CityTech Voorhees Hall, 186 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Join AIA Brooklyn’s WIA (Women in Architecture Committee) and BKEP (Emerging Professionals Committee) to learn about models of mentoring and opportunities for connection.
Mentorship is essential at every stage of the architectural journey—from K–12 to higher education, young architects to seasoned practitioners, firm leaders to the College of Fellows. At each step, mentors and mentees help guide growth, navigate transitions, and champion one another’s success.
In this forum, speakers representing four stages of the professional pipeline will share perspectives on the value and impact of mentorship. Where does mentorship happen? How can you find—or become—a mentor? Join the discussion, bring your questions, and explore how mentorship can shape your career. After the conversation, learn how to get involved in AIA Brooklyn’s new mentorship program – Mentoring Architectural Pathways (MAP) launching Spring 2026.
Attendees earn 1.5 LU
Panelists:
- Osaruyi Amadasun, LEED GA, NOMA – Bone/Levine Architects
- Kedishia Joseph, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
- Bo Lee, AIA, LEED AP – Bo Lee Architects
- Courtney Morgan, Assoc. AIA, NOMA – SCRD | Studio for Collaboration, Research, and Design
Panelist Bios:
Osaruyi Amadasun, LEED GA, NOMA
Osaruyi Valerie Amadasun is a recent graduate of NYC College of Technology, where she earned her Bachelor of Architecture degree. Originally from Lagos, Nigeria, she moved to New York City to pursue her architectural education. This experience profoundly shaped both her creative perspective and personal growth.
She currently works as a junior architectural designer and is on the path toward licensure. Passionate about sustainable and people-centered design, Osaruyi earned her LEED Green Associate credential and is committed to creating spaces that are both environmentally responsible and deeply functional.
Throughout her academic journey, she served as a teaching assistant and peer mentor, roles that strengthened her leadership skills and reinforced her belief in the power of mentorship. Inspired by the guidance she received as a student, she remains dedicated to supporting and uplifting emerging designers.
Beyond architecture, Osaruyi views creativity as a lifestyle, expressed through design, fashion, and an active, balanced life. She is excited to continue shaping spaces that inspire, empower, and serve communities.
Kedishia Joseph, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
Meet Kedishia Joseph, Caribbean American Architectural Designer and founder of KTJ Architectural Services, specializing in specification writing, risk management, and project closeout support. Kedishia approaches architecture through the lens of resilience, cultural memory, and belonging, recognizing that displacement and underrepresentation transcend borders.
Her journey into the profession was no small feat. Despite educational and financial barriers, she forged her path through faith in God, persistence, determination, and sacrifice. Shaped by a culture defined by strength, and adaptability, her nontraditional path fuels her commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices, through involvement with NOMAS, NYCOBA, and AIANY, where she works to transform barriers into opportunities and clear pathways for the next generation.
She is committed to creating spaces rooted in culture and belonging and champions adaptive reuse, legislative advocacy, and affordable housing. Guided by her mantra, “Be Proud, Be Bold, and Be Deliberate,” Kedishia leads with cultural identity, conviction and purpose for all.
Bo Lee, AIA, LEED AP
Raised in Seoul, South Korea, Bo immigrated to the US at age 14, later earning a B.Arch from Cornell University’s School of Architecture. She has over 25 years of experience, practicing many different types of architecture in NYC. She’s worked at the offices of SOM, Handel Architects, 1100 Architect, and the NYC Department of Design and Construction. She is a registered architect in the State of New York, and a LEED Accredited Professional.
Bo established Bo Lee Architects in 2016 with the goal of creating a strong and nimble team of experts at their craft, that would lead the complex process of transforming concept designs into physical spaces with equanimity, thoughtful attention to detail, and fun. Her team’s work ethic and standards are unpretentiously high while day-to-day interactions are collaborative and warm. She is excited every day to be a part of the incredible team, culture, and process she has cultivated, and for each opportunity to create a unique space that has a personally meaningful and consistently positive impact on people’s lives.
Courtney Morgan, Assoc. AIA, NOMA
Courtney Morgan brings 10 years of strategy, community engagement and facilitation experience to the team as the owner and President of SCRD. Some notable projects of SCRD include the 5-year strategy plan for the Highlandtown Arts and Entertainment District, Maryland’s largest arts district, Reconnecting Communities in West Baltimore Coalition strategy plan and Owens Park. As a practitioner Morgan utilizes new and known technologies to vision alongside communities. For Courtney that means making new AI technologies accessible, coupled with archival practices of oral storytelling. She is drawn to projects that pose an opportunity to embed marginalized perspectives into the built environment and urban fabric to create a city shaped by multiculturalism.
Morgan’s work seeks to alleviate pain points by making community engagement the foundation of the design process. In this way community voices are centered in the narrative, thereby empowering them to redesign their spaces on their own terms. Courtney is a design strategy professor at Parsons Design School.
Courtney’s professional activities include:
- BlackSpace Urbanist Collective Board Member | 2024 – present
- Brooklyn Queens Land Trust Board Member | 2024 – present
- Brooklyn Community Board 8 Board Member | 2024 – present
- American Institute of Architects Associate Director mid-Atlantic Region | 2020 – 2022
- National Organization of Minority Architects Community Engagement Chair + Charter Member, Baltimore Chapter | 2017 – 2022
- Savannah College of Art and Design Guest Design Critic and Guest Speaker | 2020 – 2022
