Jennifer Jones, MS, CAE, IOM, 38, works in San Francisco as executive director of the American Institute of Architects, San Francisco and The Center for Architecture + Design. As a 2018 40 Under 40 honoree, Jones discusses her passion for the events industry.
Connect with Jones on Twitter and Instagram.What I do: My responsibilities involve formulating policies and long-term strategies to encourage engagement and increase the visibility and efficacy of both organizations. Through effective management, promotion, leadership, planning and programming, I strive for the socially and economically equitable growth of architecture and design in the Bay Area and beyond.
How I got here: I fell into association management when I moved from Detroit to Chicago and started a new position as production coordinator for PCMA’s Convene magazine. Through my work at PCMA, I learned how pervasive the industry was, especially in Chicago, and how well it played to my abilities to to connect people of like mind or interest with one another. I went on to receive my Master of Science in nonprofit and organizational management from DePaul University while working at SmithBucklin, and performed analysis of my client organizations for my thesis to determine what trends and attributes can help determine future volunteer leaders. Since then, I have also served eight years with the International Association of Lighting Designers under Marsha Turner, CAE, who taught me so much about leadership and mentorship. In 2014, I moved to the Bay Area in 2014 to start my current role as executive director at AIASF.Greatest career accomplishment: In 2009, the Texas Legislature passed legislation restricting the practice of “lighting design” to licensed members of other professions and trades, including architects and interior designers. The campaign in response to Texas HB2649 garnered a number of awards, including the first Publisher’s Choice Award from the Association Trends All-Media Contest.
Impressive stats: I have balanced AIASF’s budget through conservative budgeting of income and expenses and the introduction of new sponsorship and nondues revenue strategies, transitioning the organization from the red to the black, with a net surplus of $130,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $200,000 in FY 2017. Sponsorship revenue has increased from $30,000 in 2014 to more than $300,000 in 2018.
What I do Outside of work: I like to travel as much as possible, experiencing cultures and collecting stamps in my passport. I am currently planning a ladies wine weekend in France this October and will zip to Hong Kong for 36 hours for a mileage run in August. I am also a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, and hope to become a certified Rescue Diver in 2019.
