TZL 1607 (web)

impact of our philanthropic and charitable-giving efforts in alignment with our mission to “invent a better way of living.” I’m proud of our firm’s leadership team for taking this step and making the foundation a reality, and I’m excited by the enthusiasm shown by our entire team. This foundation will be a strong and enduring legacy we can all contribute to in a variety of meaningful ways. One of our associate principals, James Foster, AIA, summed it up like so: “Philanthropy is an important aspect of a healthy society. And one of our core values at Cushing Terrell is ‘share success,’ which for us means contributing to society’s health by being good stewards of our communities and the built and natural environments.” In deciding upon how and what to take on as a firm – as it relates to philanthropy and giving back to our communities – one of the things that has guided our path is our mission, vision, and values. We always come back to these and to the realization that we have so much power and potential to “invent a better way of living.” And if we’re growing our firm in so many other ways, we must have a plan for growing our influence and impact. Shannon Christiansen, FAIA, is an architect and principal owner with Cushing Terrell. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

SHANNON CHRISTENSEN, from page 7

Cushing Terrell team members by engaging a broad range of talents from people at different levels and stages of their careers. Each year, we set aside billable hours that can be donated to support nonprofits nominated for pro bono services. For those nonprofits and projects selected, we assign design teams of interested people from across our offices and disciplines. The program has helped organize the expertise of our team members behind projects they feel passionate about. Three years in, we’ve supported organizations such as the American Legion in Big Timber, Montana; the Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming in Billings, Monana; Sacred Heart Academy in Boise, Idaho; Northern Lights Family Justice Center in Billings; University District Food Bank in Seattle, Washington; Holy Aid and Comfort Spiritual Church in New Orleans, Louisiana; and Advocates Against Family Violence in Caldwell, Idaho. Our recent big news is the establishment of the Cushing Terrell Foundation. Through the foundation, we’ll identify strategic partnerships with nonprofits to enable support that goes beyond monetary donations. Our goal is to bring together resources and capitalize on collaboration to increase the

THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 27, 2025, ISSUE 1607

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