AIA California New Governance Model
AIA California is entering a new chapter in its governance—one designed to expand meaningful member engagement. They have worked over these past few years to develop a new governance model. There are two bodies in this new structure: the Board of Directors and the California Representative Council (CRC).
The Board will consist of officers elected by the Board as well as “regional” directors. We are using the existing chapter structure to conduct elections – to ensure geographic representation on the California Board, but in recognition of the size of some local chapters’ membership, one of these directors will be elected from each “region”.
The most important thing to note: these Board members are FROM regions in the state and not serving as representatives OF a particular chapter.
The California Representative Council (CRC) is an advisory group whose purpose is to:
This illustration captures how these two entities will work together.
In 2026, AIA CA is in a year of transition to this new model and they’re working out the details of how the CRC will run. To do this, they have developed a Task Force. This group will focus on the following:
CRC Task Force Responsibilities:
- Establish clear processes and pathways for how issues are identified, evaluated, prioritized, and elevated by the CRC.
- Define the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of CRC members in advancing strategic issues.
- Create a shared culture of engagement, accountability, and strategic thinking within the CRC.
- Promote practices that support clear communication, constructive dialogue, and informed decision-making.
- Determine alignment between the CRC activities and AIA CA committees and integrated into Board and staff workflows.
- Recommend/develop tools, feedback mechanisms, and timelines that sustain participation and continuous improvement for the CRC (including the Strategic Insight Brief).