Kermit Baker, PhD, Hon. AIA is a Senior Research Fellow at Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies, and is the Project Director of the Remodeling Futures Program. This research effort, which began in 1995, is the first comprehensive analysis of U.S. remodeling activity ever undertaken by the Joint Center. Its goal is to develop an improved understanding of the dynamics of the U.S. repair and renovation industry so that businesses can better take advantage of the opportunities that this market offers. Baker is also the Chief Economist for the American Institute of Architects in Washington, D.C. In this capacity he analyzes business and construction trends for the U.S. economy, and examines their impact on AIA members and the architectural profession.

Prior to joining the Joint Center, Baker was vice-president and director of the economics department at Reed Business Information where he was responsible for industry forecasting. During his ten years at Reed he developed the Top U.S. Construction Market Report, and served as editor of the Reed Business Information's Construction Market Forecast newsletter.

Baker received his master's degree in urban planning from Harvard University, and holds a Ph.D. from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the same field.

A 25-year industry veteran, Catherine Chan, AIA, developed a remarkable portfolio of award-winning projects that is well recognized for exceptional quality and efficient delivery. Catherine has a proven track record of leadership in the profession; and was formerly the Vice President at HOK serving as the San Francisco Justice Director and Associate Vice President at HDR serving as the Western Region Justice Director. Currently, Catherine is the Director of Strategic Practice at dRofus, a leading planning and data management solution for the global building industry; and the Innovation Strategist at Strategic Building
Innovation | bimSCORE, an international evidence-based advisory on VDC implementation. She is a great advocate for integration of technology into the design practice and committed to innovative work process for maximized quality and efficiency.

Jonathan Marvel, FAIA, is Principal at Marvel Architects, which he founded in 2013. With more than 25 years of experience, he has led the design and planning of public spaces, educational institutions, single and multi-family housing, libraries, museums and large-scale mixed-use developments. Jonathan has taught design studios at schools, such as Columbia, Harvard and Parsons, and is currently a visiting critic at Syracuse University. He serves on the preservation committee of the Municipal Art Society, the streetscape committee for the New York City Art Commission, and on the boards of the Isamu Noguchi Museum, the Van Alen Institute and Buckminster Fuller Institute. He has been a member of the NYSCA Architecture, Planning and Design panel since 2006. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and a Master of Design from Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Throughout the past twenty years Jonathan Segal, FAIA, has created and modeled the unique practice of ‘Architect as Developer.’ He has designed, developed, and constructed National award-winning single-family live/work residences and medium to high-density mixed-use housing in downtown San Diego and La Jolla, California since 1988. Jonathan believes that by practicing the firm prototype of ‘Architect as Developer’ the architect has the ability to become the owner, therefore eliminating the client and the general contractor from the design and building process. Jonathan Segal, FAIA’s goal is to promote this method of practice to other architects, so they also can have control, pride, and financial independence. Jonathan has held two seminars in Los Angeles and Washington D.C., with over 1,500 participants.