Leaders in varied fields elevating roles of women are recognized with Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation’s BEVY Awards at annual gala event in New York City
NEW YORK CITY, September 29, 2022 – Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation has announced six exceptional women in architecture, engineering, construction and allied fields as honorees to be recognized at their 2022 BEVY Leadership Awards Gala on October 19th.
The annual event, which brings together leading women in varied professions from around the nation, focuses on the widely admired mission of Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation (BWAF) to “bring attention to the work of contemporary women in the fields of architecture, landscape architecture, engineering, development and construction.” The 2022 honorees include one of North America’s most influential engineers, the dean of a top architecture school, a prominent executive in real estate development, and the managing partner of a celebrated international architecture firm.
Throughout the evening gala event at the Bryant Park Grill, each of the women will be cited for beneficial impact in a specialized area and in fields where women are increasingly visible and impactful. The categories of recognition include innovation, mentorship, academic leadership, media engagement, organizational excellence, and emerging leadership — all linked to Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation’s core mission of changing the industry of design and construction, for women, through education and research.
“Since 2014, we have raised awareness of women showing great progress in fields historically dominated by men through this highly respected awards program, and by celebrating their achievements at our annual gala,” says Cynthia Phifer Kracauer, AIA, executive director of the Beverly Wills Architecture Foundation.
Among the applauded honorees for 2022 are engineer Fiona Cousins, for her widespread impact as Chair of the Americas for the global engineering and design giant Arup, and architect Elaine Molinar, managing partner of the U.S. practice for Snøhetta, an acclaimed 100-person interdisciplinary architecture, landscape, and interior design studio with a focus on well-being.
Also honored this year for academic excellence is J. Meejin Yoon, dean of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and one of the founding partners of the architecture and design firm Höweler + Yoon. For innovation excellence, the award goes to Judy Kessler, a highly accomplished real estate development executive known for leading large-scale building projects as well as supporting housing for low- and moderate-income residents including the formerly homeless.
Other honorees for this year’s BEVY Leadership Awards include an emerging leader award for Adrienne Hepler, founder of owner’s representative and project management firm Envoie Projects, and mentorship laurels for construction executive Brennan Gilbane Koch of Gilbane Building Company, a company frequently named atop lists of the best places to work.