Built by Her: Stories of Remarkable Latinas in Architecture

To celebrate Women's History Month 2026, the AIANY Women in Architecture Committee, together with Arquitina, is thrilled to host the book launch of Latinas in Architecture Volume III featuring the architects and co-authors whose voices and work continue to shape the built environment. This special gathering honors their contributions, elevates their stories, and creates space for connection among architects, designers, and advocates committed to advancing women in architecture. Please join us in celebrating together and recognizing the collective impact of these remarkable leaders! Following a panel discussion, there will be a book signing and networking. A limited number of books will be available for purchase. We look forward to seeing you!

Speakers:
Angelica Arent AIA, NCARB, Associate, Shore Point Architecture
Graciela Carrillo, FAIA, NOMA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Manager, Nassau BOCES
Yanel de Angel Salas, FAIA, Chief Marketing Officer, Managing Director and Principal, Perkins&Will, Boston
Natasha Espada, AIA, LEED AP, NOMA, Principal, STUDIO ENÉE architects
Elizabeth Pacheco, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, CPH, GGP, Founder, Fallon+Pacheco Architects
Alicia Ponce, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, LFA, Founder and Principal, APMonarch Architecture; Founder, Arquitina
Jacqueline Velez, Founder and Principal, JMV Associates, LLC & JMV Architect, PLLC

About the Speakers:
Angelica Arent is Associate at Shore Point Architecture Born and raised in Mexico City in a family of architects, Arent discovered her passion for design early. She earned her Bachelor of Architecture at Universidad Iberoamericana, later teaching there as an adjunct professor, and began her career at one of Mexico’s leading firms. Since relocating to New Jersey in 2002, she has led major commercial, institutional, and residential projects, including multifamily and mixed-use developments. As founder of “MentoringMatters,” she advocates for emerging professionals, Latina/x women, and immigrant architects. An active committee member of AIA NJ EDI, WIA and Arquitina, Arent was honored in 2024 as AIA Jersey Shore’s “Architect of the Year” and recognized by AIA NJ as “Young Architect of the Year”.

Graciela Carrillo serves as Senior Manager at Nassau BOCES Facilities Services, where she oversees capital and operational construction projects that support school districts throughout Nassau County. Deeply engaged with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) at the local, state, and national levels, Carrillo currently serves as the 2025–2027 At-Large Director on the AIA Board. She is also the Co-Founder of the Immigrant Architects Coalition, a nonprofit organization committed to empowering immigrant architects in their professional journeys. A national speaker and podcast host, Graciela has co-authored two books—City Shapers: Stories of Immigrant Designers and Prospering in the U.S.: A Handbook for Immigrant Architects—and contributed to Latinas in Architecture. Carrillo is a member of the Planning Committee at Arquitina, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase the percentage of licensed Latina architects. Her contributions have been recognized with several honors, including the AIA Young Architect Award (2022), AIA New York State President’s Honor Award (2023), AIA Long Island Community Service Award (2024), and the AIA New York State Matthew Del Gaudio Award (2024).

Yanel de Angel Salas is Chief Marketing Officer, Managing Director and Principal, Perkins&Will. De Angel Salas leads with a spirit of empowerment that continuously pushes teams to be agents of change—for the well-being of our communities, our planet, and each other. A dedicated mentor, she finds joy in helping others elevate their own voice, become genuine leaders, and craft a meaningful career path. With a reputation for simplifying the complex and building consensus among stakeholder groups, de Angel Salas has been instrumental in the growth of her firm’s global Higher Education practice, as well as the execution of large projects internationally. She has leveraged her expertise to spur significant initiatives, such as ResilientSEE, a global platform that brings together design professionals, private industry, and academia to offer comprehensive, pro-bono resilient planning and design to communities around the world. She served as VP of Practice for the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) / AIA Board, co-chaired the BSA Women in Design Excellence Awards committee, co-founded the BSA WiD Mid-Career Mentorship committee, and is an active CREW member. Today, she serves on the Board of Directors for Perkins&Will, the Advisory Boards of PROTECHOS and Sociedad Latina of Boston, and the Syracuse University School of Architecture Advisory Board, and she is a trustee at the Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Natasha Espada is a Puerto Rican U.S. immigrant and founder of STUDIO ENÉE, a woman and minority-owned firm in Massachusetts committed to Design Excellence, Equity, and Environment. Her work focuses on educational, cultural, arts, and community-based architecture and planning. As the first Latinx President of the Boston Society of Architects and the 2027 AIA MA President Elect, she champions Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice. A graduate of UF with a master's in architecture from UVA, Natasha is a member of the National Latinx Architect Coalition and co-author of Prospering in the US: A Handbook for Immigrant Architects. In 2021, Espada was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Elizabeth Pacheco, co-founded fallon+pacheco architects over 25 years ago. Prior to that, she worked with Perkins & Will and Perkins Eastman. A native of Colombia, Pacheco is a practitioner and an advocate for environmental responsibility. She is a LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Certified Passive House Designer, and Green Globes Professional. She is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and serves on the board of AIA Newark & Suburban. Pacheco mentors aspiring Latina architects through Arquitina, empowering the next generation of diverse leaders in the profession. Elizabeth holds a B.S. in Architectural Technology from the New York Institute of Technology. She is honored to be part of LIA-Volume III and to share the platform with these incredible ‘arquitectas’.

Alicia Ponce is the Founder and Design Principal of APMonarch, an award-winning Chicago architecture firm recognized for its leadership in sustainable design and adaptive reuse architecture. Ponce leads her team of architects in designing radically better buildings and spaces across commercial, civic, retail, healthcare and education sectors. Her clients include The Field Museum, University of Chicago and numerous mission-driven organizations. Her honors include the 2025 AIA Chicago Distinguished Service Award, 2023 Breaking Glass Award from Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation and Landmarks Illinois 2022 Influencer. Ponce serves on the boards United Way Metro Chicago, Professional Women in Construction, and is a Chicago Landmarks Commissioner. Guided by her ethos to “Lift as you Climb”, Ponce also founded Arquitina, a national 501c3 dedicated to increasing the fewer than 1% of licensed Latina architects in the U.S.

Jacqueline Velez is the founder of JMV Architect and JMV Associates, bringing more than 35 years of experience designing schools, multifamily housing, commercial, and religious facilities throughout New York. A two-time design award winner, she is passionate about creating thoughtful spaces that strengthen communities and improve everyday life. Velez previously served as President of AIA Queens and currently sits on the AIANYS Executive Committee as Vice President of Education. A dedicated mentor and advocate, she champions equity in the profession and works to expand opportunities and representation for women and Latinas in architecture.