Ernie Wong fASLA is the founding principal and president of Site Design Group, an award winning landscape architecture firm. Listen in to hear his story, and discussion about the relationship between politics and design.

Beyond the Surface has a special episode featuring Walmer Saavedra, the co-founder and executive director of the non-profit organization Human Scale. The organization was founded by a group of architecture students who wanted to make a positive impact on communities. Listen in to hear about the organization and all the great work they do!

Linda Chavez is a Principal at Future Firm in Chicago. She focuses on civic and community driven spaces. Listen to follow Linda's journey from Mexico to Chicago, and the perseverance it took to get where she is now.

Mustapha Williams is an architect at Gensler in Chicago. At the firm, he serves as the North Central Region Community Impact Leader, and a member of the regional Summer Intern Committee. Follow Mustapha's journey from getting into architecture at a young age to where he is now, giving back to inspire youth pursuing architecture.

Ashlen Williams AIA, NOMA is an architect at KOO in Chicago, and the 2022-2023 I-NOMA President. Listen in to follow Ashlen's story from growing up in Missouri, to where she is now in Chicago. Join us in a conversation about promoting diversity in the architecture profession, and how getting involved with professional organizations provides a platform for advocacy.

Note: This is a candid conversation in which the views expressed are solely those of the individuals providing them and do not reflect the opinions or official positions of I-NOMA or AIA-Chicago. 

Listen to this episode to discover the remarkable life and accomplishments of Jen Park. From being an award-winning architect and co-founder of Park Fowler Plus, to receiving prestigious honors like the AIA Chicago 2019 Dubin Family Young Architect Award, Jen's journey is truly inspiring. Additionally, we delve into her vital roles as a professor and studio coordinator at Illinois Tech, as well as her influential contributions to promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion within the field of architecture.

Davey Friday is an urban designer with Perkins & Will. After studying biology, Davey went to IIT to study architecture and landscape architecture. He is a practicing multimedia fine artist, with several gallery exhibitions under his belt. Learn about his life, achievements, and values to understand what Davey envisions for the city of Chicago.

This is the first episode of the new NOMASiit Podcast, "Beyond the Surface''. Jesus is a recent IIT graduate, designer, veteran, father, and husband. In this episode, we follow Jesus's journey and learn about his life, setbacks, and achievements on his path to getting an architecture degree at IIT.