Scottsdale, AZ—Seven individuals have been awarded the National Council of Architectural Registration Board’s (NCARB) highest honor, the President’s Medal for Distinguished Service. The medals were bestowed by 2024-2025 President Kenneth R. Van Tine, NCARB, AIA, LEED AP, at the organization’s 2025 Annual Business Meeting. The President’s Medal for Distinguished Service is awarded each year to individuals in recognition of their outstanding contributions and dedication to the Council and the regulation of the architectural profession.

2025 NCARB President’s Medalist for Distinguished Service Recipients

Pedro L. Alfaro Jr., RA, AIA, CAAPPR, SAP
Pedro L. Alfaro Jr., RA, AIA, CAAPPR, SAP, of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was recognized for his outstanding service to the Council and his leadership of the Puerto Rico Board of Examiners of Architects and Landscape Architects.

Alfaro was first appointed to the Puerto Rico Board in the late 1990s and has since served multiple terms, including time as the board’s chair and vice chair. He has been a dedicated NCARB volunteer over the last 25 years, serving on several examination-related committees, the Continuing Education Committee, the Reciprocity Impediments Task Force, the Professional Conduct Committee, the Practice Analysis Task Force, and the Committee on International Relations. Recently, Alfaro was elected the vice chair of Region 3, where he previously served as secretary and treasurer.

Terry L. Allers, FAIA, NCARB, Hon. FCARM
Terry L. Allers, FAIA, NCARB, Hon. FCARM, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, was recognized for his outstanding service and leadership to the Council, Region 4, and the Iowa Architectural Examining Board.

Allers served as NCARB president during the 2019-2020 fiscal year. During his tenure, he led the Council through unprecedented times as the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Council to quickly adapt the way it supported Member Boards and customers. In addition, Allers focused on enhancing the tools and resources for Architectural Experience Program® (AXP®) supervisors to help better support licensure candidates.

Allers was first appointed to the Iowa Board in 2005, and served the Council for over 15 years. He was elected to the NCARB Board of Directors by Region 4 in 2013, and served on and led multiple NCARB committees. He most recently served on the Licensure Process Research and Development Task Force and the Leadership Roundtable.

Nathan Baker, AIA, NCARB
Nathan Baker, AIA, NCARB, of Edmond, Oklahoma, was recognized for his outstanding service to the Council, Region 5, and the Oklahoma Board of Governors of Architects, Landscape Architects, and Licensed Interior Designers.

Baker was first appointed to the Oklahoma Board in 2014, and has served as its chair. He began volunteering for NCARB in 2016, and has served on the ARE 5.0 Cut Score Task Force, the Experience Committee, the Regional Leadership Committee (RLC), the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), and the Professional Conduct Committee (PCC). As chair of the PCC, Baker led efforts to do a comprehensive update to the Rules of Procedures, which were completed in 2021. He is currently serving as chair of Region 5.

Emily Cronbaugh
Emily Cronbaugh (Bogstie) of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was recognized for her outstanding service to the Council and the Wyoming State Board of Architects and Landscape Architects.

After several years with the Wyoming Board, Cronbaugh became the Member Board Executive (MBE) in 2014. She has been a dedicated volunteer, serving on the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC); the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee; the Credentials Committee; and the MBE Committee, on which she served two years as chair. In addition to roles with NCARB, Cronbaugh has worked to protect the public health, safety, and welfare through her work with boards related to chiropractors, dental examiners, dietitians, optometrists, and nursing home administrators. She was elected to the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) Board of Directors in 2023, and joined CLARB’s staff in April as their new Director of Programs.

Stephanie V. Hopkins
Stephanie V. Hopkins of Baltimore, Maryland, was recognized for her outstanding service to the Council, the Maryland Board of Architects, and the Board of Directors.

Hopkins was appointed as a public member to the Maryland Board in 2014, where she served for 10 years. She served on the Complaint and Professional Competency Committees with the Maryland Board. She has brought the voice of the public to various roles with NCARB, including volunteering on the Audit Committee, Futures Collaborative, and Ethics Case Study Work Group. In 2023, she was elected by NCARB’s membership to serve as the public director. In this role, she has actively engaged with public members, ensuring they are connected to the organization and encouraging them to volunteer so that a consumer perspective is part of NCARB’s conversations and deliberations. Hopkins has been a tireless advocate for assuring that public members are respected as essential and equal voices on licensing boards and in matters of NCARB policy.

Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP
Pascale Sablan, FAIA, NOMA, LEED AP, of New York, New York, was recognized for her exceptional leadership of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and her steadfast commitment to advancing equity in the architectural profession.

As NOMA President, Sablan partnered with NCARB President Van Tine to lead a national listening tour, visiting the seven Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) with a National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) accredited architecture program to engage directly with students. Together, they gathered insights, addressed barriers to licensure, and provided critical resources to support the next generation of Black architects.

Now Immediate Past President of NOMA and a member of the NOMA Council (NOMAC), Sablan continues her advocacy. As CEO of Adjaye Associates’ New York Studio, she leads strategic initiatives and oversees impactful, community-centered design projects. This year, she also published GREATNESS: Diverse Designers of Architecture, a groundbreaking book that celebrates and elevates the work and identities of women and BIPOC designers from around the world.

Jennifer Kawecki
Jennifer Kawecki of Annapolis, Maryland, was recognized for her outstanding service to the Council and her contributions to the Marketing & Communications team.

Kawecki joined NCARB in 2016 as a content writer, focusing on communications for licensure candidates, supervisors, and NCARB Certificate holders. In 2022, she was promoted to Manager of Content Strategy, where she now leads various data and thought-leadership projects, including NCARB by the Numbers and the "Baseline" and "Building on Belonging" research reports. Additionally, Kawecki develops many membership and leadership communications, collaborating with the organization's Board and internal leadership to prepare them for speaking engagements and membership meetings. Most recently, she became a staff liaison to the DEI Committee, assisting volunteers in completing their charges and advancing NCARB’s goals in this space.

About NCARB

The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards’ membership is made up of the architectural licensing boards of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NCARB, in collaboration with these boards, facilitates the licensure and credentialing of architects to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. 

To achieve these goals, NCARB works with its Member Boards and volunteers to develop and facilitate standards for licensure, including the national examination and experience program. NCARB also recommends regulatory guidelines for licensing boards and helps architects expand their professional reach through the NCARB Certificate. Connect with NCARB on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.