poltSetViews(); MEET OUR OPENING KEYNOTE: Wanda Dalla Costa - NOMA

We’re excited to announce Wanda Dalla Costa as the opening keynote speaker for the 2026 NOMA Conference | The Leading Edge.

Wanda Dalla Costa Portrait
Photo by Deanna Dent/ASU Now

A trailblazing architect, educator, and champion of Indigenous place-keeping, Wanda has spent nearly three decades working alongside Indigenous communities across North America. Her work centers community knowledge, cultural practices, and the people who call these places home.

Wanda brings a powerful perspective on designing alongside communities, centering the people and cultures connected to it. Her work offers real insight into culturally responsive and community-driven design.

Don’t miss her opening keynote: Thursday, October 15 | 9:30 AM

Wanda will kick off a full day of conversations, learning, networking, and ideas at The Leading Edge.

Wanda Dalla Costa, FRAIC, AIA, LEED A.P. (she/her) is an architect, educator, and member of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. She is the founder of Tawaw Architecture Collective, a cross-border design practice licensed in both Canada and the United States, specializing in Indigenous Placekeeping and life-centered design. At Arizona State University, Dalla Costa is the founding director of the Indigenous Design Collaborative, a community-driven design and research center. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada and a Yerba Buena Center for the Arts 100 Honoree, a distinction acknowledging cultural leaders reshaping design and social equity.

And this is only the beginning. With 60+ sessions, keynotes, workshops, an Expo, tours, networking events, and the NOMA Awards Gala, there will be plenty to experience throughout the conference.

NOMA 2026 | The Leading Edge

October 14–18, 2026

JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa | Aventura, Florida Late registration is still available! If you haven’t registered yet, now is the time to get your ticket and join us in South Florida