Why Fix What Isn’t Broken?

If the current licensure system works for many people, why change it? This episode explores the barriers, disparities, and broader pressures that led NCARB to launch Pathways to Practice. Andy speaks with Bryan C. Lee Jr., President of the National Organization of Minority Architects, about access, representation, and how systemic barriers shape who enters—and remains in—the profession. Drawing on NCARB and NOMA’s Baseline on Belonging research, the conversation highlights how cost, exposure, and structural inequities affect the path to licensure. Then, Mike Armstrong, NCARB’s CEO, explains how research, public expectations, evolving technology, and competency-based credentialing are pushing licensure toward a more modern, equitable, and defensible model. Find out more about Pathways to Practice.