Industry Leaders Roundtable Retreat

The Industry Leaders Roundtable program is designed to embolden firms and their representatives to undertake institutional change within their organizations, by providing them research, tools, and support to be agents of change. The event brings together thought leaders in organizational psychology, sociology, law, architecture and engineering to change culture by providing research, information and action-oriented programs to achieve greater representation of women in the AEC industries.

BWAF invites you to join the Industry Leaders Roundtable, a two-day retreat in Detroit convening senior leaders in architecture, engineering, design, real estate, philanthropy, and cultural institutions. Centered on Detroit as a model for transformative placemaking, the program features conversations with leading practitioners, exclusive site visits, and opportunities for cross-sector dialogue.

Highlights include visits to Michigan Central, Cranbrook Art Museum, the University of Michigan Center for Innovation, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), along with discussions on philanthropic placemaking, adaptive reuse, cultural investment, and the role of design in shaping more inclusive and resilient cities.

Day 1: Michigan Central Retreat Space

10:00am-10:30am

Welcome & Introduction

10:30am-12:00pm

Panel: Philanthropic Placemaking

Cézanne Charles (Moderator), rootoftwo, Partner

Melissa Dittmer, Song United, Head of Place

Kara Elliott-Ortega, Kresge Foundation, Senior Program Officer

Akua Hill, Gilbert Family Foundation, Director of Arts and Culture

12:00pm-1:30pm

Lunch

1:30pm-3:30pm

Tour: Michigan Central Campus

Peggy Chang, Michigan Central, Director of Place

3:30pm-4:30pm

Talk: From Compliance to Coherence: Designing at the Frequency of Possibility

Lauren Hood, Institute of AfroUrbanism, Founder; Chairwoman, City of Detroit Planning Commission

4:30pm-5:30pm

Talk: Agency, Equity & Empathy In The Built Environment

Suchi Reddy, Reddymade, Founding Principal

5:30-6:00pm

Summation

7:00pm-10:00pm

Dinner at Takoi

Day 2: Cranbrook

8:45am

Depart Hotel

9:30am-11:30am

Tour: Cranbrook, Saarinen House, and the Art Museum/Collections Wing

Lyla Catellier, Cranbrook Art Museum, Curator of Public Programs

Gregory Wittkopp, Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research, Director

11:30am-12:30pm

Lunch

1:30pm-3:30pm

Hard Hat Tour: University of Michigan Center for Innovation

Blanche Nunez, KPF, Senior Associate Principal

Marina Roelofs, University of Michigan, Assistant Vice President of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction

3:30pm-5:30pm

Exhibition Walkthrough & Cocktail Hour: Anyspace? Whatever. at the Museum of Contemporary At Detroit

Cézanne Charles, rootoftwo, Partner

John Marshall, rootoftwo, Partner

Isabella Nimmo, MOCAD, Susanne Feld Hilberry Curator