The National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) announced today that former AIA president Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, will join the organization as the interim executive director starting July 25, following the resignation of longtime executive director Andrea Rutledge in June.
“Helene was the obvious choice to fill this position based on her well-established and widely recognized record of strengthening every organization she has led,” said NAAB president Judith Kinnard, FAIA, in a press release. “Her experience is vast and varied, and together with the NAAB board of directors, she will ensure that our processes are modernized and streamlined to make for an improved experience for schools seeking accreditation.”
According to the release, Dreiling's appointment is due, in part, to NAAB's ongoing effort to "transform" the accreditation process and she will "focus on elevating the efficiency and effectiveness of the accreditation of architectural education programs, while deepening the NAAB’s strategic relationships with the collateral architectural organizations and other key industry stakeholders."
“My immediate attention will be focused on determining what can be accomplished in the short-, medium- and long-term to refresh our methods and operations to enhance the accreditation process," Dreiling said. "This effort is vital in preparing the architects of tomorrow to successfully practice within our rapidly-changing profession.”
In addition to serving as the AIA president in 2014, Dreiling was recently the executive vice president of AIA Virginia and the executive director of The Branch Museum of Architecture and Design in Richmond, Va.
This story has been updated.
