Kate Schwennsen, FAIA

Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, is the Associate Dean for Academic Programs of the College of Design at Iowa State University. Among her duties are responsibilities for strategic planning, budgeting, and curricular oversight for this college of 2,000 design students. Prior to returning to her alma mater, (BA, 1978; M.Arch., 1980), to teach architectural design and professional practice, she practiced architecture for ten years in professionally critical areas, including office and project management, marketing, and design.

Kate has served in important leadership positions in international, national, regional, and state professional, civic, and regulatory organizations. Many of her efforts have been directed at advancing the education of architects and the standards of the profession through changing the who, what and how of 21st century practice. Specifically, her efforts have focused on making the “who” more inclusive, the “what” more sustainable, and the “how” more collaborative and knowledge-based. In 2006, Kate served as the 82nd President of the American Institute of Architects. She was the second woman, second Iowan, and second educator to serve as the elected leader of this then 149-year-old, 78,000-member organization

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Mark Engelbrecht, FAIA

Mark Engelbrecht is dean of the College of Design at Iowa State University. Since receiving his BArch from Iowa State and MArch from Columbia University, Engelbrecht has been teaching and practicing for nearly four decades. In 1977, the Iowa Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) presented him with its first award for accomplishments in education, and the national AIA elected him to its prestigious College of Fellows in 1998. Engelbrecht is a native Iowan whose family has been involved in public and private education within the state for three generations.

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Paul Mankins, FAIA

Paul Mankins, FAIA, a Principal with substance Architecture, has been recognized as one of the Nation’s leading architects and designers. He began his career in 1985 in the office of Charles Herbert & Associates—Iowa’s most celebrated design practice. Following graduate studies and stints with Smith–Miller + Hawkinson in New York City and Kaplan McLaughlin Diaz in San Francisco, he returned to Iowa in 1991. Since returning to Iowa, Paul has directed the design of projects recognized with over thirty Honor and Merit Awards for design from the Central States Region, Iowa, and San Francisco Chapters of the AIA. Major projects include the Meredith Corporation Expansion in Des Moines, winner of a National 2002 Honor Award for Architecture, Des Moines’ new Central Library, and significant corporate interiors projects on both coasts. In addition, he has served as an adjunct faculty member at Iowa State University since 1998 teaching architectural design. In recognition of his contributions to the profession, Paul received
the Design Achievement Award from Iowa State University in 1998 and the Young Architects Award from the AIA in 2003. In 2004 he was elected to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects. He is currently one of the youngest Fellows in the nation.

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Kevin Nordmeyer, AIA

Kevin Nordmeyer, AIA, LEED AP is a partner at RDG Planning and Design. Kevin’s particular expertise is centered on sustainable design in Iowa. Kevin is the Chair of the United States Green Building Council-Iowa Chapter and a board member of the Iowa Environmental Council and the Center on Sustainable Communities. Kevin is a lecturer at Iowa State University focusing on sustainable design in the Department of Architecture. Kevin was the lead designer for the Center for Energy and Environmental Education at UNI in 1992 – Iowa’s first modern sustainable building. Kevin has been recognized nationally for sustainable design with the Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities Office Facility – one of the Top Ten Green buildings in the country in 2002 and is currently working on other significant sustainable work in the area including Earthpark, The Great Ape Trust, The Marion Arts and Environment Center, GreenWood, and the College of Design Foundations Pavilion at ISU.

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