Ben Mitchell, is Segment Manager for Architectural powder and liquid coatings at Axalta Coating Systems, a global paints and coatings company. He has a bachelor’s degree in comprehensive science as well as an MBA from Urbana University in Ohio. Ben started as a chemist, formulating PVDF coatings in the research and development lab in 1990, before moving into technical service, and then sales management.

Kurt J. Dannwolf is the founder and creative visionary of ODP Architecture and Design. Since its inception, he has stayed involved in all aspects of design while growing the company into one of the top mid-size firms. His holistic approach to orchestrating good design practice allows for innovative forms and spaces that speak to all. Kurt is a registered architect in Florida and New York and maintains NCARB certification. He has given back to the design community by being a guest juror at Florida International University and teaching design at Florida Atlantic University.

Javad Ahmad began his journey in the fenestration industry, gaining insights from Dr. Humayoun Farooq, a renowned expert. Graduating in 2003, he applied his expertise to various glazing projects, ensuring compliance with stringent building codes, especially in hurricane-prone areas. His milestone achievement came in 2009 with the attainment of his Professional Engineering License, propelling him to the role of Director of Engineering. Over the past decade, he has overseen product development, securing thousands of approvals and NOAs, and has gained recognition for his analytical prowess and leadership. His innovations have enhanced safety and sustainability in glazing systems, driving industry advancements. Passionate about mentoring young professionals, Javad is dedicated to shaping the future of fenestration engineering. With over 24 years of experience, he remains committed to innovation and transformation in the field.

Anshuman Dogra, with 8+ years of structural and facade design expertise, specializes in high-rise buildings, wood-framed structures, and advanced glazing systems. His focus on high-rise landmarks is complemented by a deep understanding of both wood-framed construction and glazing technology, showcasing versatility and skill. Anshuman's work includes crafting innovative glazing systems meeting HVHZ regulations, flood loads, and anti-terrorism standards, alongside sustainable solutions for wood-framed buildings. His commitment to precision, innovation, and sustainability consistently exceeds expectations, driving industry advancement. Eager to share insights and foster collaboration, Anshuman actively participates in conferences, engaging peers to push professional boundaries.

As a Director at KPF, Grace Liao has completed a diverse range of projects including commercial, mixed-use, residential, research and development, and transportation designs throughout Asia, Canada, and the United States. Grace’s work blends conceptual design rigor with a strong sense of context and placemaking influenced by her background in urban design. Her architecture is characterized by elegant proportions, rich material palettes, and expressive structure developed through data-driven design, creating unique high-performance buildings. Currently, Grace is the Design Director for Tower 36, a 635-foot, Class-A office building at the gateway to Miami’s Design District. The tapered tower is wrapped in a glass façade with bronze soffit accents detailing the terraces on every floor. Grace’s additional projects include New York’s Brooklyn Point and Hong Kong’s Baker Circle.

As a registered architect, Grace is an active member of the local AIA chapter, and a LEED and WELL accredited professional experienced in sustainable design. Her projects have been recognized by the New York and California chapters of the AIA.

Tansu Kumru has 30 years of experience in the glass sector and has been working for Şişecam which is currently one of the world’s leading glass manufacturers with production operations located in 14 countries on four continents. She is currently responsible for Sales and Marketing Strategies and Performance Management of the company.

Over her career, she has taken on many different roles in the Architectural Glass business of the company such as business development, product management, and marketing communication. She contributed to the development of energy-efficient architectural glass products and provided the right glass solutions for a wide variety of projects around the world.

As the Vice President of the Board of the Exporters’ Association, she is currently the representative of the Turkish Glass Sector. She continues to inform industry professionals about how Turkish glass products will enhance the capabilities of important construction projects all around the world.

She graduated from the Department of Industrial Engineering and completed her master’s degree in the Faculty of Business Administration at Boğaziçi University.

Juan Betancur, AIA, LEED AP is an expert in designing supertall, high-performance buildings. As Director at Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG), he has developed a comprehensive design approach that incorporates innovative solutions to many of the issues that plague this building typology. Through smart design, new technologies, and basic principles of orientation, natural ventilation, and building massing to optimize performance, Juan has learned that supertall towers can reduce their consumption of energy to improve dense urban areas where natural resources and space are at a premium. At AS+GG, and previously as an Associate at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago, Juan has worked numerous large-scale and supertall projects including Wuhan Greenland Center, a 606-meter-tall mixed-use tower to be completed in 2024; the award-winning FKI Tower in Seoul, Korea completed in 2014; and Pearl River Tower, a 303-meter tower designed to harvest wind and solar energy in Guangzhou, China.

