Beyond Firm Ownership: How Leadership Transition Really Happens - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/non-HSW)

Recorded On: 09/18/2026

Becoming a firm owner brings additional opportunity and compensation, yet in many firms the role is largely undefined. Without new responsibilities or clear expectations, new firm owners may continue in their previous roles, lacking authentic transition to firm leadership. Attendees will leave this session understanding strategies for meaningful leadership transition.

Learning objectives:

Examine the transition from senior project manager to firm leader through real-world stories and lessons from those who have navigated that path.
Identify leadership skills and qualities, such as financial literacy and emotional intelligence, and how leadership abilities are developed.
Define paths to leadership within your firm including existing career ladders and related obstacles such as positional incongruity, and family-related responsibilities.
Describe how leadership teams function as they expand and apply best practices for leadership team development.

Rena M. Klein, FAIA

Senior Partner

AVEC

Rena leads AVEC’s management consulting team and advises AVEC clients on best practices in finance and ownership transition. She is a nationally-recognized expert in design firm practice and author of The Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management. With 20 years of experience as the owner of a small architecture firm, and over 15 years as a management consultant, Rena brings a special understanding of firms managed by entrepreneurial designers. Rena served as executive editor of AIA’s The Architect’s Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th edition and is past-chair of the AIA Practice Management Knowledge Community. She lives in Corrales, New Mexico.

Jennifer Orr, ASLA, PLA

Owner, PLA

Lionheart Places, LLC

Jennifer is a founding principal of Studio Balcones, who joined forces in March 2025 with Lionheart and Connect1 Design, and remains an Owner/Principal of the merged firm. Prior to Studio Balcones, Jennifer worked for WRT, designing award winning public spaces. As a self-proclaimed “plant nerd,” Jennifer oversees all planting design, loves to insert whimsy/play into her projects, and is committed to supporting healthy ecological systems across scales. She has an MLA from Penn Design, a BS in International Affairs from Georgia Tech, is a 4th generation Texan with deep affection for Austin, her hometown, and is a mother of two.

Keiko T. Cramer, ASLA, PLA

Principal

WRT, LLC

Keiko is a Principal at WRT with two decades of experience providing creative and inclusive urban places. With degrees in landscape architecture, architecture, and engineering, Keiko uses her interdisciplinary training to provide a unique perspective focused on transforming urban landscape to socially and environmentally resilience community and places. Her projects have included campus master plans, public parks, urban waterfronts, and industrial redevelopments highlighted by 2017 Rudy Bruner Award Gold medalist for Urban Excellence, SteelStacks Arts & Cultural Campus in Bethlehem, PA and the ASLA award-winning Georgetown Waterfront Park. Her experience also led WRT to numbers of international projects and competitions.