Events

Architecture Licensure Basics and Tips for Early Career

Free and open to all current Spitzer students and alumni.

Topics:

• Background of NCARB
• The entities involved in the licensure process
• How to establish an NCARB Record
• How to progress successfully through the Architectural Experience - Program® (AXP®)
• What to expect with the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®)
• Recent changes to NCARB programs
• Value of the NCARB Certificate
• Learn about licensure in the NYS jurisdiction
• Q&A with recently licensed alumni

Emily Anderson, NCARB Outreach Manager, AIA, NOMA, NCARB

Before joining NCARB as the Outreach Manager, Emily worked in the architecture and engineering industry for 17 years at various firms in Florida. She has worked closely with structural engineers for much of her career and is an advocate of holistic design. Emily is passionate about helping students and licensure candidates complete the path to obtain that coveted title of “architect.”

Emily received her BA in Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and M. Arch from the University of Florida’s Graduate School of Architecture City-Lab Orlando. She was awarded the Research of Societal Significance Prize for her thesis work on trauma-informed design for survivors of human trafficking. She is a registered architect in Florida, is an active volunteer with the Orlando chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and holds the NCARB Certificate for national reciprocity.

Robert Lopez, Executive Secretary at New York State Education Department, RA, AIA, NCARB

Robert Lopez has been the Executive Secretary to the New York State Board for Architecture and the State Board for Landscape Architecture within the Office of the Professions at the State Education Department since 2005. Prior to joining the Department, he was a Principal and shareholder at a national 750-person architecture & engineering firm based in Albany, New York, and was the Director of its K-12 Studio.

Mr. Lopez has been a registered architect in the State of New York since 1993, is a member of the American Institute of Architects, and holds the NCARB Certificate.

Rei Celo MS Arch '20, RA, AIA, LEED Green Associate

Rei is an architect with a Master of Architecture II degree (now MS Arch) from the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Architecture from École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris La Villette. Her journey has taken her across top firms like Kohn Pedersen Fox, CetraRuddy Architecture, and Mancini Duffy, where she has had the opportunity to work on exciting projects in New York, Boston, San Francisco, and beyond. She focuses on façade redesign and repositioning, with a commitment to blending innovation with functionality. She aims to create designs that are not only visually striking but also contribute positively to the surrounding environment.

Isabella Joseph B Arch '20, RA, AIA, NOMA

Isabella Joseph graduated with her Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in anthropology from the Spitzer School of Architecture and CUNY Macaulay Honors College in 2020. After graduating as Spitzer’s first CCNY salutatorian, Isabella joined KPF, where she continues to work on large-scale, complex projects both globally and in New York City. She started the ARE in November 2022 and will earn her architecture license in April 2024. Becoming licensed has helped her collaborate on design teams, especially on topics related to technical design, consultant coordination, and life safety issues. She encourages recent graduates to be intentional about their careers before starting their licensure journey and to stay committed to the goal without compromising personal wellbeing.

Moderator:  Hannah Borgeson, Director of Graduate Affairs and Architect Licensing Advisor at the Spitzer School of Architecture, City College of New York.