Bob Ford is the North American Regional Account Manager for Eastman’s Advanced Materials Division. In this role, he manages the sales of Saflex and Vanceva interlayers to architectural laminators in the United States and Canada. Bob has been in the glass industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience working with architects, glazing contractors, and glass fabricators. He has worked in the fabrication and coating side of the industry with Interpane Glass and Viracon, as well as in the systems testing arena with Solutia.

Eastman produces premium laminated glass interlayers for both the automotive and architectural markets, including the hurricane market.

Jalal Farooq, is the CFO of Al-Farooq Corporation. With intricate knowledge of the Florida product approval and Miami-Dade NOA processes, his expertise has resulted in the certification of nearly 500 different glazing systems for hurricane resistance. Jalal is a certified expert of hurricane resistant glazing by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as well as by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). As a representative for the United States and a primary contributor during the development of the upcoming ISO standard for Windows, doors and curtain walling impacted by windborne debris in windstorms, he has helped shape international safety standards for hurricane glazing. He received a master’s degree in structural engineering and geomechanics from Stanford University and is a licensed professional engineer. Jalal’s passion for resilient architecture ensures safety without compromise.

John R. Medina, RA, AIA, has been involved as an exterior envelope consultant in design, and construction for over 42 years and is the principal/owner of Miami Curtain Wall Consultants (MCWC). John is a seasoned professional with experience in corporate, commercial, government and institutional projects, specializing in testing, forensic inspection, concept development, design failure investigation and processes relating to building systems. He has performed consulting services, as well as been the prime architect, on significant buildings.

MCWC offers a full spectrum of consulting services of the building envelope, waterproofing, glazing, railings, louvers, cladding, stucco, roofs, field testing, and threshold inspections (concrete) for new and existing buildings. MCWC represents the interests of the developers, G.C. and architects at each stage, from programming through construction. MCWC is a certified testing agency as per Miami-Dade County BCCO. John has been qualified as an expert witness in Contract Administration, Means and Methods of Construction, Professional Practice, Integrated Building Assemblies, Advanced Integrated Building Technologies, and Standard Construction Practice.

Maria Moral, RA AIA, has been with Miami Curtain Wall Consultants (MCWC) for an impressive three decades, showcasing a profound dedication to the curtain wall industry. Throughout her extensive career, Maria has played a pivotal role in shaping the success and growth of MCWC. She has been at the forefront of numerous projects, demonstrating her commitment to pushing the boundaries of architectural possibilities.

Maria graduated from University of Miami School of Architecture and is an accomplished designer with extensive experience in the areas of building technology, building materials, methods of construction, waterproofing and disaster mitigation.

Miami Curtain Wall Consultants offers a full spectrum of glazing and waterproofing consulting services on the exterior of the building envelopes for new and existing, signature and high-rise buildings. We identify and resolve performance issues early by reviewing construction documents and show drawings of the architectural skin.

Winn Darden is Business Manager for LUMIFLON® Fluoropolymer Resins for North America. He has been involved in sales and marketing for coatings and coating raw materials for more than 30 years. Mr. Darden has given presentations at numerous conferences and for organizations including the Society for Protective Coatings, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, National Steel Bridge Alliance, Polymers in Oil & Gas Symposium, the ABRAFATI Coatings Show in Brazil, the Transportation Research Board’s Annual Meeting, and the PCI Powder Coating Conference. He has published articles in the Journal of Protective Coatings, Journal of Architectural Coatings, and Bridges Magazine. He has helped to develop programs registered with the AIA for continuing professional education. Mr. Darden has a BS in Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin. He holds 12 U. S. Patents.

Federico Balestrazzi, a civil engineer specializing in designing and constructing cladding systems and complex façades, is pivotal in leading projects for DeSimone Consulting Engineering from the firm's Miami office. His 24 years of experience in building enclosures and products includes an extensive background in the design, testing, manufacture, estimating, and installation across project types.

Federico's façade engineering experience features the World Trade Center Tower 7 and the Interactive Corporation in NYC; the1 Hotel and the W Hotel in South Beach; the Four Seasons Hotel and Residences in Fort Lauderdale and the Four Seasons Resort in Palm Beach; and both 33 Arch Street and the new wing at the MFA in Boston.

Federico earned an MS in Engineering from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, a BS in Industrial Design from Architecture School at Politecnico di Milano in Italy, and an MBA from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He's is a member of the ASCE, SEI, and ICRI.

Michael Piazza has been with Terra Group since 2005. He is responsible for overseeing and managing the design and construction aspects of numerous real estate projects including multi-family (including site development), condominiums, single family, commercial, retail, and multi-use. Featured Terra Group properties include Villa Miami, Five Park, Mr. C Residences and Grove at Grand Bay.

