Architects for Peace welcomes the 2018 steering committee

Introducing the new steering committee, elected at our Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 21st November 2017:

President: Nicole Mechkaroff

Vice President: Anne-Claire Deville

Secretary: Lorenza Lazzati

Treasurer: Pauline Ng

Public Officer: Lara Brown

General Member: Yang Bai

General Member: Stephen Herbst

General Member: Fernando Estrada Martinez de Alva

General Member: Farah Rozhan

General Member: Tayyab Ahmad

We are delighted to welcome four new members to the team: Lara Brown, Stephen Herbst, Fernando Estrada Martinez de Alva and Tayyab Ahmad. All members contributed to the organisation in various capacities last year, ranging from campaigns, written submissions, the quarterly talk series and website development. Lara, Stephen, Fernando and Tayyab bring many skills and international perspectives to the team, which you can read about below. We look forward to working together this year.

Lara Brown

Lara is a writer specialising in Architecture and was actively involved in communications and campaigning throughout 2017. She represented the organisation in a public hearing to denounce the proposed amendments to the Local Activities Law affecting people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne's CBD. In addition, she led a successful fundraising campaign to help launch a new website for the organisation - an activity which has established an important foundation for 2018. She will continue to strengthen and diversify communications and campaigning this year.

Fernando Estrada Martinez de Alva

Fernando offers unique knowledge in 'Computerised Support for Psychological Well-being' and has been a valued team member in planning and conceptualising a new website for the organisation. His technical knowledge and likeable character gained volunteer cooperation during his pilot program to gather information on website design and usability preferences. Fernando will lead the next website development project phase, working towards its delivery in 2018.

Stephen Herbst

Stephen is an Architect and is passionate about protecting the heritage of the natural and urban environments through community based educational experiences. He represented the organisation in a public hearing to denounce the proposed amendments to the Local Activities Law affecting people experiencing homelessness in Melbourne's CBD. His continuing inquiry into government decision making and public engagement processes led to him publishing several editorial pieces in 2017 and he will now manage the editorial team.

Tayyab Ahmad

Tayyab brings a mindful outlook to the team with his personal values in leaving a positive impact on society through the development of the built environment. His research focus on 'delivering green building projects' became relevant to the Pecha Kucha event night where he was proactive in topic development and critical group discussion. As an international student, Tayyab supports Architects for Peace's ambition to strengthen its international student connections and represents the organisation at the University of Melbourne.

Architects for Peace has active city and regional branches across Australia, Chile and Germany, and seeks to foster further growth in new and existing international branches. In Sydney, Australia we welcome back Eva Rodriguez Riestra (founding member of Architects for Peace), who will coordinate a new wave of activity this year. She is a public art curator and commissioner with a background in architecture, urban design and art history, and has an ongoing involvement in academic research and education.

Our team of advisors will work closely with the steering committee in 2018 and will continue to shape Architects for Peace in the next phase of growth: Dr Beatriz Maturana Cossio (founder of Architects for Peace), Anthony McInneny (founding member of Architects for Peace), Targol Khorram, Peter Johns and Eleanor Chapman.

A very special thank you to Targol Khorram whose skills, expertise and commitment has been crucial to the organisation's new growth since the delivery of the Strategic Plan. She has stepped away from her former role as President and will continue to support the committee as an advisor.

Many volunteers made regular contributions important in the day to day running of the organisation: Anna Rowe, Tony Luo, Richie Dean, Haoming Xu, Jimmi Connor, Chun Guo, Zamaneh Khoshdel and Natalie Chow.

Thank you to the former steering committee members for their commitment and generous contributions throughout 2017.

Nicole Mechkaroff

President, Architects for Peace 2018