Instructors, team, & clients

Dave Gilmore is the President & Chief Executive Officer of DesignIntelligence. He is a frequent university lecturer as well as corporate speaker across the Built Environment industry. His work involves frequent interaction with leadership teams and governance entities regarding leadership transition, business sustainability, and organizational resilience. He serves as a strategic advisor to many of the largest and most successful Built Environment industry firms in the United States. Dave is also the Founder and Managing Director of The Tricord Group, a boutique equity fund with partners in Atlanta, Boston, and Minneapolis.

2G3R CEO and founder, Ana Pinto da Silva drives transformational change at the intersection of housing, healthcare and technology. 2G3R connects passion to purpose across generations and abilities, delivering home and community solutions that help people thrive. As a designer, technologist, community leader and accomplished public speaker, Ana is dedicated to creating products that matter, defining new landscapes of opportunity for people worldwide. She has led future-forward design innovation initiatives traversing healthcare, education, civics, shopping and productivity for Amazon, Microsoft, NBBJ and others. Her work explores the nexus of leading-edge scientific research, design thinking, business development and social change, underscoring the continued need to develop products and services that center under-served populations as both drivers and recipients of first-tier technology innovation.

After practicing architecture for nearly two decades, Barbara Bryson, managed planning, construction, and strategic planning at three universities, including Rice University where she led more than $1.4 billion in construction. Currently the Associate Dean for Research and Academic Affairs at the College of Architecture Planning and Landscape Architecture at the University of Arizona, she was elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2008 and named Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council. Dr. Bryson co-authored The Owners Dilemma: Driving Success and Innovation in the Design and Construction Industry and pushes the boundaries of strategic futures at DI Strategic Advisors.

Don has more than 3 decades of experience in Architecture, with an emphasis in studio management and development side owner’s representation. He spent 13 years with HKS, a global design firm with over 1400 employees and 24 offices, serving as San Francisco Office Director and Director of Hospitality. Prior to HKS, Don was a Principal with Hill Glazier Architects, Inc., where his projects included the Montage Beverly Hills Hotel & Residences, the Ritz Carlton Drove Mountain in Marana, AZ, the Montage Deer Valley Resort & Residences in Park City, UT, the Four Seasons Napa Valley, and the Yellowstone Lodge in Big Sky, MT. Today, Don serves as a Principal of DesignIntelligence Strategic Advisory where he focuses on creating cohesive team dynamics and promoting individuals’ professional growth.

Phyllis is the former President of Kimball and Kimball Health and EVP of Kimball International, a leading omnichannel commercial furnishings company with deep expertise in the Workplace, Health and Hospitality markets. With a successful career spanning over 30 years, her deep knowledge of Health, Design and Strategy has been honed through leadership roles in distinguished organizations including Herman Miller, HKS and Steelcase. Phyllis holds numerous professional affiliations and is Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certified.

Barbara Heller is President of Heller & Metzger, a nationally recognized specifications consulting firm. Barbara founded the firm in 1982 and currently serves as President. The firm has written specifications for more than 1000 buildings, including many that have received prestigious design awards.

As a licensed architect with over 15 years' experience in all phases of development, design, construction and operations, Tyler takes a holistic approach to the improvement of the construction industry, targeting technologies, processes, and tactics, and recombining them strategically to create productivity-driven improvements and generate tangible returns on investment. He received an M.Arch from the department of Architecture and Urban Design at UCLA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Architectural History from Reed College

Steve served as Chief Operating Officer of HGA Architects and Engineers for 15 years, steering the growth, expansion, and profitability of the organization. Steve was in HGA leadership for 32 years. During Steve’s tenure as COO, his firm embarked on a successful national expansion strategy that included organic growth and strategic acquisitions. Design excellence of HGA under Steve’s leadership has been recognized through scores of awards, including AIA National Honor Awards. Steve served in leadership positions for both AIA Minnesota and AIA National. He is a Richard Upjohn Fellow and a DFC Senior Fellow.

Scott Simpson is an award-winning architect and former CEO of The Stubbins Associates. A Richard Upjohn Fellow of the AIA and Senior Fellow of the Design Futures Council, he has published more than 200 articles on issues of innovation in the A/E/C industry as well as four books: How Firms Succeed 5.0, The Next Architect, Lessons from the Future, and Small Firm Success. He teaches at the Advanced Management Development Program at Harvard University and is a member of DI Strategic Advisors.

Dez Joslin is the founder and CEO of Enarche, a firm focused on bringing holistic marketing and business development expertise to the built environment industry. With a background in and out of the A/E space, she is passionate about developing unconventional solutions that help her clients cast vision, scale their organizations, and build stronger brand identities. As CEO of Enarche, Dez leads a team of strategists, operationalists, and creatives who rally behind one goal— connecting firms with their ideal clients.

Ken Sanders FAIA is a Principal at DesignIntelligence, where he provides strategic consulting services on digital innovation, leadership development, and operational excellence. Prior to joining DI, Mr. Sanders served as Chief Information Officer, Managing Principal, and Board member at Gensler, where he co-led the team responsible for Gensler’s global operations, including finance, legal, talent, design technology, research, and business development. Ken also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of DIRTT, a leader in sustainable prefabricated interiors, as well as Board Member and Chair of the Compensation Committee at NELSON, a leading architecture and interior design firm. Ken is also author of the recent book ‘Voices of Design Leadership’, published by Wiley.

Paul Hyett is the founder of Vickery Hyett Architects, past president of the RIBA and a regular contributor to DesignIntelligence.