Lakisha is the EVP/Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA)
Lakisha Ann Woods, CAE, is the EVP/Chief Executive Officer of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a dynamic global network of more than 96,000 architects and design professionals throughout 200 chapters committed to enhancing the built environment.
Woods previously served as President & CEO of the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS). She led efforts to expand the organization’s programs and markets while growing and strengthening its membership base.
Before joining NIBS, she was the Sr. VP & Chief Marketing Officer at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), where her team was responsible for all marketing and revenue-generating programs – including marketing the International Builders Show, sponsorship sales, and partnerships with major national companies.
Woods is the author of the book Never Get Their Coffee: Empowering Fearless Leadership and currently serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Board for the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE). She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the National Building Museum and the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland School of Architecture; she previously served as Vice Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council Board of Directors and is a global speaker. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Maryland in College Park and lives with her husband and daughter in Howard County, Maryland.
