AIA St. Louis Governance
AIA St. Louis Chapter is governed by a ten member Board of Directors elected by its members. The Board of Directors establish the Strategic Plan, objectives and policies for the Chapter and steward its resources.
The current Board of Directors is listed below with contact information: 
President Leslie Garner, AIA Saint Louis Zoo | Leslie Garner joined the Zoo team in 2018 as the Sustainability Coordinator. In 2019, she was promoted to the role of Director of Architecture and Construction, charged with managing the design and construction of the Saint Louis Zoo's new WildCare Park property. By blending her two passions of architecture and construction she is able to ensure that the Zoo’s aesthetic, animal care and welfare, conservation, sustainability and budgetary goals are met. Leslie holds an undergraduate degree in interior design from the University of Missouri, as well as a dual master's degree from Washington University in St. Louis in Architecture and Construction Management. She is a registered architect who is eager to promote the architectural and construction professes ion within the St. Louis area. She has served on MSU’s Women in Leadership Advisory Board, and now serves on the Women in Leadership Executive Program Advisory Board for Minnesota State University, Mankato. Leslie is the 2023 Co-Chair of the AIA Women in Architecture St. Louis Committee and a member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
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Past-President
Melissa Harlan, AIA Kiku Obata & Co. | An Arkansan born in upstate New York, Melissa is passionate about her family, community-focused design, and working towards a just and sustainable society in which her son and other’s sons and daughters can thrive. She is an architect at Kiku Obata, where she currently works on community projects in Alton, IL. Melissa’s work on the Rung for Women headquarters inspires her to design for everyone, seek empowerment for herself and others in the architectural community, and help build pathways to the profession for minority students in the St. Louis Region. Melissa is a member of the AIA St. Louis Awards Committee, past chair of the AIA Small Project Design Knowledge Community, and current president of the Professional Advisory Board at the University of Arkansas Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design. She holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard, a Bachelor of Architecture from University of Arkansas, and a B.S. in Agriculture from Arkansas State University. Melissa had the honor of jurying the 2020 AIA Small Project Awards, 2020 AIA Small Project Grant, 2020 AIA Gold Medal, and 2020 AIA Firm of the Year. In her non-abundant spare time, she can be found cooking, gardening, hiking, or skiing.
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President-Elect Evan Bronstein, AIA Jacobs | Evan brings to the Jacobs team 27 years of project design and project management experience. In these capacities, he has worked on initiatives serving a variety of market segments and a range of public and private client entities. His strengths in listening, critical thinking and communicating complex ideas in a manner that is clear and direct, has enabled him to effectively design projects as divergent as veterinary hospitals, medical offices, park pavilions, mission critical structures, restaurants, as well as casinos and hotels. In practice, such sensibilities enable Evan to quickly assess and disseminate design opportunities that facilitate the operational objectives of a project, while imparting important experiential and aesthetic factors. Evan utilizes his time away from Jacobs focusing on youth engagement and mentoring in the arts. As an adjunct faculty member at both Maryville University and the Center of Creative Arts he has been actively involved in developing various courses to serve the development and knowledge of both college and elementary level learners. The curriculum he has developed span classes in lighting, digital media, furniture and building design, interior design, drawing, art history and human factors. | 
Secretary
Steven Lichtenfeld,
AIA Emeritus City of Clayton | As a Professional Architect for over forty years, Steve has developed leadership in communication, problem solving, creativity, and time management in architectural planning and design. His interest in helping improve lives led him to expertise in community focused and institutional facilities. Steve’s professional journey began at Washington University where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1971, followed by a Master of Architecture Degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 1973. After receiving his degrees, Steve returned to St. Louis to join The Wischmeyer Architects where he increased his knowledge by focusing on the planning, design, documentation, and project management of hospitals, medical related facilities, education, and research facilities. His professional growth led him to become a Principal-in-Charge at The Wischmeyer Architects, and subsequently at ACE/Bolands, and BSA LifeStructures. With vision, focus, and teamwork throughout his career, his approach developed many long-term client relationships. Through identifying and mentoring young architects, Steve has been active in talent development for next-generation leaders in the profession. While actively engaged in his