Service to the Profession & Community Spotlight: Ida Clair, AIA

The Chapter’s Civic Engagement Team (CET) are shining a spotlight, and building a repository of profiles, that celebrate the dedicated AIA Central Valley members who positively influence the profession and their communities through advocacy and volunteerism. Kudos to these individuals for creating “inspiration through action.” We hope they will inspire YOU to serve!

Do you know of an AIA member worthy of recognition? Please contact the CET via the Chapter office: [email protected].

How does your career trajectory include service to society and the profession, and what sustains your continued engagement?

In private practice the focus of my architectural work was in multifamily housing which necessitated careful application and coordination of state and federal accessibility requirements. I became a certified access specialist (CASp) in 2009 and was asked by DSA to assist with the development of the CASp examination. Concurrently, I was also involved in establishing the Certified Access Specialist Institute (CASI) and served as its first Director of Professional Practice and Director of Legislative Affairs. Through this role I facilitated communication with CASI and DSA, with a mission to provide clarity of the role of the CASp based on requirements of the program and as stipulated in statute. In 2013 I became the first Technical Administrator of the CASp Program at DSA, and in 2016, having experience in both green building and accessibility, I became Principal Architect at DSA Headquarters. Since January 2019 I have also been serving as Acting State Architect. My work feeds my passion in accessibility and sustainability, and I my continued engagement is sustained through the important work of the Newsom Administration in mitigating climate change, in leading DSA in its mission of safe and sustainable public schools, in increasing access to the built environment through engagement with all stakeholders.

Is there a specific incident/example/time that you felt your contributions made an impact and/or when your skills as an architect made a difference?

As architects we are naturally problem solvers, and frequently I use this skill to navigate the regulatory process which requires one to think “outside the box” to propose regulations that address the needs of a variety of stakeholders. Recently, DSA worked for two years with stakeholders on the development of accessible public housing regulations, and when the regulations passed in 2020 all involved acknowledged that the effort was quite an accomplishment, not only because the approved regulations were amenable to all stakeholders, but also because the collaborative process made those involved feel respected and heard.

Was there a specific person who “nudged” you to become involved?

Richard Conrad FAIA encouraged me to take the Certified Access Specialist(CASp) Examination. Once certified I became involved with DSA on examination development. Concurrently, I was involved in the nascent Certified Access Specialist Institute and built a bridge connecting those certified to those who administer the program. Together with DSA, we built a solid foundation of collaboration and communication to improve the effectiveness of the CASp program.