Board of Directors
The Immigrant Architect Coalition is proud to be under the leadership of a passionate and highly motivated board of directors. Each member of our board brings their own unique set of skills and experiences to the table which allows for collaborative and innovative leadership that seeks to make a difference. We are a non-profit organization that understands the challenges faced by immigrant architects in finding work and establishing themselves in the industry. Our board is committed to finding solutions that will help immigrant architects achieve success in their chosen field.
President
Yu-Ngok Lo, FAIA, CDT, LEED AP, NCARB
Founding principal of YNL Architects, Inc. His work was published at different international media such as ArchDaily, Hinge Magazine, CONDE, Commercial Architecture Magazine, and Hospitality-Interiors Magazine. YNL Architects also received numerous awards including the AIA Miami Design Awards, AIA Long Beach Design Awards, AIA Inland California Design Award, AIA Orange County Inspire Award, Gold Nugget Awards, Best of American Living Awards, A' Design Awards, American Residential Design Awards, etc., Yu-Ngok also served on various design and professional award juries such as the AIA Hong Kong Design Award, NAHB Best In America Living Award, AIBD annual design award and the AIACC Academy for Emerging Professionals Award.
Personally, Yu-Ngok is a recipient of the 2019 American Institute of Building Design Designer of the Year Award, 2018 AIA Presidential Citation, 2016 AIA National Young Architects Award, 2016 BD+C 40 Under 40, 2015 ENR 20 Under 40, and the 2015 AIACC Young Architect Award. He was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2020.
Vice President I Treasurer
Graciela Carrillo, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C,
Graciela Carrillo, AIA, originally from Colombia, immigrated to the United States in 2003. She works as a Senior Manager at Nassau BOCES Facilities Services, coordinating the school’s capital and operational projects serving Nassau County school districts.Graciela has been involved with the AIA at the local, state, and national levels, currently serving as AIA New York State representative for the AIA National Strategic Council, the Past President of the AIA Long Island Chapter, and the Chapter’s Women In Architecture Co-Founder and Co-Chair. Graciela is also the Co-Founder of the Immigrant Architects Coalition, a non-profit organization committed to helping and providing resources for immigrant architects to achieve a prosperous career in the US. In 2019, Graciela was the recipient of the AIA NYS Young Architect Award, and in 2022 she was the recipient of the AIA Young Architect Award. In addition, in 2021, she was an honoree of the Top 50 Women in Business in Long Island. In 2023 Graciela was awarded the 2022 AIA NYS President’s Honor Award.Graciela is a national speaker, featured on various industry podcasts, and a featured author in the book “Latinas in Architecture: Stories of raising the 1% one Latina at a time”. In 2022, Graciela co-authored the book, "City Shapers: Stories of Immigrant Designers." The book compiles stories from 24 successful professionals in our industry, navigating life in a new country, the challenges throughout the licensing process, and starting a new architectural firm.
Secretary
Saakshi Terway, Assoc. AIA, LEED Green Associates
Originally from New Delhi, Saakshi Terway is a licensed architect from India currently working as a
Project Designer at Quinn Evans in Washington DC. As a design professional, she has contributed to
many featured mixed-use, multi-family, senior living, and adaptive reuse projects. After working in India
for 2 years, Saakshi graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a master’s degree in architecture
and a certification in sustainable landscape design. Her interests lie in responsible and sustainable
architecture that has a social impact on local and global communities.
Additionally, she spends a lot of her energy volunteering with the architecture community and actively
advocating for JEDI within the industry. Ms. Terway is also the founder of the “Terway Inclusivity
Student Scholarship” at the University of Cincinnati and a recent recipient of the 2023 DCCEAS Young
Architect Award and 2022 AIA|DC Emerging Architect’s Award. She is also serving as the DC
Representative at AIA National Associates Committee, an Advisory Board member for the Women’s
Leadership Summit, and recently joined the Board of Directors at the IAC non-profit organization.
Director of Communications
Oyuki Sulu, Assoc. AIA,
Oyuki is originally from Merida, Mexico and relocated to Pittsburgh in 2012. Driven by her passion for design and a desire to make a positive impact on the built environment, Oyuki pursued her education at the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Facultad de Arquitectura. There, she honed her skills and acquired a comprehensive understanding of architectural principles, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Architecture. Oyuki is a licensed architect in Mexico and is currently working towards obtaining her architectural license in Pennsylvania. Additionally, she possesses a certificate in Green and Sustainable Building Design.
Oyuki served as the 2021-2023 PA State Associate Representative (STAR) and in 2023 joined the IAC board of directors, demonstrating her commitment to the profession. She is deeply passionate about sustainability, commercial design, and actively mentors and guides international architects through the licensure process.
Co-Founder I Podcast Host
Shahad Niyazi Sadeq , Assoc. AIA,
Shahad Niyazi Sadeq is the Executive Director at AIA Springfield chapter and architectural designer. She is passionate about amplifying diverse voices in the profession and developing sustainable workplace culture.
Shahad continues to exist at the intersection of architecture and advocacy. Her experience, as current advisor on the Archlight Summit board, previous JEDI board member at Smithgroup , Co-founder of both EDI ask force at AIA Dallas and Equity in Architecture Committee at AIA Kansas City and current cofounder/co-leader of Immigrant Architect Coalition, has equipped her with the skills and insight to communicate, educate and engage strategically with advancing holistic policy that deliver efficient growth of potential
in the workplace.
Director of Programs I Podcast Host
Gloria Kloter , AIA, NCARB, CODIA,
Gloria is an award-winning architect, founder and CEO of Glow Architects, keynote speaker, and bestselling author. She is an advocate for immigrant architects, women in architecture, and motherhood. Kloter is the author of The Architecture of Motherhood, and Co-Author of City Shapers. She is the founder of Foreign Architects, serves as the Architect Licensing Advisor through AIA Florida, and serves AIA Tampa Bay where she founded and chairs the WIA Committee. Among her awards and recognitions, Gloria is a recipient of the Outstanding Leadership Award 2022 and the AIA Tampa Bay 2020 Kelley Emerging Professional Award. She was also honored with the 2019 Sho-Ping Ching WLS Scholarship. ​ Gloria has been a keynote speaker and panelist on several conferences including the AIA National, Women Leadership Summit Miami, Young Architect, NCARB's Architect Licensing Advisor Summit, Women Architects Festival, among other events. Gloria Kloter has been featured by major architectural and global publications like Architizer, Young Architect Podcast, Context & Clarity, Practice Disrupted, IAC, From The Honeycomb, Mentor Dino, EntreArchitect, Arquitexto, NCARB, YAF Connection, South Tampa Magazine, and others.