architectural practice, with commitment to improve lives and his community, he volunteered on several boards and committees for the City of Clayton and the Clayton School District. In 2003, he ran for and was elected as an Alderman in the City of Clayton and served for three consecutive terms. Following that term-limited position, in 2012, he become the appointed Chairman of the City of Clayton Plan Commission and Architectural Review Board, a position which he currently holds. Throughout his professional career, and currently, Steve has maintained membership in the AIA (National, Missouri, and St. Louis Chapters) and is supportive of their goals of both promoting the architectural profession and improving the health, safety, and enjoyment of the life for citizens through leadership, planning, and design of the built environment. |  Treasurer Christina Brown, AIA Mackey Mitchell Architects | Christina is a licensed architect in Missouri with nation-wide experience in education, corporate, and civic projects. She is inspired by the idea that architecture can have a positive impact on communities, and this drives her desire to meet clients’ strategic needs on every project. Through various Master Planning projects as a project designer at Mackey Mitchell Architects, she has demonstrated the ability to transform complex problems into thoughtful design solutions. Always an advocate for new and better technology as design tools, Christina contributes to the Extended Reality software implementation in the St. Louis office and is a licensed drone pilot. She currently serves on the AIA St. Louis Board of Directors and is the Vice Chair for the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program. Native to St. Louis, she finds inspiration in historic architecture and is passionate about the ongoing development and revitalization efforts that are happening throughout the city.
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Director
Gwen Arenberg, AIA McCarthy Building Companies | With a foundation in architecture and a career in construction leadership, Gwen Arenberg brings a design-minded approach to building teams and projects. She earned a Master of Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis and practiced in St. Louis, earning her license and teaching at WashU before transitioning to construction and joining McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. in 2023. Gwen is recognized for listening deeply, aligning diverse stakeholders, and translating design vision into constructible solutions that serve both people and purpose. She was named a 2025 St. Louis Business Journal 40 Under 40 honoree in recognition of her contributions to the industry and the community. Gwen has championed mentorship, inclusion, and community engagement as regional co-lead of McCarthy’s Partnership for Women, through volunteer engagement with Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital and in a decade of service on the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Young Friends Council and Members Board. Gwen is committed to strengthening the St. Louis design and construction community through collaboration, leadership, and service. | 
Director Christopher Ching, AIA Lamar Johnson Collaborative | |  Director Emily Howard, AIA PGAV Destinations | Emily has spent the majority of her career at PGAV. She can do it all, from drawing details to leading campus master plans, and has worked on projects that include Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor’s Center, Discovery Cove, and Georgia Aquarium. She guides teams through complex projects while fostering mentorship and professional growth. By aligning strategic planning with creative problem-solving, Emily brings her clients’ visions to life, elevating projects to their highest potential and ensuring impactful, long-lasting results. | 
Director Chrissy Rogers, AIA Arcturis | As an architect, Chrissy listens to clients and guides her teams towards innovative solutions. Her devotion to sustainability pushes the firm towards making decisions that protect and improve the environment. She encourages the team to think outside the box in developing green solutions for common project issues. A passionate philanthropist, Chrissy leads the firm’s community efforts to ensure that the firm’s dedication to giving back is utilized most effectively. | 
Associate Director Julia Collins, Assoc. AIA
Jacobs | Julia Collins is an
architectural professional at Jacobs, born and raised in St. Louis, MO. She
earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of
Architecture from Washington University in St. Louis. Julia has experience in hospitality,
residential, educational, and federal projects. She loves to challenge herself
and brings optimism to every project, fostering collaboration and creative
solutions. Actively pursuing licensure, Julia participates in leadership programs including
AIA's CKLDP and YAFSTL, engaging with the architectural community and
supporting professional growth. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with
family and friends and renovating their old home.
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Interested in joining the AIA St. Louis Board of Directors? - Learn more about the application process HERE
AIA Missouri To learn more about the AIA Missouri Board of Directors representing AIA St. Louis, CLICK HERE.
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