🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #37: Rooted In Purpose with Katherine Serrano Sosa, AIA, NCARB

Katherine is an award-winning Latina architect, licensed in NY and NJ, and founder of Rooted Architecture Studio, dedicated to inclusive, wellness-focused design tailored to each client's unique story and needs. Born in El Salvador, she immigrated to the U.S. at age seven and, inspired by her family's background in construction, set her sights on architecture by age 11. Graduating in the top three of her high school class, she earned a full scholarship to Macaulay Honors College at City College of New York, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's in Architecture in 2016.

By 2019, she had achieved licensure, placing her among the 2.5% of Latina licensed architects in the U.S. This milestone deepened her commitment to mentoring and empowering the next generation of Latina architects through organizations such as Arquitina.

In July 2021, Katherine launched Rooted Architecture Studio with a mission to design environments for wellness and belonging. Her work spans commercial, mixed-use, community, and residential projects, always centering the human experience through sensory-friendly and culturally inclusive design. She has spoken at Harvard, Princeton, and the AIA National Convention on topics including firm ownership, accessible design, and building spaces that support whole-person wellness.

Katherine serves on the Advisory Board of Girls Inc Long Island and participates in the AIA Long Island Women in Architecture Committee. She also educates the public through social media, webinars, and live events.

Her 2024 and 2025 accolades include the AIA NYS Young Architect Award, Top 50 Women in Business, Small Businesswoman of the Year, Rising Star in Architecture, and 40 Under 40.

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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #36: Design & Leadership Without Borders, with Vivian Lee, FAIA

From her early life in Taiwan and Paraguay to her professional practice across Italy, China, and the U.S., Vivian's work is influenced by a boundless collection of cultures, histories, and consciousness.  Enriched by her experience of living and practicing in different countries, her architecture is efficient and poetic, technologically advanced, environmentally conscious, and engagingly humanistic. With an extensive background leading award-winning projects of all types and scales, Vivian brings over 30 years of creative passion to Gensler as a Design Principal. Driven by the belief that good design can and should inspire, she encourages the team to balance creative vision with practical solutions to deliver value to clients and end users. Vivian’s design and leadership in the architecture profession led to her elevation to the distinguished American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 2020. She served on the AIA New York Board of Directors and co-chaired the Women in Architecture Committee to promote, elevate, and advance women in the industry. In 2026, the AIA bestowed its highest service honor, the Edward C. Kemper Award, upon Vivian Lee, FAIA, for her significant contributions through steadfast commitment to the organization. Her profound influence as a mentor and tireless advocacy for equity, diversity, and inclusion have reshaped the architectural landscape for the better

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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #35: IAC Path to Licensure Scholarship for Designers Sponsor, Jaqueline Velez, AIA

Jacqueline began her career working at architectural studios specializing in new building designs in the rapidly developing Long Island City. As a New York City Expediter, she gained extensive experience in building codes and zoning consulting, giving her a competitive edge. This expertise equipped her with the knowledge, leverage, and confidence to establish her own practice.

 In the summer of 1992, Jacqueline founded JMV Associates, LLC, a consulting firm specializing in building code reviews, zoning analysis, and expediting services. After becoming a Registered Architect, she established JMV Architect, PLLC, an award-winning architectural firm dedicated to designing projects for both the public and private sectors. She remains actively involved in all phases of design, from initial concept through construction administration, overseeing new buildings, major renovations, and adaptive reuse projects.

 For 15 years, Jacqueline served as a Trustee and Chair of the Buildings and Grounds Committee for The Kew-Forest School, where she played a key role in shaping the institution’s architectural and infrastructural developments.

She is deeply committed to fostering the next generation of architects, serving as a host for high school internship programs, including the CTE Program at Bayside High School and the School Construction Authority Summer Internship.

From 2023 to 2024, Jacqueline served as President of the AIA Queens Chapter. She currently serves as VP of Education for AIANYS Board.

