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S10056
NOMA’s “The Leading Edge” Conference Celebrates Commitment to Social Justice, Design Excellence and Welcomes New Leadership
South Florida gathering honors professional and student achievement, recognizes newly licensed architects, and introduces incoming President Saundra Little and her vision for sustaining minority-owned firms.
OCTOBER 23, 2026, AVENTURA, FL — The National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) brought together more than 1,400 architects, designers, students, educators, planners, and industry partners for its 2026 Annual Conference, The Leading Edge, October 14–18, at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, Florida. Hosted in partnership with SoFloNOMA, the South Florida NOMA chapter, the five-day gathering connected professional development, community engagement, and design excellence with urgent conversations about equity, advocacy, and the future of the built environment.
Representing more than 4,000 members through 46 professional chapters and more than 135 student chapters, NOMA convened its community in a region where climate adaptation, immigration, cultural identity, housing affordability, and rapid development intersect daily. The conference celebrated the leadership of architects and designers from underrepresented communities, honored outstanding professional and student work, and marked the 20th anniversary of Project Pipeline, NOMA’s national youth outreach and mentorship initiative. Current NOMA President Bryan C. Lee Jr., FAIA, passed the ceremonial staff to Saundra Little, FAIA, LEED AP, marking her induction as incoming president for the 2027–2028 term, which begins Jan. 1, 2027. Lee, whose presidential term concludes at the end of 2026, was inducted into the NOMA Council (NOMAC), recognizing his leadership, contributions, and lasting impact on the organization and the profession.
“This conference demonstrated the strength of a community that continues to build, advocate, and imagine a more just future, even in the face of extraordinary challenges,” said outgoing NOMA President Lee. “Our members support communities through recovery, defend opportunities for the next generation, and bring design justice into the buildings we create, the neighborhoods we serve, and the policies we shape. As my presidency comes to a close, I am deeply grateful to the mentors, peers, students, and staff who carry this work forward. The staff has been passed, but the mission continues. Together, we honor the legacy, embrace new leadership, and continue advancing diversity, opportunity, and excellence in architecture.”
In her inaugural address, Little introduced her presidential platform, Sustain, Elevate, Empower (S.E.E. NOMA), emphasizing the business support, visibility, and leadership development minority-owned architecture firms need to thrive across generations. Her priorities include helping young practices become legacy firms, supporting established owners through succession and ownership transitions, and equipping members to tell their own stories and pursue commissions that shape their communities’ histories and futures..
The conference featured more than 60 educational sessions offering AIA learning units and HSW credits, alongside keynote conversations, workshops, local tours, student programming, and a two-day industry expo. Programming spanned Design, Technical, Community and Justice, Business Development, and Conference Tours, connecting professional practice with the social and environmental conditions shaping the built environment.
Keynote speakers included Wanda Dalla Costa, the first First Nations woman to be licensed to practice architecture in Canada and Saddle Lake Cree Nation member, and Bryan Stevenson, JD, Equal Justice Initiative founder, executive director and Legacy Sites creator, bringing their perspectives to the conference’s conversations about design, justice, and community. Two curated tracks, Edge Conditions and Emerging Voices, focused on climate resilience and the next generation of design thinking, highlighting NOMA members’ leadership in advancing design justice.
Conference tours and programming explored Overtown, Little Havana, Wynwood, and other South Florida communities shaped by generations of migration, creativity, activism, and resilience. These experiences connected conference discussions to the neighborhoods, histories, and community priorities informing design practice in the region. AIA, NAAB, NCARB, ACSA, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and other partners participated in the conference as education partners.
“NOMA brings designers together to advance the profession and confront the systems that shape our communities,” said Tiffany Brown, MBA, Assoc. AIA, NOMA Executive Director. “This year’s conference carried that work forward through bold ideas, meaningful connections, and a shared commitment to a more equitable built environment. One of our proudest moments was recognizing our more than 40 newly licensed architects. Behind every pin is a journey of dedication and perseverance—and a community that helped make it possible. Celebrating their achievements reminds us why this gathering matters: we are supporting the people whose voices, talents, and leadership will shape architecture’s future.”
