April C. Drake, AIA, LEED AP ID+C

With over 20 years of industry experience, April is highly skilled at leading multidisciplinary teams through all design stages for complex government, education and commercial projects. 

As managing principal of our Arlington, Virginia, architecture studio, April leads by example to provide staff opportunities to meet their personal and professional goals while producing designs that improve communities. Her vast knowledge of construction systems, strong technical abilities, and keen design sensibilities enable her to orchestrate all team components, including but not limited to creating schedules, setting project milestones, providing technical direction, coordinating disciplines, and communicating status updates to project leadership. 

April is passionate about mentoring and promoting the growth of women and minorities in the architecture/engineering/constructions industry. As one of only 500-plus licensed African American women in the county, April understands first-hand the leadership and encouragement necessary to guide women from graduation to licensure. To help bridge the gap, she is on a mission to create a collaborative studio environment of diverse voices and decision-makers. She has volunteered on several National Council of Architecture Registration Board task forces to influence the path to licensure. 

Embedded in the design community, April is the 2023 AIA Northern Virginia Chapter President and a member of The Board of Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers, and Landscape Architects in Virginia.