The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation has announced six exceptional women in Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) industry and allied fields to be honored as part of the foundation's 2022 BEVY Leadership Awards.

The selected honorees will be awarded at the 2022 BEVY Leadership Awards Gala at the Bryant Park Grill on October 19th, 2022. 

The six outstanding women are J. Meejin Yoon - Korean-American architect, designer, and educator and Dean of Cornell AAP and co-founding partner of Höweler + Yoon, Judy Kessler - an accomplished real estate development executive, coordinates Vornado's groundbreaking work in the Penn District, mechanical engineer Fiona Cousins - Chair of the Americas, Arup, Adrienne Hepler - owner and founder of Envoie Projects, construction executive Brennan Gilbane Koch of Gilbane Building Company and Elaine Molinar - Managing Partner at Norwegian firm Snøhetta.

The 2022 honorees represent 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.

This year, academic excellence award went to J. Meejin Yoon, dean of Cornell University’s College of Architecture, Art, and Planning and one of the founding partners of the Boston-based architecture and design firm Höweler + Yoon. 

Judy Kessler, an accomplished real estate development executive, coordinates Vornado's groundbreaking work in the Penn District. Image courtesy Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

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 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," said the organizers of BWAF. 

Judy Kessler, Consultant at Vornado, was awarded for innovation excellence. Kessler, who is known for highly accomplished real estate development executive, is responsible for leading large-scale building projects as well as supporting housing for low- and moderate-income residents including the formerly homeless.

Fiona Cousins, Chair of the Americas, Arup. Image courtesy of Arup

"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," said Cynthia Phifer Kracauer, AIA, executive director of the Beverly Wills Architecture Foundation.

Among the applauded honorees for 2022 are mechanical engineer Fiona Cousins, for "her widespread impact as Chair of the Americas for the global engineering and design giant Arup."

Fiona has managed a wide range of award-winning projects at Arup, including the US Embassy in London and Fulton Street Station in New York. 

Adrienne Hepler, owner and founder of Envoie Projects. Image courtesy Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

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.

Besides Hepler, construction executive Brennan Gilbane Koch of Gilbane Building Company, a company frequently named atop lists of the best places to work, was honoured for the award. 

Elaine Molinar, managing partner of the U.S. practice for Snøhetta. Image © Michael Grimm, courtesy of Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation

Another honoree for 2022 BEVY Leadership Awards is 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.

She is a co-founder of Snøhetta’s New York studio and the Managing Partner of the portfolio in the Americas. Her focus is recent years has been directing the strategic direction of the practice while improving the platforms by which younger members of the staff may excel. The studio has nurtured several hundred emerging designers during her tenure.

BWAF stated that during 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.

Founded by Beverly Willis, FAIA, in 2002, the aim of the Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation is to advocate for gender equity in leadership and recognition in architecture, design, landscape, engineering, technology, real estate and construction.

The Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation is leading a cultural revolution in the building industry that acknowledges, cultivates, and values women’s contributions and achievements — past, present, and future.

Top image: J. Meejin Yoon © Conor Doherty, courtesy of Beverly Willis Architecture Foundation. 

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