Get an inside look at licensure, regulation, and the initiatives shaping the future of architectural practice. The NCARB Podcast, hosted by Andy McIntyre, Vice President at NCARB, brings together architects, educators, regulators, researchers, and industry leaders to unpack the systems behind licensure—and how those systems are evolving to better serve candidates, the profession, and the public.
Season 1 explores Pathways to Practice, NCARB’s multi-year initiative to reimagine the path to architectural licensure. Across the season, Andy and his guests examine how licensure evolved, where today’s process creates barriers, and how a more flexible, competency-based model could expand access while maintaining the rigor needed to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
In the season finale, Andy looks ahead to what it will take to implement Pathways to Practice and what candidates can expect in the years to come.
Andy speaks with Mike Kolejka, Chair of NCARB’s Policy Advisory Committee and an Arizona board member, about the policy and regulatory steps needed to adopt new licensure pathways. The conversation explores member board approval, jurisdictional differences, and the importance of maintaining public protection.
Then, Jared Zurn returns to discuss implementation timelines, candidate transition planning, dual delivery, and how NCARB will continue gathering feedback as future programs are developed.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
1 Jul 2026
Licensure Reimagined
With the Competency Standard in place, what could the future licensure model actually look like? This episode explores how NCARB is moving from big ideas to practical implementation.
Andy speaks with Julie Hildebrand, former Chair of NCARB’s Licensure Process Research and Development Task Force, about the early research behind Pathways to Practice. Julie shares how the task force explored licensure models from other professions and countries, tested ideas, and balanced innovation with regulatory responsibility.
Then, Greg Wynn, current Chair of the Research and Development Task Force, explains how the work is shifting toward assessment criteria, feasibility, and multiple equivalent ways for candidates to demonstrate competency.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
24 Jun 2026
Foundations for a New Era
Pathways to Practice is built on years of research, analysis, and volunteer collaboration. This episode unpacks the foundation behind NCARB’s future licensure model: the Competency Standard.
Andy speaks with Jared Zurn about NCARB’s Analysis of Practice, a large-scale study designed to understand how architecture is practiced today and how it is changing. The conversation explains why NCARB moved beyond a traditional job task analysis to better understand the future of practice.
Then, Andrew Portis and Whitney Martin, members of NCARB’s Competency Task Force, share how the Competency Standard was developed and why defining competency at the point of initial licensure is so important.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
17 Jun 2026
Evolving the Exam
The Architect Registration Examination is one of the most visible parts of the licensure process—but like practice itself, the exam continues to evolve. This episode explores how NCARB updates the ARE and what those changes mean for candidates.
Andy speaks with Jared Zurn, NCARB’s Chief Programs Officer, about the evolution of the exam, recent accessibility improvements, and why the future of licensure requires a more holistic view of education, experience, and examination.
Then, Brent Lance, Chair of NCARB’s Examination Committee, discusses upcoming ARE updates, case study changes, competency alignment, and the research-driven process behind exam development.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
10 Jun 2026
Earning Experience
Experience is essential to becoming an architect—but access to meaningful experience is not always equal. This episode looks at how candidates earn experience today and how firm culture can shape the path to licensure.
Andy speaks with Gabriella Bermea, Chair of NCARB’s Experience Committee, about the Architectural Experience Program, recent AXP updates, and how the program is being aligned with NCARB’s Competency Standard.
Then, Jenny Kawecki joins to discuss what NCARB’s data reveals about attrition, supervisor relationships, firm support, and the challenges candidates face when trying to complete experience requirements.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
3 Jun 2026
What’s in a Degree?
Education has long been one of the pillars of architectural licensure—but what does a degree actually demonstrate? This episode examines how education fits into licensure today and why it is central to conversations about access, equity, and competency.
Andy speaks with Jeremy Fretts, NCARB’s Assistant Vice President for Education and Certification, about NAAB-accredited degrees, jurisdictional requirements, and how NCARB’s Competency Standard may create new ways to recognize learning.
Then, Ingalil Wahlroos-Ritter, a licensed architect and educator, shares her perspective from both NAAB-accredited programs and community college education. She discusses affordability, career readiness, professional literacy, and the value of multiple educational pathways.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
27 May 2026
Why Fix What Isn’t Broken?
If the current licensure system works for many people, why change it? This episode explores the barriers, disparities, and broader pressures that led NCARB to launch Pathways to Practice.
Andy speaks with Bryan C. Lee Jr., President of the National Organization of Minority Architects, about access, representation, and how systemic barriers shape who enters—and remains in—the profession. Drawing on NCARB and NOMA’s Baseline on Belonging research, the conversation highlights how cost, exposure, and structural inequities affect the path to licensure.
Then, Mike Armstrong, NCARB’s CEO, explains how research, public expectations, evolving technology, and competency-based credentialing are pushing licensure toward a more modern, equitable, and defensible model.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
20 May 2026
Understanding Why Licensure Is the Way It Is
Before we can understand where licensure is going, we need to understand how it got here. In this opening episode, Andy introduces NCARB’s Pathways to Practice initiative and explores the history of architectural licensure in the United States.
Andy first speaks with Ed Marley, NCARB’s FY26 President, about why NCARB is reimagining licensure and what a more flexible, competency-based future could look like. Then, Amanda Pica, NCARB’s Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications, joins the conversation to trace the origins of architectural regulation—from early building failures and public safety concerns to the formation of NCARB and the evolution of education, experience, and examination.
Find out more about Pathways to Practice (https://www.ncarb.org/become-architect/pathways-to-practice).
18 May 2026
Welcome to the NCARB Podcast
Get an inside look at licensure, regulation, and the initiatives shaping the future of architectural practice. The NCARB Podcast, hosted by Andy McIntyre, Vice President at NCARB, brings together architects, educators, regulators, researchers, and industry leaders to unpack the systems behind licensure—and how those systems are evolving to better serve candidates, the profession, and the public.
Season 1 explores Pathways to Practice, NCARB’s multi-year initiative to reimagine the path to architectural licensure. Across the season, Andy and his guests examine how licensure evolved, where today’s process creates barriers, and how a more flexible, competency-based model could expand access while maintaining the rigor needed to protect the public’s health, safety, and welfare.
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