AIA Northwest Washington Section Design Awards
The 2025 AIA Northwest Washington Design Awards was held on Thursday, October 2. View our announcement of the winners here – congrats to all!
Thank you to our sponsors and all firms that submitted! We had a great gathering to celebrate the best architectural designs available from AIA NWW members in Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties!
This year, in lieu of a Keynote Speech, our esteemed Jurors led a panel discussion on affordable housing, bringing awareness and insight to this important topic that affects every community.
Meet our Jurors!
Tina Tate is currently the CEO of Skagit Habitat for Humanity. She has been in the position since February 2022. Before becoming the CEO of Skagit Habitat for Humanity, she served as the Executive Director of the Friendship House for 8 years. Having been homeless herself on and off most of her life Tina understands the importance of housing and homeless services. She built the organization into the largest provider of homeless services in Skagit County. Tina is involved with other organizations such as being a Commissioner for the Housing Authority of Skagit County, Service on the Board of Directors for Community Action of Skagit county and on the advisory Board of the local North Star Project working on housing issues in Skagit County. Tina also served until recently as a United General Hospital District 304 Commissioner in an elected position. She has supported Leadership Skagit as a team Advisor since her graduation from the program in 2015 and became the Class Facilitator for the class of 2021.
Hafthor Yngvason was the Director of the Western Gallery and Sculpture Collection at Western Washington University, Bellingham from 2015 to 2025; Director of the Reykjavik Art Museum, in Iceland from 2005 to 2015 and the Director of Public Art at the Cambridge Arts Council in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1995 to 2005.
After earning graduate degrees in Philosophy and Art History in the United States, Yngvason started his career as the managing director of Harcus Gallery in Boston. He has served as speaker, panelist and art juror for various universities and art organizations in the United States and Europe. He has edited six books and written extensively on art for US national and regional publications.
Kaitlin is involved in all facets of development, focusing on entitlement, feasibility, financial analysis, design, and overall project management. She has been with Spectrum Development Solutions for over eleven years, leading their community impact and mixed-income housing work. Kaitlin specializes in multifaceted, complex projects that require extensive community outreach and incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements. In addition to her work at Spectrum, she is actively engaged with the Urban Land Institute, contributing to thought leadership and peer collaboration around housing, community development, and urban revitalization.
