Design For Dignity: From Ashes to Equity – Building Resilient and Just Communities With Innovative Housing Solutions
The 10th Annual Design For Dignity conference will confront the intertwined crises of housing affordability, social inequity, and climate-driven disasters in Los Angeles. It will explore innovative design, policy, and community strategies to increase housing affordability, combat homelessness, and build resilient, healthy neighborhoods. Moving beyond basic shelter, the event will champion well-being, empower marginalized communities, and leverage data-driven, interdisciplinary approaches for a just and equitable housing ecosystem. With a focus on wildfire recovery and resilient design, the conference urges design professionals to advocate for systemic change and ensure housing is a human right.
Attendees will:
- Analyze the relationship between design, policy, and technology in creating livable neighborhoods, including the role of the AIA|LA.
- Investigate solutions and best practices for addressing homelessness, including innovative housing typologies and community-based strategies.
- Evaluate policy, procedural, and regulatory reforms to streamline housing development, promote density, and achieve housing equity.
- Examine resilient design and community preparedness for wildfire recovery and other climate-driven disasters.
- Explore the connection between housing, health, and community well-being, and utilize data-driven approaches to inform design and policy decisions.
WHEN | WHERE | LEARNING UNITS
Friday, June 13th & Friday, June 20th | 7:30 am – 12:30 pm
Design for Dignity 2025 will be at AIA|LA’s Center for Communities located at 4450 West Adams Blvd. LA, CA 90016
This year, to expand access, we’re organizing the 10th annual Design For Dignity conference as a two-part conference held on two consecutive Friday mornings = Friday, June 13th (7:30 am – 12:30 pm) and Friday, June 20th (7:30 am – 12:30 pm)
Learning Objectives
AIA CES: Submitted for approval
CLICK IMAGE BELOW FOR PROGRAM

TICKETS
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS – for JUNE 13th or for a 2-Day Pass to both days
CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS – for JUNE 20th
AIA Member – $100 per day or $175 for a 2-day pass
Non-Member – $160 per day or $235 for a 2-day pass
Students – $50 per day or $80 for a 2-day pass
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Support a conference that advances our profession, increase visibility for your firm, and pick up tickets for your staff.
Click on the image below to become a sponsor!

Day 1 Speakers - June 13th
Chava Danielson, AIA
2025 President, AIA Los Angeles &
Principal, DSH // Architecture
Hon. Karen Bass
Mayor, City of Los Angeles
Denice Wint
Vice President, Real Estate Development, EAH Housing & President, SCANPH
Faizah Malik
Managing Attorney, Public Counsel
Christopher Ira Koontz, AICP
Director, Community Development Department, City of Long Beach
Matthew Trotter AIA, NOMA, NCARB
Associate, Cuningham & President, SoCal NOMA
Day 1 Speakers - June 13th
Kevin Daly, FAIA
Founder, Kevin Daly Architects & Adjunct Professor, UCLA Architecture & Urban Design
Now Speaking on Day 2!
Ralph Mechur, AIA
Principal, Ralph Mechur Architects & Cloverfield Commons
Robert Jernigan, FAIA, LEED AP
Senior Vice President, CLAYCO & Team Palisades
Michael H. Anderson, AIA, NOMA
Principal, Anderson Barker Architects
Mohamed Sharif, AIA, RIBA
Partner, Sharif, Lynch: Architecture & Director, Undergraduate Program in Architectural Studies and Graduate Program Design Faculty, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Christine Bustillos
City Planning Associate, Los Angeles City Planning
Day 1 Speakers - June 13th
Thea Trindle
City Planner, Los Angeles City Planning
Blair Smith
Senior City Planner, Los Angeles City Planning
Carlos Augusto Garcia, AIA, NCARB, WELL AP
AIA|LA Board of Directors, & Architect, Brooks + Scarpa
Frances Anderton
Journalist, Author, and Faculty, USC School of Architecture
John Arnold, AIA
Partner, KFA
May Sung, AIA
Principal, SUBU Design Architecture
Day 1 Speakers - June 13th
Tricia Keane
Executive Officer, Los Angeles Housing Department (LAHD)
Alison Martin, AIA
AEC Coordination, The Foothill Catalog, & Senior Architect, CO Architects
Joan Ling
Housing Policy Analyst & Advocate
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
Nithya Raman
Councilmember, District #4, City of Los Angeles
Connor Lock
Deputy Mayor of Housing, Office of Mayor Rex Richardson, City of Long Beach
Heather Flood, AIA
Dean & Professor, School of Architecture, Woodbury University
R. Steven Lewis, FAIA, NOMAC
Thinking Leadership
Darcy L. Coleman
Vice President | Asset and Investment Management, Alagem Capital Group
Lewis C. Horne
President for Advisory Services, CBRE
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
David P. Waite
Partner, Cox Castle Nicholson, LLP
Clare De Briere
Founder, C+C Ventures
Dr. Dana Cuff
Professor, Architecture and Urban Design, & Director, cityLAB – UCLA
Karen Mack
Founder & Executive Director, Leimert Park-based LA Commons
Kyle Winston
City Planner, Los Angeles City Planning & President, Black Planners of Los Angeles (BPLA)
Terri Osborne
Planning Deputy, Council District 8 & Vice President, BPLA
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
Hakeem Parke-Davis
Planning Deputy, Council District 10 & Director At Large, BPLA
Ryan Johnson
Interim CEO, Los Angeles County Affordable Housing Solutions Agency (LACAHSA)
Greg Kochanowski, AIA, ASLA
Design Principal, Practice
Toni Lewis, AIA, LEED AP
President-elect, AIA Los Angeles & Principal, Lewis | Schoeplein Architects
Jasmin Shupper
Founder & President of Greenline Housing Foundation
Brian Lane, FAIA, LEED AP
Principal, KoningEizenberg
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
Simon Ha, AIA, LEED AP
Founder & CEO, Simon Ha Housing Solutions
Ryan Caldera, AIA
Senior Project Manager, Studio One Eleven
Kaitwan Jackson
Program Manager, Partnerships, LA Commons
Yvonne Farrow
Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles
Ariel Chen
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Xen Pei Hoi
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
Spencer Young
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Melody Wang
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
John Jungwoo Yoon
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Zezeng Fu
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Mengru Zhao
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Cristina Sanchez
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Day 2 Speakers - June 20th
Soe Naing Win
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Lucas Pacheco
Student, UCLA Architecture and Urban Design
Presenting Sponsor
Champion Sponsor
Student Scholarship Sponsors
Student Scholarship Sponsors Continued
Friends of Design for Dignity Sponsors
Friends of Design for Dignity Sponsors Continued
Participating Sponsors
Participating Sponsors Continued
Participating Sponsors Continued