SDA Fellows

SDA began the SDA Fellows initiative in 2018 to recognize the value of individual contributions to SDA, peer organizations, and the A/E/C community in the area of excellence in design firm management. The program also seeks to encourage individuals to further their studies, share their knowledge, and elevate the standards of practice management in the A/E/C industry overall.  

Potential fellows go through an extensive application process including short essay writing and securing three letters of recommendation that can attest to the applicants' leadership, mentorship, and impact on the A/E/C industry. 

Once selected, an SDA Fellow attains the designation FSDA and agrees to inspire excellence in the next generation of SDA members through directed opportunities to promote the purposes of SDA, advance practice management, and mentor young members.

Today, there are nine SDA Fellows, led by Betsy Nickless, FSDA. Though not an SDA committee, the Fellows meet monthly to discuss how to focus their collective action for the betterment of the organization and its members. Other Fellows include Judy Beebe, Debra Ellis, Deborah Gill, Liz Harris, Sabrina Heard, Stephanie Kirschner, Karen Roman, and Sarah Wallace. 

For the 2021-2022 term, the Fellows launched a pilot leadership program, “Path2Sucess”. The purpose of the Path2Success program is to facilitate career development, increase personal development, and foster future SDA and business leaders. The program is a combination of self-study and progress check-ins. Members of the program agree to read an assigned book (this term, How Women Rise by Sally Helgesen) and engage in dialogue on the forum. Additionally, there are video calls facilitated by an SDA fellow that offer live coaching opportunities. 

The Fellows will evaluate the Path2Success pilot program in the next few months to determine its future for the 2022-2023 term. The Fellows also plan to sponsor a leadership presentation at this summer’s EDSymposium22 in conjunction with funding from the Past Presidents Council (PPC) Foundation.