2022 Honor Award Winners

Amanda is the Architectural Drawing and Design Teach at Union Grove High Scool in McDonough, Georgia. She is an amazing champion of architectural education at the high school level, and is a valued member of our AIA Community. She has continually strived to stay involved in AIA programs, including the AIA Atlanta High School Design Competition, and was a featured guest of the 2021 AIA GA Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program. Beyond the AIA programs, Amanda encourages her students to compete and participate in other various STEM programs across the state of Georgia. She is mentor and advisor for SkillsUSA, and has helped coordinate statewide STEM contests to bring architecture and engineer education to schools across Georgia. Her students participate in the SkillsUSA contests, and have won national awards for architectural drawing. Last year, her students completed the Revit Certiport Certification Exam, and everyone one of her students received Revit certification for their skills with the program.

Emily Schickner, AIA, joined Harrison Design’s Commercial Studio in 2017, serving as Project Architect and Director and in 2021 was promoted to the firm’s first female Principal Architect. She has led over 1 million square feet of design and construction ranging from cottage style homes to over 450K square feet of mixed-use, multi-family, and senior living developments ranging from 3 to 20-acre sites. Prior to joining Harrison Design, Emily spent a decade in commercial architecture focused on private education, country & golf clubhouse and hospitality design. Emily is active within the industry through numerous webinars, where she has been invited to provide insight into the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. After being nominated to present at AIA’s first South Atlantic ASPIRE conference in 2019 and again 2021, Emily continued to be an integral part of the organizing committee by coordinating 2020 and 2021’s all-virtual conference, targeting young and emerging professionals.

Laura began her career as an intern architect and is now an accomplished Project Manager at SSOE|S&W, a 103-year old design firm. Laura is a dedicated architect with over 10 years of experience in urban mixed-use and adaptive reuse projects. During her Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program course, Laura developed an afternoon of lessons on civic and community engagement, highlighting lessons she has gained from her time working on Pittsburgh Yards. Laura’s community involvements focuses on a path toward becoming a “Citizen Architect. Laura has volunteered her time to the Atlanta Community Food Bank; AEC Cares Project Atlanta where design professionals were able to update a modernize The Covenant House that provides safety, hope, and a path to a bright future for young people in need; and Open House Atlanta, an architecture tour in cities all over the world. She has also been very active with Discover Architecture since its inception, teaching architecture to 4th and 5th graders over the course of nine weeks.

For over 45 years Perkins+Will has called Atlanta home, growing to a studio with more than 150 architects, interior desingers, lanscape architects, urban desingers, planners, and brand designers. Creating a culture of passion about human-centered design, and committment to creating a positive impact in people’s lives through sustainability, resilience, well-being, diversity, inclusion, and research. Perkins+Will celebrates diversity and believes it drives innocation and inclusion sparks creativity. They are on a mission to diversify the design profession and create a more just, equitable, and inclusive world. Their J.E.D.I. program supports and strengthens a firmwide culture that embraces and celebrates all people, regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, gender identity, language, physical ability, race, religion, sexual orientation, size, or socioeconomic status. They are working hard to become a firm that truly and completely reflects the diversity of our clients and communities around the world. To serve as a model of social justice and equity in the profession. 

A first-generation college graduate, Ken Higa connects resources with opportunities to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, transform organizations that help to advance the profession, and serve as a role model to other minority professionals. A registered architect with nearly thirty years of experience, his passion for design began with creating places for learning and has led to a career designing facilities for higher education Throughout his career, Ken has been engaged in the not-for-profit community, becoming a professional fundraiser, active volunteer and skilled board member. He is currently on the Board of Directors for the Architects Foundation and a past board member of the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), where he led the creation of the SCUP Annual Fund and the SCUP Fellows program, and is the past-chair of Georgia State University’s Panther Athletic Club, the primary fundraising arm of Georgia State Athletics. Ken continues to volunteer his time and talents with local organizations that create educational opportunities for students and have a mission to positively shape the future of education.

Perry Jarrell’s service to the Institute began with AIA Atlanta, serving as a mentor and Professional Representative on numerous Design Charrette Competitions held in Savannah, Athens, Columbus and other cities. Perry was then elected to serve on Academic Affairs and Membership Committees and then Treasurer for AIA Atlanta. He served as the Budget Chair for the 2015 AIA National Convention, held in Atlanta. Perry ran for AIA Atlanta President in 2016 but was not elected. At that time, Perry transitioned from the AIA Atlanta Board to the AIA Georgia Board, serving as Treasurer and then being elected as the 2018 President Elect and served as the 2019 AIA Georgia President and as 2020 Past President. During his presidency, he helped to lead advocacy efforts on Key Industry and Practice Issues. In addition to his service to the Institute and Profession, Perry also serves on the Board of Directors for several organizations that serve the less fortunate. In 2021, he was nominated to serve on the Board of Trustees for the Georgia Tech Alumni Association.

Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam are two of the most influential contemporary architects in Georgia, and arguably, the United States and abroad. The true inventiveness and quality of the work, and its broad publication and recognition over the past 35 years of their eponymous firm, is as unquestionable as it is impressive. Their contributions to practice and education have impacted generations of young architects, directly under their tutelage in their office and in the academic design studio. Mack Scogin and Merrill Elam have made the commitment to organize the work of the firm in a manner that ensures their involvement in the day-to-day development of each project. Their dedication to the profession and accomplishments have exceeding the standard and cemented their legacy in the profession.