Additionally, she is a board member of the Floral Park Village Architectural Review Board and serves on the Advisory Board for the NYIT School of Architecture. She is also a mentor for Arquitina, a professional organization that supports Latinas in obtaining their Registered Architect license.

 Jacqueline’s foundation is built on a commitment to community service and advocacy for the architectural profession. She is passionate about inspiring students to pursue careers in architecture and takes pride in creating and reshaping spaces that enhance the quality of life for their occupants.

 When she is not designing, Jacqueline enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling.

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Andrea Ceglia, Assoc. AIA, was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and spent much of her childhood living throughout the Caribbean, including Aruba, Belize, and Antigua. She later returned to Caracas to complete high school and begin her university education. After two years of study in Venezuela, she transferred to New Jersey, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

Andrea built an eight-year career in the engineering and construction industry, contributing to a diverse range of projects, including single-family residential developments in Antigua, the Volcano Bay Water Park in Orlando, and intelligent transportation infrastructure projects throughout South Florida.

Driven by a passion for design and the built environment, she later transitioned into architecture and pursued a three-year Master of Architecture degree, graduating in May 2024. She currently works at an architecture firm in South Florida and is actively pursuing architectural licensure.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #33: From Madurai to San Francisco: A Design Journey Written in Resilience with Madhubala Ayyamperumal, Assoc. AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador, NOMA

Madhubala Ayyamperumal is a San Francisco–based Senior Designer, mentor, and advocate for socially and environmentally responsible architecture. Originally from India, she began her career in Dubai before moving to the United States on a student visa, navigating financial constraints and a competitive academic path. She earned dual master’s degrees in Architecture and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University with full funding and received the Henry Adams Medal and AIA Certificate of Merit.

Madhu brings a cross-cultural perspective to projects spanning Workplace, Hospitality, Residential, Mixed-Use, Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Tenant Improvement. She has contributed to impactful work at firms including Gensler, STUDIOS, and SM+D, blending multidisciplinary expertise with a strong emphasis on sustainability, wellness, and the emotional experience of architecture.

A committed mentor and advocate, she is active with ACE Mentorship and SFNOMA. She founded AIA Silicon Valley’s Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program and serves on the boards of AIA Silicon Valley and AIA California, advancing leadership development for emerging professionals.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #32: IAC Student Scholarship Winner Dana Goodridge

Dana Goodridge is a Master of Architecture student at Howard University, graduating in May 2026. She is passionate about healthcare design and community development, aiming to enhance well-being through thoughtful, inclusive architecture that promotes healing, dignity, and cultural identity.

“This scholarship eases financial stress and allows me to focus fully on my thesis, which explores climate resilience and healthcare architecture. Long-term, I hope to lead interdisciplinary projects that reimagine healthcare spaces in the Caribbean spaces that reflect cultural identity, promote healing, and respond to environmental realities.”

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

 
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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #31: From Worker to Registered Architect: Redefining the Path with Cindy Maleike, AIA

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Cindy was raised by her grandparents and father. At 19, she immigrated to the United States with her sisters, following her mother’s dream of greater opportunities. Like many immigrants, she adapted to a new culture while working various jobs—including in a flower shop, babysitting, and house cleaning—before discovering her passion for architecture as an administrative assistant for a contractor in New York City, where she was part of the team that rebuilt One World Trade Center (Tower 1).

This experience inspired her to pursue an Associate’s Degree in Architectural Technology at SUNY Orange Community College in NYS. During her studies, she worked as a draftsperson under a professor who became her mentor. Encouraged by his guidance, she chose to pursue architectural licensure in New York State as a non-traditional candidate.

While raising a family and working full-time in her 30s, she completed her NCARB AXP hours and passed all divisions of the Architect Registration Examination (ARE) by March 2024. In summer 2025, she fulfilled the remaining professional requirements and, on August 5, 2025, became a Registered Architect in the State of New York.

