Georgi Ann Bailey, Hon. AIA

Georgi Ann Bailey, Hon. AIA

As the leader of AIA New York State for more than two decades, Georgi Ann Bailey, Hon. AIA, has deeply impacted all architects in New York through her advocacy efforts. Bailey, one of the profession’s important and respected voices throughout her years of leadership, has formed vital collaborative initiatives among New York’s 13 local chapters and nearly 9,000 AIA members. Her service extends well beyond New York, however, shaping programs and alliances with AIA chapters in neighboring states that explore critical topics, such as safe school design.

With her experience as the director of education for a multistate insurance organization as well as the NY State Association of REALTORS, Bailey joined the AIANYS staff in 2003 after the chapter recruited her to create and advance new continuing education programs for architects across the state. She developed relevant high-quality programs for design professionals in all sectors of the profession, and she was subsequently named the chapter’s executive director in 2013. In 2020, Bailey was elevated to executive vice president of the chapter, the position she holds today.

In the early days of her AIANYS leadership, Bailey responded to the needs of AIA members and its board of directors by hiring more professional staff in the increasingly active chapter. To bolster the group’s government advocacy work, she created a dedicated position. That role has blossomed from coordinating grassroots efforts among local chapters into a comprehensive director-level position tasked with lobbying state officials and advancing the goals of the New York State Architects Political Action Committee.

Recognizing that many design professionals in neighboring states shared the same concerns as New York’s architects, Bailey built on relationships she formed within the Large State Forum to combine individual conferences in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania into joint regional events. The partnerships she formed with AIA Pennsylvania and AIA New Jersey have also expanded to include the Small Firm Symposium, a school safety conference, and two additional events focused on legal issues and affordable housing.

Following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Sandy and Tropical Storms Lee and Irene, Bailey launched an extensive campaign to pass a Good Samaritan Act in New York that would offer liability protection to design professionals who volunteer after natural disasters. With her guidance, AIANYS also drafted and introduced the Safe Schools by Design Act, drawing greater attention to the role design plays in making schools safe for students and their communities.

Under her leadership, AIANYS has received numerous national excellence awards, and Bailey herself received AIANYS honorary membership in 2009. She also earned her Certified Association Executive credential, which is the highest designation offered by the American Society of Association Executives.

Bailey’s potent blend of leadership and management acumen at AIANYS have strengthened the profession and practice. Her continued influence and vision have benefited the architects and citizens of New York and beyond.