AIA Future Focused - April Drake, AIA

April Drake, AIA, is a senior project architect with HDR in Arlington, Va. focusing on complex government facilities. With 15+ years of education, government and commercial project experience, April leads multidisciplinary teams through all stages of design. As one of the first 400 African American licensed women in the country, April is passionate and aware of the leadership and encouragement necessary to guide women from graduation to licensure. To that end, she is an active member in the AIA and a committee volunteer for the National Council of Architecture Registration Board (NCARB). After serving two years on the Board of Directors, she is now the 2023 President for the AIA Northern Virginia (NOVA) Chapter, the first African American woman to hold the office. Since 2014, she has volunteered with NCARB on several task forces developing the new ARE 5.0 Exam. She is also Past Chair of the AIA NOVA Women in Architecture Committee, which champions the advancement of women in the profession throughout Northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and Maryland.