On the heels of Svigals + Partners managing partner Jay Brotman, AIA's testimony to the White House's Federal Commission on School Safety a week ago, 2016 AIA National President Russ Davison, FAIA, will speak early this evening (on the East Coast, at least) before the same group. The president and managing principal of Mount Kisco, N.Y.–based KG+D Architects will testify "on behalf of the American Institute of Architects" about the effects that layering in a design can have on a building's security. This week's testimony will be in Las Vegas instead of in Washington, D.C., and aside from Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, the rest of the panel will be different: Mick Zais, education deputy secretary; Elinore McCance-Katz, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use; and Beth Williams, assistant attorney general.
Representing the AIA, Davidson will likely be stressing the content of the Institute's recent Where We Stand: School Design and Student Safety initiative.
Watch Davidson's testimony beginning at 5:20 p.m. Eastern, live from Las Vegas.
Read the AIA's full press release below:
AIA Architect Will Testify Today Before Federal Commission to Support Safer Schools
School-design expert Russ Davidson, FAIA, will testify on school design techniques and best practices that will help improve school security
WHAT: Architect Russ Davidson, FAIA, will testify before the Federal Commission on School Safety (FCSS) today to advocate for school design techniques and legislation that will support safer schools in the United States.
Davidson—testifying on behalf of the American Institute of Architects—will detail to the commission how layering techniques and transparency in school design can enhance security. Davidson—a former president of the AIA—will also advocate for the federal government to establish an information clearinghouse for state and local school officials that provides an unbiased repository of the resources they need to design safer schools in addition to federal grants that will provide funding for their design. The legislative initiatives were set forth by the AIA last week.
Members of the media can watch Davidson’s testimony online beginning at 5:20 p.m. EST today.
WHO: Architect Russ Davidson, FAIA, managing principal and president, KG+D Architects, will testify before U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen M. Nielsen, Deputy Secretary of Education Mick Zais, Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use, Dr. Elinore McCance-Katz and Assistant Attorney General Beth Williams.
WHEN: 5:20 p.m. EST, Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018.
WHERE: Miley Achievement Center, 245 North Pecos Road, Las Vegas, NV 89101.
