Laura Wernick FAIA, senior principal of HMFH Architects, was elected to The College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Elevation to Fellow honors architects who have made a significant contribution to architecture and society and who have achieved a high standard of excellence in the profession. Out of a total AIA membership of 83,000, there are just over 3,100 elected Fellows.
The newly-elected 2014 Fellows will be honored at an investiture ceremony at the 2014 National AIA Convention in Chicago on June 27.
As senior principal of HMFH Architects, Wernick leads the firm's nationally-recognized educational planning practice, which is known for creating environments that support collaboration and communication through openness, vibrancy, natural light and healthy environments. She believes that school environments strongly influence student learning, and has dedicated her career to shaping spaces that support true educational excellence.
Wernick is a past president of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA), and has championed the BSA's role as a teaching and learning community for architects and the public. She has also served as regional president, conference organizer, panelist, and author for the Council of Educational Facility Planners International, an organization of 20,000 architects and planners.
"Laura is a natural leader and a great example for others in our profession," said Michael Davis, FAIA, a principal of Bergmeyer Associates who served with Laura on the board of directors of the BSA and is a fellow past president. "She is unshakably principled, a clear communicator and a master consensus-builder."