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: Government, Development, Community Outreach, Sustainability, Transportation, Local Arts, Food and Entertainment and Innovation and Technology.
Watch a video to learn more about the Pillars Leadership Program.
2025 - 2026 PILLARS CLASS
Alexandra Bojarski-Stauffer, AIA - Emerald Hive Design Build
Natalie Buckley - Walter P. Moore
Jessica Carson - JE Dunn Construction
Lane Edson, Assoc. AIA - NSPJ Architects
Kourtney Goss - McCownGordon Construction
Ethan Hale, AIA - Hoefer Welker
Reid Lundin - DLR Group
Emma Meier-Luinenburg, Assoc. AIA - BRR Architecture
Kylie Miller, AIA - Populous
Katie Pruser, Assoc. AIA - HFG Architecture
Jenna Roblee, Assoc. AIA - Finkle + Williams Architecture
Tess Ryan, Assoc. AIA - AECOM
Sean Stattelman, Assoc. AIA - GBA
Ryan Sudhoff, AIA - Gensler
Paige Vespestad - Smith & Boucher
Erin Wheeler, AIA - Yaeger Architecture
Pillars April 2026 Overview
The April Pillars session began with a presentation by Kevin Wallace from HNTB talking about the new Roy Blunt Luminary Park project: a 5.5 acre park over I-670, and how a project of this scale ties into larger sustainability goals for the city. This project aims to improve walkability, stormwater drainage, and bring green space to what is currently a noisy barrier between two halves of the city. Other project goals include reducing noise and air pollution for the neighboring residences and businesses, boosting local economy, and providing what residents want for this space after conducting several public meetings and surveys and referencing Dallas’s Klyde Warren Park as precedent. Partners HNTB, OJB, BNIM, MODOT, and community groups all play a role in making a city project like this happen, and their collaboration hopes to bring a more inviting and active destination to the heart of the city and bridging the physical gap between downtown and the crossroads district. The engineering considerations for the project are also quite substantial. Kevin went into detail about the diff erent structural and systems obstacles they have overcome to date as they look to retrofit this highway to comply with modern tunnel standards under tight existing constraints.
