Our Story
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North Florida NOMA was founded in 2023 by a dedicated group of professionals committed to building a stronger and more inclusive design community in Northeast Florida. The chapter was officially chartered in August 2023 with 19 members under President Monique Brown alongside founding officers Janel LeGard, Kamilah Moorehead, Tracey Friley, and Viaronic Snow-Hill. Chapter launched programs such as Project Pipeline and community service partnerships with Habitat for Humanity Jacksonville.
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Throughout 2024 and 2025, the chapter experienced steady growth in both membership and impact. Collaborations with the University of Florida and Florida A&M University NOMAS student chapters created opportunities for mentorship, portfolio development workshops, and panel discussions focused on the future of the profession. The chapter also continued its reach through Habitat for Humanity projects, NCARB ARE candidate programming, and Project Pipeline. By then, membership had grown to more than 30 active members.
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Chapter strengthened the foundation and completed its first election cycle, welcomed new board leadership, and officially obtained 501(c)(6) status. Through a partnership with Communities In Schools, the chapter hosted a series of architecture-focused workshops at local high schools, introducing students to careers in design and the built environment. In 2026, the chapter continued advancing professional development and advocacy through its first CEU course, participation in the AIA Jacksonville Trade Show, and involvement in the AIA K–12 Initiative, further demonstrating its commitment to education, mentorship, and community impact.
Our Team
The mission of NoFLo NOMA is to sustain the legacy of the NOMA founders by serving as a resource and support system for design professionals and students. We will leverage our partnerships with design firms, allied professionals and universities to help increase the number of minority architects in the North Florida region.
Alberto Gutierrez
Vice President
Alberto Gutierrez is a native of Colombia and currently works for Haskell as a Senior Architect. He enjoys being a member of NOMA and is the lead of our Outreach and Advocacy committee. Alberto encourages learning through active participation, support and engagement of team while making their time enjoyable with interesting ideas and collaboration.
Leaders
Of
Today
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Leaders Of Today 〰️
Hiral Patel
Secretary
Hiral Patel is a design associate working at the Haskell Company in Jacksonville Florida but is originally from India. She has a B.Arch degree and architectural license from India with diverse experience of more than 5 years. Her leadership, coordination, communication, and organization skills with a strong commitment to NOMA’s mission of equity and representation in the built environment makes her a passionate member for the team.
Viaronic Hill
Parliamentarian
Viaronic aka ‘V’ is a native from Baltimore, MD and is a registered architect in Washington DC. He currently works for the U.S. Navy as Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) Officer. He first served with NOMA as the National Student Representative from 2011-2012 and carried over what he implemented to help establish NoFLo NOMA. To V, NOMA is more than an organization but is his professional family!
Janel LeGard
President
Janel LeGard is a native of Chicago, Illinois and is a registered architect in the state of Florida. She currently works for Haskell as a Senior Design Manager. She enjoys being a member of NOMA as it keeps her encouraged and connected with other within the architectural community and brings awareness to the next generation of architects. Janel is an active servant leader by volunteering in her community.
Ana Orosco
Treasurer
Ana Tricarico Orosco is originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and is a registered architect in the state of Florida. She currently serves as visiting faculty at Florida A&M University and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida, where her research focuses on housing resilience and community-driven approaches to building code reform. She values NOMA as a space for building community and participating actively in how the architecture profession evolves. Ana also mentors emerging professionals through Arquitina, supporting practitioners on their paths to licensure.