Board Of
Directors

The 2019 National Award for Residential Architecture | Whitlam Place | Freadman White in collaboration with Anon Studio | Vic | Photographer: Tom Ross

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BRINGING STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO DELIVERING VALUE FOR EVERY MEMBER OF THE INSTITUTE AND TO IMPROVING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

The Board of Directors is the governing body of the Australian Institute of Architects Limited and works closely with the Institute’s National Council and Executive.

GET TO KNOW OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Shirley Chowdhary
Board Chair and Independent Director

Shirley is an internationally experienced Board and Executive contributor with a diverse set of credentials, committed to making effective systems change.

Shirley Chowdhary

Shirley’s current portfolio aims to create commercially sustainable and inclusive services for all members of our community. Her career has been driven by a strong desire to create a connection between people, place and purpose and this work was recognized when she was selected as one of the 2019 AFR 100 Women of Influence.

Shirley is an internationally experienced board director with a diverse set of expertise across law, financial services, the NFP sector and journalism. She is admitted to practice law in Australia and New York (having completed the New York bar) and has worked across Asia and Australia in the corporate and for-purpose sectors.

Career highlights include being Regional Counsel Asia Pacific for JP Morgan Investment Management; Chief Executive Officer for the GO Foundation, a large Australian Indigenous organisation dedicated to Indigenous education; host of the Women’s Agenda podcast series The Leadership Lessons; and author of a range of writings including a biography for a WW2 prisoner-of-war.

Shirley is also the Chair of Women for Election, and is a Non-Executive Director on the boards of the Australian Associated Press and Northrop Engineers Consulting. She is on the Advisory Boards of Mentor Walks and Propel, an organisation empowering companies and individuals to manage digital reputation. She also consults with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School and Shalom Gamarada on their Indigenous education programs.
Shirley is a keynote speaker and presenter for Saxton Speakers and her portfolio also includes an extensive array of mentoring and volunteering.

Stuart Tanner FRAIA
National President & Board Director

Stuart practices as a Director of Tanner Architects, with a strong focus on design integrity and sustainability.

Stuart Tanner FRAIA

Based in Hobart, Stuart has practiced as an architect in his own firm for the last 22 years, with a strong focus on design integrity and sustainability. Tanner Architects is recognised nationally and internationally, through awards and publications.

Stuart has been a member of the Institute since 1993 and an active participant on various Tasmanian Chapter committees from 2002, namely the Awards Committee, Chairman of the Public Affairs Committee and more recently Chairman of the Practice Committee, prior to undertaking the role of Tasmanian Chapter President.

His key areas of interest include advocacy of quality design outcomes for our public buildings and infrastructure, improving design literacy in society, climate change and land use, equality in our society, First Nations inclusion in land use strategy, and responsibility toward our impact on the Australian environment.

Stuart is an active member of the Tasmanian community, including contributing to previous Boards and committees advocating for design leadership in all levels of Government.

Jane Cassidy RAIA
National PRESIDENT ELECT & Board Director

Jane is a Director on the Board of GHDWoodhead Architecture Pty Ltd, with over 25 years specialist experience in education, Defence, healthcare, and cultural institutions.

Jane Cassidy RAIA

Jane Cassidy is a Board Director and the National President Elect for the Australian Institute of Architects and is a strong advocate for design quality, technical excellence and integration of sustainable strategies on the path to net zero and beyond.

Jane is a Director of GHD Design Pty Ltd one of the largest architecture practices in Australasia (#1 World Architecture 100), operating within GHD’s large multidisciplinary architecture, urban design, engineering, project management, digital and advisory practice. With over 25 years specialist experience in public architecture including education, healthcare, and cultural institutions, and with experience from small, medium and large practice, bringing a business of architecture perspective including a deep understanding of the drivers of investment across the built environment. She leads projects from the micro to macro scale with a focus on effective and inclusive stakeholder engagement as well as environmentally, culturally, economically and socially sustainable architecture.