With experience in residential, commercial, and K–12 educational design, she is committed to advancing the profession through mentorship and advocacy. She currently volunteers with the AIA Westchester–Hudson Valley Chapter as a member of the Emerging Professionals Committee and Co-Chair of Latinos in Architecture, serves on the SUNY Orange Association Board, teaches financial literacy with Junior Achievement of New York, and mentors emerging professionals through the Immigrant Architects Coalition and Arquitina—promoting diversity, inclusion, and expanded opportunity within the field of architecture.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

 
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🎙️ Listen to the IAC Podcast Episode #30: Work Life Balance - Setting boundaries for a healthy lifestyle and business ownership with Melissa Cheing, AIA, LEED GA, Well AP, NOMA

Melissa Carolina Cheing was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and moved to Ecuador with her family at the age of four. She grew up in Guayaquil, where she earned her Bachelor of Architecture from the Universidad Católica de Santiago de Guayaquil (UCSG).

At 27, Melissa relocated to New York City to continue her education and received a Master of Science in Sustainability from The City College of New York. During her graduate studies, she was awarded the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Scholarship in recognition of outstanding academic achievement. She obtained her architectural license in the State of New York in 2021.

Melissa began her architectural career in New York City in 2011, where she discovered her passion for integrating architecture and interior design. Over the course of more than 12 years at her previous firm, she advanced to the role of Design Director, leading the design and delivery of over 100 projects totaling more than 1,000,000 square feet of commercial space across New York City. Her work served both landlords and tenants and spanned a wide range of commercial interior environments.

In 2023, Melissa founded MCC Architecture, a practice focused on commercial interior projects in New York City. Drawing on her extensive experience and long-standing client relationships, she established the firm to deliver thoughtful, client-centered design and to pursue her professional vision with greater autonomy.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

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Join us for this entertaining conversation between the leaders at IAC!

IAC’s 2025 Impact & What’s Next in 2026 brings together the Immigrant Architects Coalition’s Board of Directors—Yu‑Ngok Lo, Graciela Carrillo, Saakshi Terway, Oyuki Sulu, and Gloria Kloter—for a candid year-in-review and forward-looking conversation. The episode reflects on key milestones, programs, publications, and partnerships from 2025, and outlines the initiatives, priorities, and opportunities ahead in 2026.

This episode is dedicated to the community that makes IAC’s work possible: our collaborators, coauthors of past books, authors of blog’s articles, mentors and mentees, webinar speakers, podcast guests, and generous sponsors. Your collective commitment continues to expand pathways, amplify voices, and strengthen support for immigrant architects across the profession.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

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Gilberto Lozada Báez is a Mexican architect based in Mexico and the 69th President of the American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS). Gilberto graduated in 2024 from Universidad de Monterrey, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Architecture with Magna Cum Laude honors and the CENEVAL National Award for EGEL Academic Excellence. 

As an emerging architect and designer, Gilberto is passionate about exploring architecture as a process rather than an end product—one that creates spaces that celebrate the ecological and cultural dynamics of our ways of dwelling. His work has been recognized nationally and internationally at the 39th Alberto J. Pani National Architectural Composition Award and the 2022 NYC Architecture Biennial. He has also received accolades from the VII Xignux-UDEM Prize for Alternative Energies and Sustainable Design, the National Encounter for Architecture Students (ENEA 34), and the XXII Nuevo León Architecture Biennial, among others. 

Gilberto became the first International Officer of the AIAS in 2024, and since then has continued to take on leadership and service roles in the AIAS, the ACSA Board of Directors, and, more recently, the AIA’s Strategic Council.  Through his intersectional involvement, he is committed to creating strong collaborative ecosystems across individuals, groups and borders to enhance the role of architecture and design in building stewardship for our communities.

Tune in to The Immigrant Architects Coalition Podcast and don't miss out on the fascinating conversations that shed light on the triumphs and resilience of immigrant architects and designers. Subscribe now and join us on this incredible adventure! 

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