Rising Stars: How Two Architects Are Reshaping the Future of Design 

by Liisa Andreassen 

When Neumann Monson Architects nominated Alyanna Subayno and Lyndley Kent for the Zweig Group’s 2025 Rising Stars awards, they weren’t simply checking a box in their marketing strategy. They were spotlighting two architects who embody a fundamental shift in how the profession approaches equity, sustainability and community impact – and sending a clear message about what the firm values most. 

Both women won. And their recognition tells a powerful story about where architecture is heading. 

Two Career Stages, One Shared Vision 

At first glance, Subayno and Kent represent different points in the professional journey. Kent is a principal and seasoned architect with multiple award-winning projects to her name. Subayno is an emerging professional, still working toward licensure, but already making waves through advocacy and firm leadership. Yet what unites them runs deeper than their technical skills: both are using their positions to fundamentally reshape how architecture is practiced, taught and experienced. 

“Though in different stages of their careers,” Tim Schroeder, the firm’s president, explains, “both are outstanding team members who have shaped our firm and our profession in important areas such as sustainable design, mentorship and equitable practices.” 

This pairing isn’t accidental. By nominating professionals at different career stages simultaneously, Neumann Monson demonstrates that transformative leadership isn’t reserved for those who’ve reached the top – it can emerge at any level when individuals are empowered to drive change. 

Kent: Pushing the Boundaries of Sustainable Design 

Kent’s portfolio reads like a masterclass in ambitious, high-performance architecture. As project architect and Living Building Challenge lead for the Stanley Center for Peace and Security in Muscatine, Iowa, she’s guiding what’s expected to become only the world’s second fully certified Living Building within an existing structure. The project tackles aggressive energy, water and material requirements while maintaining the building’s historic character – a technical feat that requires vision and precision. 

Her work on Market One, a historic factory transformed into a near-net-zero, LEED Platinum office building, earned the project a 2021 AIA COTE Top Ten Award. Kent orchestrated the delicate balance between National Park Service preservation guidelines and cutting-edge sustainable systems, integrating geothermal and photovoltaic technologies into a building that honors its past while preparing for the future. 

But Kent’s impact extends far beyond individual projects. She serves on the AIA Committee on the Environment Leadership Group, helping refine the metrics and resources that guide sustainable design nationally. At the state level, as Treasurer of AIA Iowa’s Board of Directors, she provides strategic oversight while mentoring emerging leaders. She’s also been instrumental in securing Neumann Monson’s Just Label certifications, championing policies around parental leave, pay equity and flexible work arrangements. 

Subayno: Building Equity from the Ground Up 

If Kent demonstrates how experienced professionals can leverage their influence for systemic change, Subayno shows what’s possible when emerging talent refuses to wait their turn. 

As onboarding coordinator at Neumann Monson, Subayno revamped the firm’s training process to ensure new team members feel connected and supported from day one. She manages the internship program, creating hands-on experiences that give students practical exposure to architectural practice. She helped secure and renew the firm’s Just Label certification and has been instrumental in developing policies around compensation transparency and clearly defined roles. 

However, her most significant contributions may be happening outside the firm. Serving as an Associate Representative on the AIA National Board of Directors and the Strategic Council, she advocates for inclusive policies and accessible licensure pathways at the highest levels of the profession. Her work on the AIA National Associates Committee has influenced updates to the Guides for Equitable Practice, ensuring that national policy reflects the lived experiences of emerging professionals nationwide. 

Her project work demonstrates the same commitment to equity. From contributing to permanent supportive housing studies to designing low-barrier homeless shelters in Iowa and Nebraska, she employs trauma-informed design principles that prioritize dignity for vulnerable populations. On the East College Street Redevelopment in Iowa City, she helped transform vacant late-1800s storefronts into vibrant gathering spaces that honor community history while addressing current needs. 

She’s also re-established the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students chapter at Iowa State University, providing critical support for underrepresented students, and regularly mentors high school students through job shadows and design workshops. 

Why Neumann Monson Made These Nominations 

The firm’s decision to invest significant time in these nominations wasn’t purely about external recognition.  

“The process itself becomes valuable and candidates also learn a lot about themselves when they stop to focus on what they’ve accomplished and what has motivated them thus far,” Schroeder says.  

By recognizing Kent and Lyndley’s work publicly, Neumann Monson signals what it values: not just design excellence, but the harder-to-quantify work of mentorship, policy development and systemic change. This matters for recruitment in an increasingly competitive talent market. It encourages achievement among current team members. And it positions the firm as a leader in the profession’s evolution toward more equitable, sustainable practice. 

“It communicates the importance we place on developing, promoting and celebrating our team,” Schroeder notes, “while positioning our company as a leader.” 

The Broader Impact 

Perhaps most importantly, Kent and Subayno’s recognition reflects architecture’s gradual but essential reckoning with who gets celebrated and why. For too long, the profession has elevated individual genius and signature buildings while undervaluing the collaborative, community-focused work that actually shapes how most people experience architecture. 

Both women represent a different model – one where technical excellence coexists with deep commitment to mentorship, where award-winning projects advance not just aesthetic innovation but also carbon reduction and social equity, and where professional leadership means using your platform to make the path easier for those who follow. 

Their presence in the national arena, lends pragmatic input from a Midwestern perspective – a reminder that transformative work is happening far beyond the coastal cities that traditionally dominate architectural discourse. 

And, as the profession continues to evolve, the recognition of architects like Subayno and Kent suggests a promising future: one where rising stars are defined not just by their design portfolios, but by their commitment to building a more equitable, sustainable and inclusive profession for everyone.