Honoring Elizabeth Harris, FSDA, CDFO

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

More than two decades of leadership, innovation, mentorship, and service to SDA and the profession of design administration.

There are people in every organization who show up year after year — not because someone asked them to, and not because it advances their career — but because they genuinely believe in the mission and want to help make the organization stronger.

For more than two decades, Elizabeth “Liz” Harris has been one of those people for SDA.

At the 2026 SDA Annual Conference, Liz was honored with SDA's Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her sustained leadership, service, innovation, and lasting impact on both SDA and the profession of design administration.

But what truly distinguishes Liz’s contributions is not simply the number of roles she has held — it is the impact she has had within them.

“SDA gave me an identity and a tribe. It’s a place where it is recognized that we are not just support — we are structural.”

— Elizabeth Harris, FSDA, CDFO

Over the years, Liz has helped shape and strengthen SDA in ways that continue to influence the organization today. She participated in the 2014 Certification Revamp Task Force, helping transition SDA’s certification program from an experience-based model to a knowledge-based framework. She also introduced the concept for the CDFA-yoU study group, creating a supportive and scalable path for certification candidates that helped strengthen engagement and long-term success.

Her influence continued through SDA’s rebranding efforts, website initiatives, and the national Marketing & Communications Committee. As MarCom Co-Chair, Liz championed the use of tools and systems that improved communication planning, scheduling, and analytics while helping the committee adopt a more structured and strategic workflow.

In recent years, Liz has also worked closely with SDA Headquarters to improve organizational processes, streamline workflows, and implement thoughtful automation strategies designed to support a volunteer-driven organization. Her focus on building sustainable systems and documenting processes has helped create a stronger operational foundation for SDA’s future.

The jury noted that Liz’s record is defined not simply by participation, but by transformation.

In 2020, Liz was elevated to SDA’s College of Fellows — one of the organization’s highest honors — recognizing her exceptional contributions to SDA and excellence in design firm management. She later served as Chair of the Fellows Committee and continues to support mentorship and leadership development initiatives within the organization. She also holds SDA’s highest certification designation, the Certificate in Design Firm Operations (CDFO), reflecting her ongoing commitment to professional growth and advancing the profession.

Beyond SDA, Liz continues to share her expertise through presentations, podcasts, articles, and her Substack, The 2040 Studio, where she explores AI, process optimization, operational efficiency, and designing sustainable systems for long-term success. Through her thought leadership, she frequently highlights SDA and helps expand awareness of the organization within the broader A/E/C community.

In her acceptance remarks, Liz reflected on the role SDA has played throughout her career — not simply as a professional organization, but as a community that helped shape her identity, build lasting relationships, and elevate the role of design administrators within the industry.

What makes Liz especially deserving of this recognition is not only her legacy of service, but the fact that she continues to lean into the future of the profession. She remains deeply engaged in conversations about innovation, leadership, and the evolving role of design administration — while continuing to mentor, encourage, and support those coming up behind her.

As she shared during her remarks, “I see nothing but a bright future ahead for administrators.”

Her contributions have strengthened systems, supported members, elevated programs, and helped SDA evolve in meaningful and lasting ways.

Liz Harris’s legacy is remarkable — and we have every reason to believe it is far from finished.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Harris, FSDA, CDFO, recipient of the 2026 SDA Lifetime Achievement Award.

SDA’s transition from Certified Design Firm Administrator (CDFA) to Certificate in Design Firm Operations (CDFO) reflects the evolving leadership role of today’s design firm professionals. To recognize the strength of the original CDFA, existing holders completed only the new Leadership section of the exam. Those who passed earned the CDFO—demonstrating both deep operational knowledge and the leadership skills shaping the future of the profession.

Debra Ellis, FSDA
Office Manager, Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture

What inspired you to pursue the CDFO certification after having received your CDFA? 
I felt that, as a Fellow in the organization, I should take the next step and complete this certification.

How has earning your CDFO credential impacted your confidence, skills, or credibility in your role?
This is one more credential that I have earned that I am very proud of. It shows my hard work over the years, especially since I did not complete college, and has been worth it.

Were there any doubts or hurdles you had to overcome in deciding to take the Leadership Section? How did you move past them?
The only doubt that I had was that I am not a very good test taker. However, I knew I was prepared since I had participated in the Path2Success program, so I knew the material.

What surprised you most about the preparation or exam process?
I was not surprised by the preparation of the exam process. Again, because I had participated in the Path2Sucess program.

Did you engage with the Path2Success program, CDFO Study Group, mentor, or other resources? If so, how did it help?
The Path2Success program is given by the Fellows, so yes, I participated in the program. This allowed me to read the book and join in the discussions, which helped me to understand the information in the book and the test.

What topic or section challenged you the most--and how did you tackle it?
I can't think of any specific section.

How have your employer or colleagues responded to your certification?

They celebrated in the office.

What would you say to someone in the A/E industry who is unsure if the CDFO credential is worth it?

I think that any credentials that the Administrative, HR, Accounting, and Marketing staff can achieve in the A/E/C industry, they should pursue. It helps to bring credibility to you, your position in your firm, and to SDA.

The SDA Fellows Program celebrates the best of the best, people who have helped shape the Society for Design and raised the bar for the business of design. These are the mentors, innovators, and big-picture thinkers who do more than show up; they make things happen. Becoming an FSDA means you have done more than contribute to SDA. It means you have made a lasting impact on your firm, your peers, and the profession itself.

Becoming a Fellow is a milestone worth aiming for. The process starts with a self-nomination, which is really an opportunity to pause and reflect on how far you have come and where you want to grow next. A panel of SDA Fellows reviews each application, looking for individuals who have shown leadership, dedication, and a commitment to advancing practice management. Along the way, you may find yourself inspired to pursue certification, take on new challenges, and continue developing your skills and confidence as a leader.

And here is the best part: the journey does not stop once you are named a Fellow. This group is always up to something good, mentoring members, leading programs, and creating spaces for meaningful professional growth. Their annual Path2Success series has become a fan favorite. It is part book club, part leadership lab, where SDA members dig into big ideas together. This year’s pick, Radical Candor, sparked great conversation about feedback, communication, and authentic leadership that truly changes workplaces for the better.

At its heart, being an SDA Fellow is not about a title. It is about belonging to a circle of professionals who lift others while continuing to grow themselves. Fellows are the ones who see what is possible and help the rest of us get there. If that sounds like you, or the you you want to become, maybe it is time to start your own Path to Success.