[Watch] AIA Oregon Panel on “Paths After Licensure” Hosted at Otak Portland Office

June, 2025

As an aspiring architect, what options are there to pursue after licensure, and how do you reach the point of earning it in the first place? These central questions were explored during a recent panel hosted by the Oregon chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) as part of their Emerging Professionals series.

The event—titled, Paths After Licensure—brought together five accomplished architects from across the region to share their journeys, challenges, and insights with a room full of early-career professionals and students.

Panelists

• Kate Piper, AIA – Capital Projects Manager at the City of Portland Housing Bureau
• Jacob Dunn – Principal & Building Performance Specialist at ZGF Architects
• Kaeli Nolte – Adjunct Professor/Firm Owner at PSU and Zone Design Group LLC
• Jennie Cambier – Associate VP Campus Planning & Construction at University of Portland
• Jerrod Kowalewski, AIA – Project Executive at Andersen Construction

Hosted at the Otak headquarters in downtown Portland, the panel provided young professionals in the architecture field with personal insights on the path toward professional licensure and the many career options that follow. A diverse set of professional backgrounds on the panel touched on topics across the full journey of professional development as an architect, from first interest through lasting ambition.

Including a Q&A with the live audience, the conversation covered several key areas:

• Initial interest and first steps
• Focus on sustainability and mitigating climate change
• Life in the private vs public sector
• Participation in academia and internships
• The value of mentorship and luck
• Intangibles of the field

A full look at the event can be found below.