When a leader’s commitment transcends titles and timelines, their impact resonates across an entire professional community. Diane Klug, CDFO, has exemplified this type of leadership for more than two decades—championing SDA’s mission and empowering administrative professionals across the AEC industry. In recognition of her sustained service and forward-thinking contributions, Diane has been honored with the SDA Star Award, one of the Society’s most prestigious accolades.

From launching innovative programs to guiding strategic conversations, Diane’s influence continues to shape the future of SDA—and strengthen its value for members in firms of all sizes.

Honoring a Leader Who Goes the Extra Mile

The SDA Star Award is presented to members who demonstrate extraordinary service and dedication to both their local chapter and the national organization. It recognizes those who contribute meaningfully through leadership, participation, and ongoing support of SDA’s mission.

Diane’s leadership journey has extended far beyond the chapter level. When the St. Louis Chapter dissolved, she continued her SDA service as a Member-at-Large, maintaining strong ties with the organization while advocating for members from large and complex firms. Over the past year, she has been instrumental in helping SDA better understand and respond to the evolving needs of large firm partners—ensuring SDA remains inclusive, adaptive, and forward-looking.

A Career Anchored in Strategy and Advocacy

Diane Klug serves as National Director of Administration at WSP, one of the world’s leading professional services firms, with 73,000 employees across the globe. Balancing the demands of a high-level national role, Diane has never stepped back from her commitment to SDA. Her influence is felt across programs and platforms, bringing the voice of large-firm administrators into critical conversations about SDA’s future.

In 2023, Diane was honored with WSP USA’s Business Support “Extra Mile” Award, recognizing her exceptional commitment to operational excellence. That same spirit of service shines through in her contributions to SDA—from her leadership role in the inaugural SparkSDA program to her expert panel participation at EDSymposium, where she addressed business contingency planning with insight and clarity.

Her SparkSDA presentation on integrating Rocketbook into administrative workflows was so popular, it returned by demand for a deeper dive—proof of her ability to deliver immediately useful, future-focused content that resonates with peers across the country.

Advancing the SDA Community Through Shared Expertise

What sets Diane apart is not just her expertise, but her willingness to share it. Whether mentoring peers, speaking at national events, or leveraging her network to create new opportunities, Diane exemplifies SDA’s values of community, collaboration, and continuous learning. Her insights have helped SDA adapt its programming and outreach to better meet the needs of administrators at every level of firm size and complexity.

Her influence on strategic initiatives continues to pave the way for new members to find their place and purpose within the organization.

Celebrating an SDA Trailblazer

Diane Klug’s Star Award is a celebration of sustained impact, not just exceptional moments. Her dedication, leadership, and generosity of spirit have made SDA stronger and more future-ready. As the Society grows and evolves, members like Diane remind us what long-term service and vision can accomplish.

We are proud to celebrate Diane’s achievements and thankful for the lasting mark she continues to make on the SDA community.

As we continue spotlighting SDA’s 2025 National Executive Committee, meet Lynda Meyer, CDFO, SDA’s National Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer at Legacy Engineering in Fredericksburg, VA. With a deep understanding of business operations and long-term financial planning, Lynda brings clarity, precision, and purpose to her leadership. She’s focused on keeping SDA financially strong—while helping position the organization for smart, sustainable growth.

Over the next 1–5 years, my vision is to expand our membership across the U.S. and Canada and position the SDA as the leading source of best practice management education in the A/E/C industry. I want us to be the most sought-after organization to join, with a widely recognized and respected brand.

A key initiative to support this vision is empowering our business development teams and staff with a clear understanding of the value we offer—both to the industry and to individual firms. With that knowledge, they can effectively promote SDA at events, in conversations, and through our marketing materials.

As a member of the executive committee, I bring a broad range of strengths to help support our continued growth. I have a proven track record in leadership, with the ability to make tough decisions, inspire teams, and drive progress toward strategic goals. My approach encourages collaboration, innovation, and a positive, team-oriented culture.

I’m highly organized, capable of balancing competing priorities while maintaining precision and efficiency. I communicate effectively, both in writing and in speech, and I actively listen to ensure diverse perspectives are heard and valued.

With these strengths, I’m confident I can make a meaningful contribution to our executive committee’s initiatives, strategic planning, and long-term success.

Lynda’s strategic mindset and steady leadership help ensure that SDA isn’t just growing—we’re growing wisely. Her focus on stability, clarity, and long-term planning strengthens our ability to serve members well into the future. If you’re inspired by that vision, there are plenty of ways to get involved—join a committee, share your insight, or lend your voice to our conversation. Your input helps shape what’s next.

Next in our series spotlighting SDA’s 2025 National Executive Committee is Fran Carrillo, Vice President of SDA and Project Accountant/Senior Project Administrator at MIG in San Diego, CA. With a strong foundation in project accounting and firm operations, Fran brings a detail-oriented, get-it-done approach to her leadership role. Her commitment to collaboration and process improvement is already making an impact as she helps move SDA forward.

As Vice President, I aim to make meaningful progress in two areas I care deeply about: growing our membership and increasing our organization’s visibility within the industry. These have been key focuses of the MARCOM committee throughout my involvement, but I believe that serving on the board will open up new opportunities to collaborate across committees and advance these goals more strategically.

I see membership growth and industry presence as deeply connected. As a board member, I want to help align all committee efforts around this shared objective. That means setting clear membership targets, analyzing what’s worked in the past, partnering with MARCOM on outreach, and developing a sustainable 3–5 year membership growth plan.

While I’ve primarily served in Treasurer roles, my leadership experience goes well beyond finances. I’ve been part of several Executive Committees, giving me a strong understanding of board responsibilities and the confidence to step into this role with clarity and purpose.

One area I’m especially excited about is the Chapter Guidelines Handbook. I look forward to reviewing it, offering improvements, and supporting local chapters—because strong chapter engagement is essential to our organization’s overall success.

My commitment to visibility, communication, and member growth makes me well-suited to serve as Vice President and Liaison to the Membership Committee. With my MARCOM experience and passion for connecting people to our mission, I’m confident I can make a meaningful impact in this role.

Fran’s perspective is rooted in experience, teamwork, and action. As she steps into her national leadership role, she’s focused on building stronger connections and making sure SDA continues to deliver real value to members across the country. If you're ready to roll up your sleeves and be part of the progress, jump into the conversation or find a way to get involved—you don’t have to do it alone, and your voice matters.