Michael started his career at Morse Diesel Intl in 1985 as Vice President, where he managed various large-scale projects including the TD North Bank Arena in Boston and the American Airlines Arena in Miami. Michael also oversaw projects such as the Espirito Santo, Charlestown Navy Yard, and Massachusetts General Hospital.

Michael received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Antonia Devine, AIA, LEED AP, is Senior Director of Design and Development at JDS Development Group, an innovative real estate development, construction and acquisition firm responsible for the creation of numerous residential, hospitality and mixed-use projects in New York City and Miami.

Antonia oversees design through the planning, coordination and construction phases. Her work ensures that design integrity is maintained and delivered with a high standard for quality, craftsmanship and efficiency. She has worked on projects such as the American Copper Buildings, The Fitzroy, 111 West 57th Street, and The Brooklyn Tower in New York City, and 888 Brickell Dolce & Gabbana and Mercedes Benz Places in Miami.

Prior to joining JDS, she was an architect at KPF, in their New York, Hong Kong and London offices. She has also worked at Ten Berke and Platt Byard Dovell White.

She received her BA in Art & Archaeology from Princeton University, and her M.Arch I from the Yale School of Architecture. She is currently a Lecturer at YSOA, as well as a regular juror and panelist.

Kevin Venger has managed and co-developed the construction and development of six major high-rise mixed-use buildings with more than 1,400 residences and over 7 million sf throughout South Florida. Kevin has managed all facets of the development projects of over $2B of luxury high-rise development projects. He most recently co-developed One Thousand Museum designed by Zaha Hadid, which has transformed Miami’s ever-changing skyline. The project is described as “one of the most complex skyscrapers to ever make it off the drawing board” on PBS’s documentary, “Impossible Builds” and has won over a dozen industry awards including World’s Best International High-Rise Architecture and ENR Best of the Best Project Nationwide in the Residential / Hospitality category. He co-developed Paramount on the Bay in Edgewater, a mixed-use development designed by Arquitectonica, completed in 2010. In 2003, Kevin became co-owner of Gregg Covin Real Estate Development, responsible for coordinating the finance and development of the company’s portfolio of multi-family projects. Ten Museum, a 50-story crystalline tower in Downtown Miami was developed in conjunction with Clinique La Prairie of Switzerland and designed by Oppenheim Architecture, completed in 2007. In addition, he was a co-owner/developer of The Angler’s Hotel, a 1930 historically preserved hotel designed by the talented Wallace Tutt and located on South Beach. From 1998 through 2003, Kevin was the senior project manager responsible for the development management of the Four Seasons Hotel and Tower Miami project. This $500 million mixed-use project was the tallest residential tower south of New York City. Kevin graduated cum laude from the University of Miami, earning a Bachelor in Architecture with a minor in business admin/finance.

Jack Redden is the Architectural Sales Manager for ES Windows, with 25 years of commercial glazing experience. He is a CSI-CDT Accredited Professional and has presented over 1,000 CEUs to over 10,000 architects. Jack is based in Orlando and covers the entire state of Florida for ES. He is a trusted Fenestration Consultant on some of the largest and most Iconic buildings in the SE United States.

Jack earned his BA from Siena College in Psychology. He is married to an amazing wife and has four beautiful daughters. When not working 60+ hours a week, he enjoys movies, cooking, family travel, poker tournaments and power watching Netflix!

Attila Arian is a senior level executive with 30 years of progressively responsible experience in the German and American Construction and a known entity in the Façade industry. He has served as CEO of several German Design Build Contractors before he joined Seele in 2009 as the President of its New York based US operation. Under Attila Arian’s leadership Seele grew to a recognized façade contractor in the US with an impressive project portfolio including Apple Cube, Institute of Peace in Washington DC, Miami Art Museum, Kimbell Art Museum in Dallas and The Broad Museum in Los Angeles. At Schuco, where he served as the President of Schuco USA for 10 years, he was instrumental in bringing one of the largest European Aluminum Systems to the North American market, resulting in a strong market presence and a substantial increase of revenues.

As a Vice President and Design Lead at Arquitectonica, Raymond Fort has a portfolio that spans project types from multi-family and single-family residential, office, retail, and hospitality, to educational, industrial, and institutional projects, as well as a variety of complex mixed-use and multi-phase developments. Ray has a passion for community-focused, environmentally conscious architecture which looks to have a positive impact beyond the buildings footprint. Ray earned a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University and a Master of Science in Advanced Architectural Design from Columbia University. In addition to his many appearances as a panelist, thought leader, speaker, and academic juror, Ray has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Miami and Florida International University Schools of Architecture.