Jane is also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, bringing ten years experience in tertiary education in the built environment and is a member of the Architects Accreditation Council of Australia standing panel.

sHANNON bATTISsON LFRAIA
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT & Board Director

Shannon is founding director of the award winning multidisciplinary studio The Mill: Architecture + Design.

Shannon Battisson

Shannon is founding director of the award winning multidisciplinary studio The Mill: Architecture + Design. With more than 20 years experience designing climate responsive architecture, Shannon has projects across Australia, Hong Kong, and the US.

Shannon is a dedicated believer in the sanctity of home, and a committed advocate for the basic human right to shelter for all. Working within the profession, government and the wider public, Shannon advocates for increased quality in the built fabric of our towns and cities through the use architects across all levels of the built environment.

Shannon believes in the strength of our collective diversity of voice, experience, and heritage. She hopes to inspire others to step up to the challenges of both culture and climate through the celebration of our stories and an embracing of shared human vulnerability.

Julian Crawford
Independent Director

Julian Crawford is the founder of EcoSTEPS, a sustainability strategy consultancy and a principal of the CFO Centre.

Julian Crawford

Julian Crawford is the founder of EcoSTEPS, a sustainability strategy consultancy and a principal of the CFO Centre.

Julian is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand (FCA-CAANZ) and a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD). As a director of EcoSTEPS and the Blue Mountains World Heritage Institute, Julian is a leading advisor in the areas of ESG, sustainability strategy and reporting and climate change.

As a Director with EY Climate Change and Sustainability Services, he was the inaugural CEO of the Australian Supply Chain Sustainability School providing sustainability thinking and practices to the built environment sector. Julian is a past President of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) with its global Sustainability Certification program.

Julian has a science and business background with a Master in Zoology from Oxford University, England and began his career with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, working internationally in London, Brussels and then Sydney.

LISA MOORE FRAIA
NATIONAL COUNCIL DIRECTOR

Lisa has been the Director of And Architecture since 2007 and more recently is involved in the emerging field of Design Governance at Sunshine Coast Council.

LISA MOORE

With twenty-five years broad experience in Architecture, Lisa has been the Director of And Architecture since 2007 and more recently is involved in the emerging field of Design Governance at Sunshine Coast Council. She has also taught Bachelor and Master of Architecture at various Schools of Architecture across Australia.

Lisa joined the Institute as a student in 1998. Her recent Chapter and National leadership positions of Member Elected National (2022 – current) and Queensland Chapter Councillor (2020 - 2023) have seen her to promote inclusion and wellbeing in the profession and in education, and encourage collaboration between emerging and established architects, academia, and students. She is interested in strengthening our membership to be reflective of the many semblances of being an architect today, to provide opportunities for young architects and the future benefit of our profession, and to embrace new and diverse opportunities beyond the traditional role of an architect.

As National Education Committee Chair (2019 - 2023) she led the National response AACA 2020 Review of the National Standard of Competency for Architects addressing important topics including changing modes of practice; equity issues; climate responsive design; First Nation knowledge and perspectives. Lisa fosters a personal interest in the evolving history of Australia, its culture and environment and considers that our industry is essential in ensuring meaningful connections with First Nations people and consideration of Country.
In January 2020, Lisa graduated from the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, and she is currently studying Master of Urban and Regional Planning at University of Sydney. As Board Director, Lisa is decisive and brings a compassionate, collaborative, and inclusive perspective. She is committed to upholding the integrity of the profession and ensuring the collective interest of our members is respected and well served.

Tiffany Liew RAIA
National Council Director

Tiffany is an Associate of Sydney based firm Architecture AND. Tiffany has also served as the National EmAGN President for the 2022-2023 term.

Tiffany Liew RAIA

Tiffany is an Associate of Sydney Based firm Architecture AND. Tiffany has also served as the National EmAGN President for the 2022-2023 term.

Tiffany is passionate about enthusing the emerging generation of architects to
be engaged with the profession and sustainable design outcomes.

Board Of
Directors