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Michelle Black has dedicated 23 years to affordable housing design and social activism through architecture. Her expertise spans historic restoration, renovation and new construction at state, city and community levels. This year she is a Circle of Excellence honoree, having won a Women in Vision award in 2019.

As Innovation Lab director at CHA, Black explores connections between diverse ideas to develop innovative solutions for longstanding challenges. She launched initiatives including 鈥淐HAts,鈥� encouraging productive office conversations, and 鈥淐HA Serves,鈥� an annual community service event. Black founded the firm鈥檚 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee and established the Emerging Professionals education and training program

Black serves on the board of the Architecture Foundation of Oregon, an organization focused on engaging communities in design conversations. She maintains active membership in the National Organization of Minority Architects, working as an ally to promote justice and equity in design practices.

Her leadership has transformed the historically male-led firm by recruiting female leaders and mentoring women鈥檚 advancement. Black introduced 鈥淩adical Candor鈥� principles that reshaped the firm鈥檚 communication culture and created transparency across business operations and project funding.

Black has become a statewide policy influencer and affordable housing thought leader, dedicating significant time to farmworker housing advancement. She navigates challenging community engagement situations while championing equitable design practices.

鈥淪he is relentless in her pursuit of equity, boundless in her energy towards good design, and forever diligent in her efforts to create strong communities,鈥� wrote Brian Carleton, principal, when nominating Black for Women of Vision recognition.