Poinelli Appointed Chair of the Board for the A4LE

SMMA's Philip J. Poinelli, FAIA, ALEP, has recently been appointed as Chair to the global Board of Directors of the Association for Learning Environments (A4LE). An active member since 2007, Phil’s previous roles in the organization have included Vice President of the Northeast Region, Regional President-Elect, Regional President, and Regional Immediate Past President. In 2012, he earned the Accredited Learning Environments Planner (ALEP) designation and received the A4LE’s esteemed Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018. 

The Association for Learning Environments was first established in 1921 with a mission of pioneering innovation in the built environment for inspired learning. The A4LE connects industry professionals to imagine and promote initiatives to realize education environments that inspire learning. As Chair, he will guide several critical projects in the upcoming year, including the continual guiding of the association during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new association strategic plan, and the creation of the Justice Equality Diversity Inclusion (JEDI) program. Poinelli stated: 

“It is an honor and simultaneously humbling to lead this organization of amazing and diverse professionals, all contributing to making learning environments better for children and communities. I look forward to working with our A4LE members in contributing to the global dialogue, and possible solutions for schools and education around COVID-19, racial injustice, and the economic crisis facing education today. This is a time to help reimagine education, rethink funding, and ensure equity for all children.”

With more than 40 years of industry experience, almost exclusively concerning K-12 educational environments, Phil was instrumental in the creation and development of the SMMA’s K-12 Studio, and currently leads the K-12 Educational Programming and Planning Group. He is a practitioner, writer, speaker and researcher on educational planning and has been recognized as a national expert in the master-planning and programming of K-12 learning environments, most recently featured in the Fall 2020 issue of Learning by Design.