Fellow Members,

My name is Nicola Russo, I am Associate Director of Campus Design and Infrastructure Development at the University of Ottawa and an OAA Licensed Technologist. I am seeking your support for election to the OAA Council, Province of Ontario, Licensed Technologist.

My decision to run is driven by a deep respect for our profession, its members, and a commitment to uphold the statutory mandate of the Architects Act. The OAA Council serves as the critical regulatory body ensuring public protection and professional integrity. To govern effectively, we require representation with a proven aptitude for strategic oversight, complex governance, and multi-stakeholder collaboration, qualities that I have acquired with over two decades in architecture and planning.

The Council's role is to provide governance and set the strategic direction for the OAA while encouraging every member to strive for excellence. This responsibility requires skilled committee work, due diligence, to be inspired and to inspire others, and the ability to align complex decisions with the Association’s vision—all areas where my experience with governance structures, as a former member of the board of directors of the OAAAS and at the university level, is directly applicable.

Leading procurement efforts for capital planning on behalf of the University of Ottawa, I was successful in establishing a Qualifications-Based Selection (QBS) process for all university design and research-centric architectural services. The demonstrated value of adopting this process has ultimately allowed the university to commission projects that actively advance performance strategies and respond innovatively to industry-wide social and environmental challenges.

In addition, my involvement at the university on key committees for accessibility, Indigenization, and sustainability provides foundational values and insight to better understand the necessary steps for creating inclusive and responsible initiatives, instilling in me the mindset required to effectively contribute to a dynamic, multi-partner ecosystem, where robust relations and organizational awareness are paramount.

Such strategic efforts and initiatives, along with my experience, will allow me to contribute effectively to Council, to ensure our profession remains adaptable, accessible, and strategically aligned with the evolving needs of the public and the built environment.

I ask for your vote to bring, on behalf of all of you, this collaborative energy, high level of institutional governance and strategic planning expertise to support and contribute to, OAA Council.

 

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