Evelyn Lee is much more than my podcast partner. Not a single day went by during the pandemic without her support and friendship. She has been a tremendous advocate for me, standing by my side and being a friend and champion of my work as I launched my business and stepped into my career path of entrepreneurship.
Our friendship arose because of the mass (some would call insane) quantity of volunteer work we’ve contributed to the AIA. Many people do not understand why we would sink so much time into an organization as frustrating as the AIA. It’s because we both served on the national board around 2007 & 2010. We were two young women interested in leadership and eager to find our career paths and voices in architecture. The AIA provided us space to grow as leaders and allowed us to make significant contributions to the profession early in our careers. We saw the opportunity to prompt much-needed change, and so we did.
From her work with the NAC, YAF, AIA California, and the national board, she has done a lot for the AIA, architects, emerging professionals, and those who find themselves on the outskirts of the profession. She understands we can make our industry stronger by finding ways to encourage people to stay and contribute, rather than weeding them out.
I stand by her and believe in her because she has the boldness to speak up in moments when some stay silent and the vision to keep pushing architects forward in new and innovative ways. That combination is inspiring as a rising leader in this field. She’s inspired me and empowered me to do the same. Because of her, I feel less alone in our industry, more confident in my voice, and feel like I’ve found my place to contribute meaningfully. Her work to create the Practice Innovation Lab alone is only one example of her contributions that has impacted many.
On the podcast, we’ve found joy in our mutual nerdiness, blending our love of business and architecture. I have an intellectual sparring partner who can collaborate and explore the topics I love in depth. This work feels challenging and rewarding. In the same way, architects find joy in design pinups; Evelyn and I have created a tiny design studio that’s audio-based and entirely focused on the business of architecture and practice management. We are re-imagining a Pro Practice class of the future that students would be inspired by. We’re helping architects gain the leadership skills they need to more effectively manage staff and address the global shifts surrounding them.
I have been cheering this woman on for years and still stand by her. She’d make an amazing president of the AIA, and I hope you’ll vote for her at A’23. She is the one to help us move the profession forward!
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Here’s his official bio:
Je’Nen is a business strategy consultant trained in architecture and business management with expertise in marketing, communications, and leadership development. She founded Apostrophe Consulting with the goal of helping architecture firms win more work, build a culture of leadership and trust within the design studio, and create a pipeline for emerging leaders to grow in our industry. She is co-host of the Practice of Architecture podcast Practice Disrupted. A recipient of the 2017 AIA Associates Award, Je’Nen holds both a B.Arch and an MBA.
She previously spent nearly a decade in the San Francisco Bay Area, collaborating with award-winning architecture firms on design, marketing, and business development efforts. She has spoken across the country on leadership development, career advancement, emerging professionals, mentorship, and women in architecture.