Feature Photo: Emily in Jackson for a WBALA Meeting
Emily’s career with the Wyoming Department of A&I Professional Licensing Boards began on Dec. 1, 2006. She worked as a licensing specialist until being promoted on Dec. 1, 2014, to the executive director position, serving several licenonsing boards, including the Wyoming Board of Architects and Landscape Architects (WBALA).
Emily strived to provide top-notch service to all of her boards, and she did! The glowing reports she has received over the years from board members, applicants and licensees are testament to that. Her spreadsheets, graphs, and statistics elevated the reporting of licensee numbers, PLB milestones and board historical data to a new level. The A&I PLB provides administrative services to 20 licensing boards. Emily never thought solely of the boards she served; she always looked for ways to enhance all of the boards’ services. She was also our biggest morale booster and could always be relied upon to find the funniest meme or video. You could often hear her laughter throughout the office — as long as it was after 9:00 a.m. (For everything Emily was, she was NOT a morning person.)
Emily accepted a position with the Council of Landscape Architectural Registration Boards (CLARB) and left A&I PLB in April 2025. Since then, if I had a dime for every time I’ve wanted to pick her brain over a broken statute or rule, needed to find a spreadsheet she created, or just wanted to talk to her, I would be rich! Fortunately, we keep in touch, but I still miss her every day. I wish her the best in her new adventure. I know she’ll do great things.
— JoAnn Reid, Professional Licensing Boards Administrator, State of Wyoming
Having been retired for a few years now, I can reflect on those who have left an impression on me, and Emily Cronbaugh was one of those people. She is an exception. She was an absolute joy to work with. She is very professional and a dedicated person in all she does. She was always prepared and ready for the task before her. She always made time to help me out, whether it was addressing Architectural Board needs or simply assisting this technologically challenged individual with computer applications or cell phone problems. She is always striving to do her best to make a difference. She is just one of those people you enjoy being associated with, whether it’s work or play.
— Jerry R. Voigt, Past WBALA Board Member
I had the pleasure of working with Emily during her tenure as executive director for WBALA. Throughout her many years in this role, Emily consistently demonstrated exceptional organization, a sharp intellect and a keen ability to solve problems with efficiency and creativity.
Her deep knowledge of our professions — and the regulations that guide them — was evident in every interaction. She remained fully engaged with the board’s work, providing valuable insight and guidance with a balance of professionalism and wit that made her not only an effective leader but also a joy to collaborate with.
Emily is someone I’ve always admired for her intelligence, integrity and dedication. Beyond being a great colleague, she is a dear friend whose presence has made a lasting impact on all of us.
— Allison Fleury, Past WBALA Vice President
Emily was fabulous to work with. As a new board member, she made me feel welcome to the board and was generous with her time (which she didn’t have much of) to ensure I understood my new role and had all my questions answered. With her knowledge, kindness and sharp wit, I’m going to miss her!
— Colleen J. Nelson, AIA, WBALA Board Member
Having the opportunity to work with Emily for my first term on the WBALA was awesome! Emily strives for greatness and wants to see those around her succeed. She brought a depth of knowledge to our board, drawing on her extensive experience gained while working for the State of Wyoming. Her willingness to get involved and play an active role on committees and boards for NCARB and CLARB was a gift to WBALA. The resources and friendships made available to me and our board members are broad and deep — and directly a result of Emily’s inclusive and fun nature. We already miss her, but love that she is being challenged and growing in new ways. All the best to you, Emily!
— Aimee E. Bolton, AIA, WBALA Secretary/Treasurer
I have worked with Emily for over a decade, sharing many projects, conversations and challenges through our partnership between AIA Wyoming and WBALA. More importantly, we shared progress and advancement in the profession of architecture in Wyoming and were often commended by other states.
We collaborated on educational programming for the public using grants we applied for and received from WBALA, as well as provided high-level continuing education programming for architects. We convened our Board of Directors for a discussion on ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the general public. We met routinely to discuss how to educate the public on the importance and value of licensed professionals.
Emily was responsible for multiple state licensing boards, but it was still important to her to participate in the meetings of AIA Wyoming. She made herself available to our members to address their questions and concerns, whether they were seasoned architects or emerging professionals just entering the workforce. Our members valued that relationship as they knew who to turn to with licensing and regulatory questions.
Emily didn’t just lead, she inspired. She is praised for her leadership style marked by accountability, consistency and kindness. I close with appreciation for Emily’s dedication, laughter and making a difference.
— Susan Menghini, Past Executive Director, AIA Wyoming
It was bittersweet news to learn that Emily was taking a new position at CLARB. She has earned an amazing opportunity and will serve the organization incredibly well. It’s wonderful to see people you care about succeed, but it’s a huge loss for WBALA and, selfishly, for me. I knew we would still have the friendship we built and would still get to work together from time to time, but I dearly miss working closely with Emily regularly.
Emily works hard … maybe even too hard. I swear that we would be discussing something, and within hours, she would have whipped up a spreadsheet and at least three charts or infographics regarding the topic. Some days her job could be thankless, but she still managed to go above and beyond.
Emily is an incredible source of information. Whenever I had a question, she not only answered it but also connected me with experts and directed me to resources where I could learn more. She is also never shy about asking tough questions or pushing boundaries when they need to be stretched. She listens attentively, works to understand others and is confident when voicing her opinions.
Emily builds strong relationships. She connects with people, whether it’s a new board member or networking with colleagues. She has a gift for interacting with others. People are drawn to her quick wit, sharp mind and kind heart.
Earlier this year, Emily was awarded the 2025 NCARB Presidential Medal at the Annual Business Meeting in Scottsdale, Arizona. President VanTine boasted about her numerous contributions to the organization, including service on the Member Board Executive Committee, the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee, and several other committees. She was also pivotal in guiding Wyoming through the needed regulatory changes to allow multiple pathways to initial architectural licensure. The award was a BIG deal, and she truly earned it.
I cannot thank her enough for her leadership, mentorship and friendship.
— Katie Wilson, AIA, WBALA President
Many thanks to Emily for warmly welcoming this public member and coaching her through even the most basic of presidential duties. I learned a great deal about government, but also about what it means to serve the public, as her dedication shines through in everything she does. I’m proud to call Emily a friend and role model, and I feel privileged to have been in her orbit during my years on the board.
— Vicky Zero, Former WBALA President
As a member of WBALA, I worked with Emily for several years and enjoyed her intelligence, outstanding good humor and incredible attention to detail. She also had the ability to see the “whole picture” and put her knowledge into perspective. She was a critical asset in guiding our board members, assisting us with our duties and even gently chiding us when we needed to move forward on something that had been stalled.
When I went with a group of board members to the annual NCARB convention, Emily accompanied us. At one point, I decided to interview two opposing candidates for high office in the national organization and invited Emily to participate. Although she asked a few questions, I did most of the asking, and the candidates did most of the talking. We conferred later and agreed on the candidate we would later recommend to our board.
When it came time, several months later, to explain our recommendation to our board members, I made a few comments and asked Emily if she had anything to add. She quickly retrieved her notes and delivered an incredibly cogent report of the interviews — well beyond what I had explained — making the entire board feel well-informed when it made its decision. That’s the kind of quiet delivery combined with a high level of competence that Emily brought to the board, and we appreciated it immensely.
— Tim Belton, AIA Emeritus, Past WBALA Board Member
