J.C. Calderón, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP, is the founding principal of calderón architecture & design studio p.c. (CADS) based in the City of Beacon in New York’s Hudson Valley. A practicing architect for over 25 years, he is currently registered in both New York and New Jersey. His diverse portfolio includes commercial, retail, institutional, hospitality, religious and residential projects always guided by the goals of design excellence and sustainability. In addition to private sector work, the firm has worked in the public sector on projects funded by NYS. Our research proposals include a new Beacon Film Center and a new public entrance to the City of Beacon NY with a public stair that will reconnect a section of Main Street disconnected by Urban Renewal in the 1970s. Mr. Calderón has served on the Planning Board & Main Street Access Committee in Beacon and currently serves as a Member of the Yale Board of Governors, the alumni body that oversees the Yale Alumni Association. He is a member of the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) and is a LEED Accredited Professional. In 1991, as a student at the Yale School of Architecture, Mr. Calderón organized the symposium “People of Color in Architecture” which garnered national press. In 2022, as President of the American Institute of Architects Westchester + Hudson Valley Chapter (AIAWHV), he led a follow up symposium: “Equity & the Environment: The Challenges for AIA & NOMA in 2023 & Beyond” with national leaders of the AIA & NOMA. Mr. Calderón holds a B.A. from Williams College and an M.Arch from Yale.