The largest group of newly newly licensed architects were recognized in the NOMA pinning ceremony during the Oct. 16 Business Meeting, including 41 members: Oluchi Amakoh, Texas; Asia Burgin, Alabama & Georgia; Altagracia Calcagno, Utah; Raphael Charles, New York; Michelle Denyer, Virginia; Lauriane Donang, Washington, DC; Mona Elamin, Texas; Schneider Eliassaint, California; Leslie Epps, New York; Urenna Evuleocha, Texas; Gina Fernandes, Washington, DC; Sierra Gardner, New York; Kordrick Gibbons II, Florida; Joshua Gordon, Alabama; Naomi Harrison, Florida; Alexandra Holakiewicz, Washington; Christian Hudson, Washington, DC; Deepanshi Jaiswal, Texas; Alex Jones, Texas; Murray Kamara, North Carolina; Jairo Laverde, California; Bryanna Lofton, Kansas; Michael Love, Texas; Matthew Lum, Illinois; Simba Mafundikwa, New York; Ricardo Maga-Rojas, Texas & Florida; Jalaal Malik, Georgia; Dijo Mathews, Texas; Tiffany Montañez, New York; Kirsten Murillo, Texas; Patricia Mutebi, Minnesota; Maanasa Nathan, Texas; Mario Oliver, Tennessee; Krystofer Pinnock, Illinois; Victor Robinson, Tennessee; Raymond Santana-Linares, Texas; Tyler Sauter, Oregon; Edward Senatus, Georgia; Ti’Ara Toney, North Carolina; Timothy Uzoigwe, Texas; and Shawn Waddell, Illinois. Over 25 percent of the newly licensed architects are registered in Texas.
The NOMA Awards on Oct. 17, 2026, celebrated professional achievement, chapter leadership, student excellence, and the contributions of members, allies, and partners. NOMA executive director Brown acknowledged the work of the NOMA Board of Directors, staff, host chapter, volunteers, sponsors, and members who made the gathering possible.
The Phil Freelon Professional Design Awards recognized outstanding built and unbuilt work demonstrating design excellence and contributions to the built environment.
Awards jurors included: Russell L. Baltimore, AIA; Taruna Gupta, Assoc. AIA; Kelvin D. Haywood, AIA, NCARB, LEED GA; and Micki Washington, AIA, IIDA, CDF, LEED AP. Jimeca Sims served as the NOMA National Awards Chair for the professional design awards. Project submissions and award recipients are available in the awards gallery: www.noma.net
NOMA recognized exceptional service, leadership, and chapter contributions to the profession and the communities members serve. The following awards were presented:
NOMA also welcomed SAV NOMA, Savannah, GA, as the 46th professional chapter.
NOMA celebrated student leadership and the work of student chapters advancing mentorship, engagement, and opportunity within architectural education, presented by Nia Fletcher, NOMAS, Tulane University, and Patricia Negrón, NOMAS, Tulane University. Awards presented:
NOMA also welcomed new student chapters in the Midwest: University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee; Ferris State University; in the Northeast: Rochester Institute of Technology; and in the West: University of Utah, University of Oregon, and University of San Francisco.
The NOMA Barbara G. Laurie Student Design Competition, themed A Living Museum for a Changing Coast, challenged student teams to respond to Miami’s Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, an environmental and historic landmark. A segregated “colored-only” beach, it served as a catalyst in South Florida’s Civil Rights movement. Students were asked to propose an environmentally sound design solution to provide a living museum, cultural and resilient hub, and Marine Life Research and Education Center. Students from 50 NOMAS chapters including those in Canada participated, presenting proposals that connected design innovation with community needs and an equitable future for the built environment. Jurors included: Luis Serra Arenas, Virginia Key Beach Trust; Kelley Dorsett, CHID, IIDA, NCDIQ; Olin Mckenzie, SOM; John Patrick Rademacher, AIA, NCARB; Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, SHRM-SCP; and Julia Skeete, SOM.
Awards were presented to the NOMAS chapters at the following schools:
The competition was supported by SOM, HDR and NCARB. Project submissions and award recipients are available in the student competition gallery: www.noma.net.
In addition to the NOMA presidential leadership transition, Brien Graham, AIA, NCARB, was named NOMA president-elect for 2027–2028. He is the NOMA South Region Vice President and is a DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) NOMA member. NOMA also announced the following board appointment and election results:
NOMA thanked outgoing national board members Pascale Sablan, NOMAC, FAIA, LEED AP, Immediate Past President; Jamilla Afandi, University Liaison West; Teonna Cooksey, Treasurer; Colby Mitchell, University Liaison South, and Patricia Negrón, NOMAS student representative for their NOMA service.
Looking Forward: Building on the Leading Edge
Gensler and City Permit were NOMA’s first Legacy Sponsors and Diamond sponsor HKS was NOMA’s first keynote sponsor, supporting Bryan Stevenson’s lecture.
NOMA’s 2027 Annual Conference will be held in San Diego, hosted by SDNOMA. For more information about NOMA and upcoming programs, visit www.noma.net.
About the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA)
Founded in 1971, the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) was established to represent the needs of African American architects and provide support for Black licensed architects across the country. Today, NOMA welcomes architects of all backgrounds who seek inclusion in the design industry and continues to advocate for the licensure and advancement of African American architects and others from underrepresented backgrounds.
With more than 4,000 members across 46 professional chapters and more than 135 student chapters, NOMA advances a more inclusive and equitable built environment through advocacy, community engagement, mentorship, and design excellence.
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