TxA26: Gather
Every year in the fall, architects from all stretches and positions from the state of Texas are invited to attend a conference put together by the Texas Society of Architects. If you have ever been to one of the past conferences, you would recognize the large groups of architects and students moving from the tour bus to the convention center to grab a seat for the keynote speaker; grabbing a quick cup of coffee – that we always demand be available; hoards of new architects nervously getting ready to receive their certificates in front of their mentors, peers, and family; and all the booths one tries to go to at the expo for swag and product information. There are also repeat events that have successfully been kept like the alumni receptions, Pecha Kucha, and parties. One always has something from the conference to look forward to – like grabbing a drink with friends you only see once a year there.
This year, the TxA26 Annual Conference & Design Expo, themed “Gather,” will mark the 87th conference. After attending a few conferences, I wanted to find out more about what happens behind the scenes; so I virtually sat down with TxA employees Missy Floyd Seward, CMP, Donna Harbers, CMP, and Sharna Pascolo, CAE to get some insight.
Judith Vazquez, AIA: Hi everyone. I want to start with introductions, tell me who you are and your role at TxA.
Missy Floyd Seward, CMP: I’m Missy Floyd Seward. I am the senior director of our strategic partnerships and work with our exhibitors and bringing in all the money. I also do our TAF scholarship program.
Donna Harbers, CMP: I’m Donna Harbers, and I’m TXA’s new Director of Conferences.
Sharna Pascolo, CAE: I’m Sharna Pascolo. I’m the Interim EVP/ CEO here at TxA.
Vazquez: To start, tell me about the Texas Society of Architects.
Pascolo: We have 12 full-time staff. We also work with several contractors, the designer of Texas Architect, an ad manager, advocacy & marketing consultants, and IT folks. All chapters across Texas are part of our board of directors. We have one member from each individual local chapter serving as a chapter director on our board, and then we also invite all the executive directors. Because we’re located in Austin, we want them to come from all over so that we get different voices from all over the state.
We do a call for volunteers around August, but we have an interest form on our website available year-round. We have well over 200 volunteers every year from all over the state.
Vazquez: Let’s talk about the conference. From my perspective, it’s wild how much goes into three days.
Harbers: We’re planning out as far as 2029 already. Because of our expo, we have to be in a convention center as opposed to just a large hotel, and that can be challenging. Right now, most Texas convention centers are under construction. So, we’re trying to figure out some creative solutions while working that far ahead.
Vazquez: The conference seems like a great way to get architects together, especially since we have the President’s Party as well as many other events to mix and mingle—there’s a little bit for everyone.
Pascolo: That’s what we try to do— a wide variety of sessions and social events, like the meetups for emerging professionals and the Women in Architecture group. We also have the alumni receptions, which is a great way for people to mingle.
Vazquez: Aside from established and licensed architects, I know TxA tries to offer mentorship and more opportunities for emerging professionals. Has that always been the case?
Pascolo: Maybe five or six years ago we used to charge college students to attend, but now we waive the fee if they register ahead. Every year we also apply for a grant from the College of Fellows that allows us to offer scholarships to attendees who can’t afford the travel expenses. Mentorship is really important, not just to students, but to associates and for the future of the profession.
Vazquez: What about the New Architects’ Convocation?
Pascolo: It’s a special moment. I help organize that event and lead it onsite. I love seeing the newly licensed architects there with their moms and their families. And all the coworkers who come out to support their colleagues. It’s very meaningful, and no one else does that.
Vazquez: What can we look forward to for this year’s conference?
Harbers: I’m excited that we’re doing specific programming for students in a way that we haven’t done in the past. Three or four firms plus the AIA San Antonio office are all within walking distance of each other; so, on Friday morning, just after the keynote, we’re touring those architectural offices with college students. Our conference committee chair, Liz Hurd, AIA, has been in touch with AIAS leaders to find out what topics they are interested in, and on Saturday, we have two sessions that are specifically devoted to those topics. One of the sessions will focus partly on things like compensation and benefits packages, as well as understanding the different paths that a student can take into the world of architecture.
Vazquez: What about the puppies that are always very popular?
Seward: We’re working with a different rescue group this year for the Puppy Paw-villian. They’re a little skeptical on how the kittens will integrate in their petting area, but it will be cuteness overload. Baby animals that need a home— hopefully we can help find them one. It was funny, last year there was a gentleman there the whole time. Every time I saw him, he was with the puppies; and I was like, “Are you enjoying the conference?” And he was like, “I haven’t gone to a session yet.” He was literally just hanging out with the puppies!
Vazquez: Did he end up adopting any of the puppies?
Seward: He did not, but he did make a sizable donation and took their information. He had dogs at home. I think he was just really missing them.
Vazquez: What’s something that you’re looking forward to?
Pascolo: The President’s Party. The theme is ’80s Prom.
Donna: I’m excited to just see the conference. We spend so much time planning to such a level of detail that to see it come to life, to see the people interact with the new thing you tried, to see which CE sessions are really popular, and to experience the buzz after they come back from a great tour.
Vazquez: Any parting words?
Pascolo: We hope to see you all there! Our staff and the conference committee is putting in a lot of thought and energy into making it memorable, and we can’t wait to welcome you in San Antonio!
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. TxA26 “Gather” with be held October 15 -17 in San Antonio and is currently open for registration.
