Stephanie Silkwood is the Managing Principal of RMW architecture & interiors’ office in San Jose, California. Known for her innovative and collaborative leadership, Stephanie has earned the trust of top Silicon Valley companies. Her work supports the development of cutting-edge technologies in a fast-paced and ever-changing environment. Throughout her career in her 130-person firm, Stephanie has shaped RMW’s culture, client relationships, and design practice while mentoring emerging professionals, promoting equity, and advancing leadership development within the firm.
Beyond her contributions to RMW, Stephanie has dedicated significant service to the profession through the American Institute of Architects, the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), and the California Architects Board. Notable among her many contributions, Stephanie served as the Chair of NCARB’s Intern Think Tank in 2014 and the Chair of AIA’s Women’s Leadership Summit in 2022. A dedicated leader at local, state, and national levels, she has been recognized with honors including the 2016 AIA Young Architect Award, 2014 AIA California Young Architect Award, 2023 AIA Silicon Valley Firm Award, and 2023 Woman of Influence designation from her local Business Journal.
Courses
The Flexible Firm: Staffing Independent Contractors to Navigate Risk and Workload
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 2-3pm ET
Architecture firms often face unpredictable workloads and resulting staffing challenges. New projects come and go , specialized expertise may be needed temporarily, and future staffing demand is uncertain. Used strategically, independent contractors can help firms create a more resilient practice capable of adapting its capacity, skills, and geographic reach without resorting to cycles of frantic hiring, overwork, and layoffs. When independent contractors can achieve the life-balance they are seeking, everybody wins.
Through examples from sole practitioners, a small remote firm, and a large architecture practice, this course examines how firms use independent contractors to expand capacity, access specialized skills, respond to workload surges, and accommodate different ways of working. Panelists will share several approaches, including direct contracting, staffing agencies, project-based collaboration, and contractor-to-employee transitions. Participants will also explore worker-classification requirements, jurisdictional differences, cultural and operational challenges, and lessons learned from models that did, and did not, work as intended. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for determining when independent contractors are an appropriate staffing strategy and how to use them to strengthen practice resilience while reducing business and compliance risks.