Industry Professionals Advisory Committee and Dean’s Advisory Council

Carole Wedge, FAIA, LEED AP, is a certified Executive Coach and Consultant to businesses in the architecture, engineering and construction industry and has recently been selected as AIA's next Executive Vice President/Chief Executive Officer.

She is the former CEO of Shepley Bulfinch, a national design firm with offices in Boston, Durham, Hartford, Houston, and Phoenix. She led the firm’s evolution to a national design firm and growth into an innovative organization with an open and diverse culture. Throughout her career in architecture and advocacy in the wider community, Carole has sought to challenge conventions and incite organizations to become more transparent and diverse. Her dynamic and collaborative leadership has powerfully impacted cornerstone institutions—from higher education and civic organizations to the architectural industry.

She currently serves on the Boards of the American Institute of Architects, IIDA New England, Northeast Arc and Windover Construction. Carole is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects, a LEED AP certified professional, and a registered architect.

Carole has previously served on the boards of the AIA Architects Foundation and the Boston Society of Architects, as a Trustee for the Boston Architectural College and the Wentworth Institute of Technology and a member of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission.

She is the recipient of the 2023 Award of Honor from the Boston Society of Architects, the 2020 Edward C. Kemper Award from the American Institute of Architects, which is granted to an AIA member for continued and significant service to the AIA: including as Chair of the Large Firm Round Table and a Co-Founder of the AIA Women’s Leadership Summit. 
 

Courteney is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of Atúlo Products, where she leads with a dynamic blend of creativity, strategy, and technical expertise. Since earning her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design from Wentworth Institute of Technology in 2019, Courteney has built a career centered on innovation, leadership, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

In her role at Atúlo Products, Courteney spearheads product development initiatives, specializing in orthopedic medical devices while also driving efforts across compliance, supplier and manufacturer relations, intellectual property management, and strategic growth. Her comprehensive understanding of the product lifecycle—from concept to commercialization—positions her at the forefront of today’s evolving healthcare and design industries.

Courteney has been fortunate to receive recognition for her academic achievements during her time at Wentworth, including being named to the Dean’s List all four years, induction into Tau Alpha Pi— the National Honor Society for Engineering Technology, and graduating Cum Laude. Her senior thesis, an innovative cross-disciplinary project between Industrial Design and Biomedical Engineering, was the first all-woman collaboration of its kind at Wentworth. This work earned their team the Best Paper Award at the IEEE 11th Annual Conference.

She continues to stay deeply engaged with the Wentworth community as Co-Chair of the Industry Professional Advisory Committee (IPAC) for Industrial Design, a member of the Wentworth Alumni Association Board, and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council.
 

Carla Gautier Castro is a third-generation architect from Puerto Rico with a strong commitment to community and sustainability. She earned her BA, M.Arch, and an honorary doctorate (Dr. h.c.) from Wentworth Institute of Technology (WIT) in Boston, where she focused on eco-friendly design. Her studies and work took her to Berlin and Benin, where she gained valuable experience in sustainable construction. 

In 2017, Carla returned to Puerto Rico just before Hurricane María. While working as a FEMA construction inspector, she saw how bureaucracy delayed recovery efforts, which inspired her to found  KONTi Design in San Juan.  KONTi specializes in building sustainable, resilient homes using recycled materials like shipping containers and structural steel. These homes are designed to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, ranging from affordable to luxury markets. Carla's firm also achieved the first  LEED Platinum-certified single-family residence in the Caribbean, proving that eco-friendly construction can be profitable for homeowners. 

Carla has been recognized as a CNN Champion for Change, a Grist 50 Fixer, and a member of Forbes 30 Under 30. She is also a Re-Generation Future Leaders Fellow. Outside of her work, Carla enjoys hiking, swimming, sailing, scuba diving, and all things related to the ocean. She also loves traveling to learn from different cultures. 

Amanda Vigneau, IIDA, NCIDQ is a Director at Shepley Bulfinch, where she leads progressive design, champions innovative practices, and ensures process and quality excellence. As an experienced Interior Designer, Amanda’s work spans multiple sectors, with a strong focus on educational and student life environments. She is passionate about the intersection of exterior and interior spaces, the integration of old and new, and the evolving role of technology in shaping daily experiences.

A recognized leader in the design industry, Amanda serves as Vice President of Advocacy for IIDA New England, where she spearheads efforts to advance the interior design profession, including leading legislative initiatives in Massachusetts. 

At the core of Amanda’s design philosophy is the belief that architecture and interior design shape how people experience the world. She is committed to uncovering the unique look and feel of each project, ensuring that design solutions not only address functional needs but also inspire. Amanda fosters a strong design vision within her teams, empowering them to explore creative solutions. She finds the greatest reward in seeing spaces come to life—both in their intended uses and in the unexpected ways people inhabit them over time.

As an industrial designer, Saloni is passionate about bringing together design, engineering, and business to tackle some of the most pressing challenges around us. She has worked in a variety of fields, including social innovation, healthcare, sustainable product development, and consumer products. 

Currently serving as an Industrial Designer at Loft Design and as the Chapter Chair for IDSA Boston, Saloni got her master’s degree at MIT's Integrated Design and Management program where she saw how the design process can be a key component to bring state-of-the-art solutions can to life. Her work at MIT ranged from conducting user research in zero gravity to make space more inclusive at the Media Lab, developing accessible pregnancy tests for people with vision impairments, and measuring the body's hydration levels at the Gray lab, IMES. Saloni's current goal is to seamlessly integrate emerging tools into product development workflows, utilizing her strengths at key points in the design process to enhance the journey from concept to reality.