NCARB names eight winners of the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service

The National Council of Architectural Registration Board (NCARB) has named eight new winners of the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service for 2023 in recognition of their commitment to architectural regulatory standards and the organization’s mission to “protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.”

Members from five states and the District of Columbia were honored by 2022-23 NCARB President Bayliss Ward as part of the 2023 Annual Business Meeting in Tampa, Florida. Among the awardees is National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Executive Director Tiffany D. Brown, who led this year's field in practice in addition to her role as an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University. 

Learn more about all eight recipients below. (All citations courtesy of NCARB)

Tiffany D. Brown, MBA, NOMA, Assoc. AIA, of Detroit, Michigan, is recognized for her outstanding leadership of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and her contributions to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the architecture profession. As executive director of NOMA, Brown has led the organization through a period of growth and transformation. Brown has been an expert advocate for improving representation in the design industry, raising awareness of NOMA’s efforts to draw minority students into the architecture profession. Her ongoing collaboration with NCARB on the joint Baseline on Belonging study has highlighted opportunities to support underrepresented licensure candidates and architects by removing barriers in early career stages. She recently had the honor of being named among Architizer’s “100 Women to Watch in Architecture” and has received several recognitions and awards from industry leaders, including the American Institute of Architects. 

Robert M. Calvani, FAIA, NCARB, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is recognized for his outstanding service to and leadership of the Council, the New Mexico Board of Examiners for Architects, and NCARB’s Region 6. Calvani served NCARB as president during the 2020-2021 fiscal year. During his tenure, Calvani guided the organization as it responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that NCARB adopted policies and processes that would allow it to adapt to the pandemic and address ongoing challenges. As part of these efforts, Calvani oversaw the launch of the online proctoring option for the Architect Registration Examination® (ARE®). First appointed to the New Mexico Board in 2005, Calvani has dedicated nearly two decades to serving the public through the regulation of architecture. He has led and served on many NCARB committees, including this year’s Competency Task Force. He was first elected to the NCARB Board of Directors as the director of Region 6 in 2015 and later served in each of the Board’s officer positions.  

Paul D. Edmeades, RA, AIA, NCARB, of Bel Air, Maryland, is recognized for his outstanding services to the Council, his leadership of the Maryland Board of Architects and NCARB’s Region 2, and his service on the Council’s Board of Directors. Following his appointment to the Maryland Board in 2006, Edmeades became the board’s chair in 2017. He was elected by his peers to Region 2’s leadership in 2014, serving terms as both chair and vice chair. Edmeades has been a valuable member of several of NCARB’s committees, including the Audit, Education, Examination, Experience, Practice Education, Procedures and Documents, and Regional Leadership committees. He has also dedicated his time and effort to several task forces and work groups, including the FY22 Ethics Work Group, which proposed changes to NCARB’s Model Rules of Conduct to ensure that this resource continues to address the ethical challenges of modern practice.  

Gary R. Ey, CDT, of Abingdon, Maryland, is recognized for his outstanding service to the Council, the Maryland Board of Architects, and the public member community. Ey was first appointed to the Maryland Board of Architects in 2003 and began volunteering for NCARB in 2016. Throughout his time with the organization, Ey has contributed his insight and expertise to NCARB’s Audit, Credentials, Education, and Experience committees, as well as the Interiors Task Force. As public director, Ey has led efforts to increase engagement from public members in NCARB service, encouraging opportunities for public members to connect and raising awareness of their important role on Member Boards. As a construction professional, Ey has also offered unique insight as both a collaborator and consumer of architectural services to NCARB’s Board of Directors. 

Stacy Krumwiede of Bismarck, North Dakota, is recognized for her outstanding service to the Council, the North Dakota State Board of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, and NCARB’s Region 5. Krumwiede began serving as the co-executive director of the North Dakota Board in 2006, helping facilitate the licensure of qualified applicants within the jurisdiction. In 2014, she also began serving as the regional executive of Region 5. Krumwiede has been a dedicated and engaged public servant, ensuring that the voice of the board executive is heard through her efforts on the Regional Leadership Committee. In addition, she has partnered with NCARB staff to conduct outreach, share feedback, and advocate for reasonable regulation within her state and region. Krumwiede has also encouraged the adoption of modern licensing system software in her state, working to enhance the licensure process for both architects and landscape architects. 

Catherine C. Morrison, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, NOMA, of Charlotte, North Carolina, is recognized for her outstanding service to the Council, the North Carolina Board of Architecture and Registered Interior Designers, and NCARB’s Region 3. Morrison was first appointed to the North Carolina Board in 2018 and has served as the board’s secretary, vice chair, and chair. She was elected as the secretary of Region 3 in 2020 and will become the region’s chair in 2023. Morrison began volunteering for NCARB in 2017, joining the Council’s Strategic Focus Group before going on to serve on the Experience Committee and lead the Credentials Committee, where she led a thorough refresh of the committee’s procedures. As a member of NCARB’s Governance Work Group, Morrison has led efforts to explore potential changes to the Council’s national leadership structure.  

Tara Rothwell, NCARB, LEED AP, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, is recognized for her outstanding service to the Council, as well as her leadership of the New Mexico Board of Examiners for Architects and NCARB’s Region 6. Rothwell was first appointed to the New Mexico Board in 2014 and served as the board’s chair in 2018-2019. She was elected as the secretary/treasurer of Region 6 in 2019 and became the region’s chair in 2021. Since becoming involved with her board, Rothwell has also dedicated her time and expertise to several of NCARB’s volunteer efforts, including the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI); Policy Advisory; and Regional Leadership committees, as well as the Diversity Collaborative and several subcommittees related to the national licensing exam. In addition, Rothwell led the Credentials Committee, where she initiated a review of the committee’s role and procedures.  

Maurice Brown of Washington, DC, is recognized for his outstanding service to the Council and his leadership of NCARB’s advocacy efforts. Brown first joined NCARB in 2015 as a manager of Member Board relations on the Council Relations team, before transitioning to focus on advocacy-related work in 2018. He was elevated to assistant vice president of advocacy and external engagement in 2021. In that role, Brown has provided expert support to licensing boards facing deregulatory attempts, successfully advocating for the reasonable regulation of architecture in the United States. His efforts have ensured that NCARB and its Member Boards can continue to carry out their missions to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. Brown has also been a dedicated staff liaison to several NCARB committees, including the Credentials and DEI committees, as well as the Model Law Task Force, Incidental Practice Task Force, and Licensure Advisory Forum.

Explore past President's Medal recipients here.