Kobi Karp is the Founder and Principal of Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design, Inc (KKAID). Kobi founded the firm in 1996 and has been the Principal-in-Charge of design since then. KKAID is a full-service architectural and interior design firm providing a vast array of services, ranging from the design of large-scale, high-rise condominium and hospitality projects to intimate, low-rise residential and commercial structures.

Educated at the University of Minnesota’s Institute of Technology, Kobi earned degrees in both Architecture and Environmental Design. Subsequently, he began his career working on major hospitality and all-inclusive resort projects throughout the United States and the Caribbean. His restoration design techniques have contributed to a renaissance in one of this country’s most cherished areas, Miami Beach’s Art Deco District which is recognized around the world.

Kobi has developed expertise in design over the last 25 years, working with a wide range of project types, sizes, complexities, and budgets. It is through this last quarter century that Kobi Karp has garnered international acclaim and been selected to spearhead numerous projects.

Allan Shulman is an architect, author, editor and curator. He also serves as a Professor at the University of Miami School of Architecture. Allan's research focuses on themes of modernism, tropicality and urbanism. Published works include Building Bacardi: Architecture, Art and Identity, Miami Modern Metropolis and Miami Architecture: An AIA Guide.

Allan founded Shulman + Associates in 1996 with a focus on the creation of relevant, site-specific designs. In this body of work, he has become a leader in forging a creative urban synthesis of preservation and innovation, and in developing new approaches to tropical architecture.

Under Allan's leadership, S+A projects have been widely recognized, with 90 design awards and publication internationally. Elevated to Fellowship in the AIA in 2008, Allan was awarded the AIA Miami Silver Medal for Design in 2010 and the AIA Florida Gold Medal in 2017.

Jason Poma holds a Florida State Certified General Contractor License which he has maintained since 2003. He serves as the architectural liaison and qualifier for Poma and oversees the high-level operations of all current projects. Working in both the construction and architectural metals divisions, he is responsible for resource allocation and contract oversight.

Jessica Goldman Srebnick is the co-chair of Goldman Properties, the creative real estate firm with a storied history in developing thriving global destinations across the United States such as SoHo in New York City, Center City Philadelphia, Miami Beach, and Wynwood. Goldman-Srebnick is also founder & CEO of Goldman Global Arts, curating large-scale art installations for clients like the NFL, Norwegian Cruise lines, Citibank, Wynn Hotels, the Kaseya Center, the Miami Dolphins, and the world’s largest outdoor street-art museum, Wynwood Walls. A graduate of Harvard Business School’s Presidents Program in Leadership, and recognized as one of Forbes Icons of Impact, she was selected as one of the Knight’s Foundation Arts Champions, for her community leadership helping to enrich arts and culture in South Florida. Additionally, she was the Miami-Dade County co-chair for the 2020 Miami Superbowl host committee and served as the chair of the Town Square Neighborhood Development Corporation (TSNDC) board. She was awarded the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Young Leader Award for Excellence in 2019, and the Visionary Award in 2023, by the Miami Center for Architecture & Design.

Vick Crespin, LEED AP BD+C is a CO-founder and Vice President of KVC Constructors, Inc. with over 40 years in the construction industry. He has been involved in the construction of several impactful projects including EPCOT Center in Disney World, the Metrorail Rapid Transit System and Sunset Place. After 20 years in the industry, he Co-Founded KVC Constructors, Inc, with Katherine Crespin. Over the past 23 years KVC Constructors has completed a broad book of work that includes institutional, educational, commercial, recreational, and multi-family. KVC has established itself as the go to Contractor/Design Builder in the mixed-use project arena where expertise in executing artistic expression is required. KVC has completed some of the most notable mixed-use façade projects in South Florida including the City View and Museum Garages in the Miami Design District, The ICA MIAMI Museum, Braman Motors, The Wynwood Garage, The Collins Park Garage, Care Resource Community Health Center Headquarters, and most recently the Mount Sinai Medical Center Sidman Family Garage for employee parking.

Lisa Rammig leads the teams in Eckersley O’Callaghan’s California offices. She has played a significant role in its expansion, establishing a West Coast presence, and leading many of the group’s most challenging projects, while she remains involved in academia and has built strong links between research and industry, helping maintain the practice’s position as leaders in the field. She remains part of the Facade Research Group at TU Delft where she pursued her doctorate research and is an elected member of the Special Advisory Council of the Facade Tectonics Institute at the University of Southern California. Her teaching experience includes engagements at MIT, TU Delft, TU Darmstadt and the California Academy of Arts. Publications include scientific papers, industry journals and contributions to technical books.