The Birmingham Chapter of the American Institute of Architects has a talented and creative membership but was historically a stagnant, hidebound, and inward focused organization. It would impossible to overstate the impact Rhea Williams and Karma Management, Inc. has had with AIA Birmingham over the past 18 years. Karma’s gifted staff inspired our membership to become effective leaders in our professional community and challenged us to turn outward with a vibrant outreach to the community at large. Our membership has steadily grown along with a broad list of events, learning opportunities, and programs. The Alabama Center for Architecture was established with their guidance. The ACFA now provides a vital platform to underscore the importance of our profession to the public and foster an appreciation of great architecture. Rhea and her team made it clear from day one, that we should never settle for the status quo, but always push the envelope, and ourselves. And, thanks to Karma, we have the tangible results to prove the point.

Rhea and her team at Karma just handle things. It's really that simple. They aren't afraid of tackling tricky problems, know when to ask the right questions, and they are solutions-driven. They are great partners and delightful to work with.

I had the pleasure of working closely with Rhea on two community volunteerism initiatives particularly focused on the current affordable housing crisis. Rhea’s dedication and passion for making a positive impact on the lives of those currently experiencing homelessness stood out throughout our collaboration. Additionally, Rhea’s ability to mobilize resources and engage diverse stakeholders was vital to the success of the projects. From organizing the local installation of the traveling exhibit “Evicted”, which raised awareness of the housing crisis in Birmingham, the state of Alabama, and the nation, to her hands-on commitment to support a pilot program testing temporary shelter options for the local unhoused population through “The Compassion Project”, Rhea’s initiative and follow-through has been both inspiring and effective.

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Rhea’s leadership and empathy have created a supportive environment that encourages active participation and fosters a sense of community responsibility. I am confident that her continued involvement in such initiatives will lead to even more impactful and meaningful contributions to the betterment of our community. Working alongside Rhea has been a rewarding experience, and I  wholeheartedly recommend collaboration with her in any endeavor aimed at promoting social welfare.

In addition to the testimonials about Rhea and her firm’s excellent representation and management of AIA Birmingham, I’d like to highlight something which is a bit different, yet consistent with their values and therefore not surprising.  That something is their commitment to developing young people.  Over the past six years, I have seen firsthand how Karma’s mentoring program develops young people with little to no work experience, into poised, professional, and extremely helpful team members with great attitudes.  We always, selfishly, hate to see them leave, but that too is part of Karma’s process magic as it launches these young women into careers which build on these experiences.  We of course appreciate Rhea, Karma, and these team members for all they do for our organization and our members, but knowing Karma is also leveraging this work to develop and send-forth young people, is the icing on the cake!