporting materials may also be included.
b. Email a ZIP file of high-resolution versions of all images used in the submission to aiaw@aiaw.org.
c. Include one Declaration of Responsibility Form for each project included in the submittal. [DOWNLOAD]
d. By making a submission, the nominator certifies that permission has been obtained from the photographer(s) to publish the submitted photographs and electronic images for publicity in the interest of the profession.
4. Signed Intern Compensation Disclaimer [DOWNLOAD]
Nominations are collected through a submittal process by completing the form. Payment and uploads (nomination materials, Headshot, Nomination Documents, Exhibits, Declaration of Responsibility Form, and Intern Compensation Disclaimer) will be collected at the same time. Please have all materials and payment ready to go when you begin the form.
AIA Wisconsin will not accept responsibility for errors in submitted material. Aside from submitting high-resolution images, do not email files.
The AIA Wisconsin Associate Award Jury consists of the following:
Communication with the jury from the time of submission to completion of the jury process by the candidate or anyone acting on their behalf is cause for disqualification.
The AIA Wisconsin Associate Award will be announced at the annual AIA Wisconsin Conference and will be presented at the AIA Wisconsin Design Awards Gala. There shall be no more than one Associate Award winner in any given year; however, it should not be mandatory that there be an Associate Award recipient every year. This shall be at the Board’s discretion.
