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Leadership, in architecture as in life, is no longer defined by hierarchy or singular vision. At Ironside in Miami, amid the textured courtyards and creative energy of the city’s design district, the Women in Architecture Leadership Summit became a powerful stage for reflection — a space where women architects not only shared their paths to leadership but also reimagined what success itself looks like.

Every two years, the Women in Architecture Miami committee gathers to celebrate progress and propel change. This year’s summit — held October 3–4, 2025 — merged education, mentorship, and celebration. From a lively evening networker featuring past AIA Miami female presidents to a full day of CEU-accredited classes and panels, the event embodied the mission of WIA: to empower women to lead, connect, and elevate the profession. Sponsored by Lighting Dynamics, Ironside, Thomas Printworks, and MC Harry, the summit reflected a collective effort — one grounded in the belief that when women rise, the entire field ascends with them.

"A shared ascent toward equity and excellence"

For many of the panelists, leadership begins with presence — the ability to listen deeply. Angela Hendershot, AIA, Principal of Rowe Architects in Tampa, emphasized that listening is “the most important leadership skill,” one that shapes her relationships with both clients and emerging designers. “You can’t deliver to your clients or the employees you’re mentoring unless you hear their concerns and really understand what they need,” she said. Similarly, Jody Beck, AIA, of Traction Architecture, spoke of listening not as a passive act but as a creative discipline — the foundation of responsive design. “Working with residential clients taught me to really listen hard and parse what people are looking for,” she explained. “That skill translates to every part of leadership.”

Both architects touched on empathy as a cornerstone of design leadership — a quality that often defines women’s contributions to architecture. As Hendershot noted, empathy is not exclusive to women, but it can deeply inform how space is shaped to support human experience. “In the end, it’s all about good space,” she said, “and how it makes people feel.”

"Leadership as a quiet act of listening"

Elizabeth Camargo, AIA — President of AIA Florida and founder of EC Architecture & Design — articulated leadership as the act of creating environments where others can thrive. “A true leader,” she said, “is one who understands the richness of different opinions and creates the right conditions for everyone to reach their fullest potential.” Camargo’s vision of success is collective: she looks toward the day when women’s representation in the profession mirrors their presence in society. “Currently, only 27% of licensed architects are women. The day we reach parity will be the day we can consider ourselves successful.” Her perspective echoed throughout the summit: leadership is not simply about achievement but about stewardship — creating pathways for others. “As we elevate people, we move higher too,” she reflected. “We need to create the conditions for everybody to be elevated at the same time.”

For Elizabeth Starr, AIA, of Strang Design, leadership is a legacy built through mentorship. “Being a true leader means passing on the knowledge you’ve acquired throughout your career,” she said. Her advice, shaped by years of experience, is deceptively simple: pause and empathize. “I’ve learned to put myself in someone else’s shoes — to remember who I was when I was just starting and what I needed from my mentors at that time.” For Starr, success is measured not by titles but by fulfillment. “It’s about feeling proud of the work you do, about the joy it brings,” she shared. “Every day I just want to do the best that I can.” Her reflections point toward a redefinition of architectural success — one anchored not in prestige, but in purpose.

On the west coast of Florida, Joyce Owens, FAIA, has long embodied leadership through decisiveness and clarity of vision. “A true leader can make decisions when everyone’s a little bit confused — to pull out the best in everyone and move forward,” she said. Owens identifies her “superpower” as the ability to see the end goal and navigate teams toward it. Yet her reflections also revealed a shift in leadership culture: one that values flexibility, particularly for women balancing professional and personal responsibilities. “When you give women the freedom to do their career on their own terms, they will produce even better than expected,” she observed, noting how post-pandemic flexibility has reshaped practice for the better. Owens also championed collaboration over ego — a call to move beyond the “starchitect” era toward collective authorship. “Architecture is too complex for one leader,” she said. “It has to be done collaboratively — every consultant, every team member contributing to the end goal.”

Across every story shared at the summit, one truth echoed: leadership is not inherited, but cultivated. From mentoring students who might doubt their place in architecture to creating workplaces where young designers feel seen and supported, these women embody a new paradigm of professional growth. “There are so many people who could be fantastic architects given just a little inspiration and a push,” said Hendershot. “Making connections to architectural education is critical for our profession’s future.” As the Miami sun dipped behind Ironside’s banyan trees, the conversations carried an unmistakable optimism — not naïve, but grounded in the steady progress these architects have carved. Each woman on the panel has charted her own course, but their stories intersect in purpose: to transform architecture from within, through empathy, mentorship, and courage. The 2025 WIA Miami Leadership Summit stood not only as a gathering but as a statement — a declaration that leadership in architecture is evolving, and women are shaping its future with grace, precision, and resolve.