UMD School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation Alumnus Carl Elefante, FAIA (’80) was elected 2017 American Institute of Architects (AIA) First Vice President/2018 President at the 2016 AIA Convention in Philadelphia. A Principal and Director of Sustainability at Quinn Evansin Washington, D.C. Carl hopes to bring innovation, diversity and intrepid thinking to the profession by embracing the changing built environment and by advancing the practice of designing meaningful spaces that foster human well-being. He is the first alum from the University of Maryland to be elected to this prestigious office.
Carl has a long history of service with the AIA, the community and the school. He served as regional director of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Council from 2013 to 2015 and leveraged his expertise in sustainability to work closely with the AIA Committee on the Environment, the Historic Resources Committee, and the Sustainability Scan Advisory Group. He served as president of AIA Maryland in 2012 and AIA Potomac Valley in 2009. Carl has volunteered his time for organizations and committees that promote sustainable practice, advocates for preservation and adaptive re-use and is a valued member of the Dean’s Circle.
“This is a landmark moment for our program and for the AIA,” said David Cronrath, Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. “Carl’s vision for the practice will promote the contemporary principals necessary for engaging with a changing environment.”