The Federal Budget and Its Impact on the Profession
AIAU25-ADV03R
Included in subscription
1
LU
Course expires on: 12/31/2025
Included in subscription
Description
Join us to hear from the AIA national advocacy team as they explain the structure and timeline of the federal budget process, including how appropriations affect architecture and vertical infrastructure programs. This course will highlight why the federal budget matters to architects and designers, and discuss how architects can engage in the budget cycle and support advocacy efforts. Discover how to connect federal spending priorities to opportunities and challenges facing the built environment and the profession. By translating complex fiscal policy into clear, actionable insights, this course aims to empower practitioners to anticipate funding trends, align services with public investment priorities, and engage in effective advocacy.
Learning Objectives
Understand how federal budget decisions impact state and local government funding streams and procurement strategies.
Evaluate the implications of current federal spending priorities for design professionals.
Identify key elements of the recently passed (or pending) federal budget that influence the built environment such as climate resilience, housing, infrastructure, and public buildings.
Gain a foundational understanding of the federal budget, recent developments in the current appropriations cycle, and the downstream implications for state and local budgets.
Brittany Meyer serves as Senior Director of Public Policy at the American Institute of Architects, where she leads federal advocacy efforts on priority issues including affordable housing, climate-responsive building standards, and codes modernization.
Prior to joining AIA, Brittany launched the American Lung Association's first-ever national policy program focused on indoor air quality, where she served as National Director of Policy for Healthy Indoor Air. While there, she established a strategic framework that aligned public health, housing, and environmental justice goals while commenting on green building and electrification rules affecting both residential and commercial buildings. Prior to that, she worked at organizations such as The Michael J. Fox Foundation and the Society for Neuroscience, where she developed expertise in working with Congress and federal agencies on health, science and disease related issues.
Erin Waldron is a seasoned public policy professional with over 15 years of experience in government service, political campaigns, and community affairs. His expertise spans a wide range of areas, including transportation and energy infrastructure, community resiliency, and housing advocacy. Most recently, Erin served as Senior Advisor for U.S. Representative Val Demings, where he led a broad domestic policy portfolio focused on climate change, domestic renewable energy manufacturing, disaster preparedness, and local infrastructure appropriations.
Prior to his work in Washington, D.C., Erin held key positions in local government and political campaigns throughout central Florida, where he organized and managed numerous community-facing events, roundtables, and workshops focused on federal funding, business resources, and federal programs.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Central Florida and actively pursues various personal interests, including sailing, hiking, and watching rocket launches.
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