McFarland has been an active AIA Member since 1974 while in college at Oklahoma State University. She was President of the Tulsa Chapter AIA in 1985; President of AIA Oklahoma in 1998 and she was the Chairman of the AIA Trust in WDC in 1999. She was Chair of the National AIA Risk Management Committee in 1992, 1993 and 2004. Most recent, in 2014, she was the National President of the American College of Healthcare Architects. She has architecture degrees from both OSU and The University of Oklahoma. McFarland Architects, her firm, is celebrating 36 years of practice on November 1, 2024.
Over her 50-year span as a practicing Architect, she has focused on public work projects including healthcare and higher education. Current projects include banking facilities for ARVEST and they are currently completing the design for the new Commercial Passenger Terminal for Stillwater Regional Airport.
Connie is the founder of Urban Sketchers Tulsa and is the Chapter Administrator of the Tulsa Chapter. USk has over 477 chapters and is an international organization bringing together field sketch artist to capture their community and share those images with the world.