BEACalgary

Join us next Wednesday April 8 for another casual meet up at Civic Tavern. This is a great opportunity to meet BEA members along with other industry members!

Last week we hosted Designing Parenthood: Building Careers while Raising Families @dialogdesign . In project-based professions, parenthood and career progression often intersect in complicated ways. Our panel brought together leaders and parents from across related industries to share honest perspectives on returning from parental leave, building supportive workplaces, and navigating the realities of raising families while building meaningful careers. The conversation also connects to the broader research initiative Parenthood + Practice, a national study we are leading to examine how parental leave, workplace culture, and return-to-work transitions shape career progression across the profession. Follow that work @architectsforparenthood Thank you to our incredible panelists, Michelle Smith Cowman, Misty Skylar, Jennifer Magnus, and Ryan Wilmer, and to moderator Sam Lane for such a thoughtful discussion. Grateful to partner with @wcecalgary and @womenincitybuilding and @dialogdesign for sponsoring the event.

Participant Spotlight + Shelby Christensen - Intern Architect @perkinswill_cal Shelby Christensen is an intermediate designer at Perkins&Will Calgary and a SAPL Alumni. She’s worked on projects across Alberta and British Columbia. Her experience spans a diverse range of project types, including higher education, sports and recreation, religious buildings, and mixed-use residential developments. Curious about the world around her, she approaches design as a process of careful observation—seeking to understand, refine, and elevate communities.

Participant Spotlight + David Vera - Architect @moda_yyc and @vera_architecture David is a graduate of Dalhousie University’s Master of Architecture program, where he received the School of Architecture Thesis Prize. Born in Chile and raised in Saskatoon, he studied fine arts at the University of Saskatchewan before pursuing architecture, including work with Chile’s SERVIU social housing agency. He currently works at Modern Office of Design and Architecture and founded his own firm Vera Architecture. He has over 23 years of experience across diverse project types, while also mentoring intern architects and serving as a guest critic at the University of Calgary. Drawing remains central to his practice, and his collaborative work includes Blue Rock Swim Club (with Way of Normal), named the 2025 Bar of the Year by the FRAME Awards.

Portfolio Review Participant Spotlight: + Melissa Cowan - Associate Architect, Design Director @lemayonline Melissa is an interdisciplinary designer, serving as Architect and Design Director at Lemay and a SAPL Alumni. She leads design strategy for architectural projects across Western Canada, working closely with communities and project teams to understand evolving needs and translate them into thoughtful, responsive spaces. Her work emphasizes design excellence through collaborative understanding, resulting in architecture that is both conceptually rigorous and grounded in how spaces are experienced, used, and valued by the people who inhabit them.

Based on the success of last years portfolio review, we are doing it again, this time with @lemayonline ! Thursday February 26 5:30 - 6:00 - arrive & socialize 6:00 - 7:30 - portfolio reviews 7:30 - 8:00 - network & socialize Join Building Equality in Architecture Calgary (BEAC) for our annual Portfolio Review Workshop Crafting a professional architecture portfolio can be challenging, but this workshop is here to help. Geared towards architecture students and emerging professionals, it offers expert guidance from industry leaders. Get valuable feedback on your portfolio, refine your presentation skills, and learn key interview strategies to make a lasting impression. BEAC’s Portfolio Workshop features small group discussions, allowing each participant to sign up for a dedicated review session with an industry professional. Attendees will also have the opportunity to observe other reviews, learn from their peers, and expand their professional network. Our Industry Leaders Include: + Melissa Cowen – Associate Architect, Design Director @ Lemay Architecture and Design + David Vera – Senior Architect @ Modern Office of Design + Architecture and Founder @ Vera Architecture + Shelby Christensen –Intern Architect @ Perkins & Will To make the most of your session, please bring a digital or printed draft of your portfolio. Stay tuned for more details on each mentor and to purchase your ticket. Tickets will go on sale for $10 Wednesday February 11. Limited spaces available. Refreshments & snacks included.

Want to learn more about BEACalgary? Please join us for a casual meet and greet at Civic Tavern (213 12 Avenue SW) on January 28th, 2026 from 5:00-7:00pm. This will be an opportunity to meet the new committee members and other members in the industry, learn about proposed 2026 events and initiatives, give feedback and brainstorm ideas, and discuss volunteering opportunities!

We are excited to announce our new executive committee as well as thank our past chairs and vice chairs as they transition to advisory committee roles! These leaders are passionate about equality in the design community and look forward to expanding their impact with BEACalgary in their new roles. We are always looking for new members and volunteers to join us! So if you have any questions or interest in getting involved please reach out via Instagram or email.

We are proud to partner with @wcecalgary and our sponsor @DIALOGdesign to host an engaging panel discussion in celebration of International Women’s Day. This year’s theme, “Accelerate Action,” highlights the importance of advancing gender equality and fostering diversity in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. Our distinguished panelists—leaders in their fields—will share their career journeys, the mentorship that shaped their success, and the actions they take to uplift women in the industry. Join us for an evening of insightful discussion, meaningful networking, and actionable takeaways to help drive change in your own career and organization. Click the link in our bio to register. #WCECalgary #AccelerateAction #WomenInAEC #Networking #Leadership #DiversityInEngineering #IWD2025

Participant Spotlight : +Melissa Cowan – Associate Architect, Design Director @lemayonline Melissa is an Associate and Design Director at Lemay, where she leads the design and execution of residential and commercial transdisciplinary projects across Western Canada. She specializes in integrating diverse disciplines to shape innovative architectural solutions that respond to both client needs and project context. With a focus on delivering design excellence and fostering collaborative processes, Melissa ensures that each project aligns with its core objectives while elevating aesthetic and functional value. Her leadership embodies a commitment to advancing the built environment through thoughtful, impactful design.

Participant Spotlight : + Sara Mackenzie –Architect, Missing Middle Studio Manager @faasarchitecture Sara has been actively involved in Alberta’s architectural landscape for almost a decade, gaining extensive experience across a diverse range of projects, from industrial developments to multi-family residential buildings. Since 2020, Sara has led a design team at FAAS on over 100 infill projects in Calgary’s inner-city neighborhoods. Her expertise in “missing middle” housing has been shaped by her involvement in design iterations, community engagement sessions, public hearings, consultant coordination, and numerous discussions with City planners.

Participant Spotlight : + Jessie Andjelic – Founding Partner @spectacle_bureau Jessie is an architect, urbanist, adjunct professor (UofC), and founding partner of SPECTACLE Bureau for Architecture and Urbanism. She has exhibited work in Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Sao Paulo, Buffalo, Bulgaria, Estonia, Los Angeles, London, and Cambridge and has contributed to work published in Canadian Architect and Canadian Interiors. Jessie regularly mentors students and interns, and in 2019 was awarded the Young Architect prize from the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. With her practice, Jessie seeks opportunities to create works of architecture that critically explore our cities and that create reciprocity between the built and natural environments.