2025 Keynotes
Gil Schafer, AIA
Award-winning architect Gil Schafer is one of the country’s leading practitioners of contemporary classical architecture and one of the most sought-after residential architects working today. He is a member of Architectural Digest’s AD100, a winner of Veranda’s “Art of Design Award,” a recipient of the Arthur Ross Award for Architecture, and the subject of the recent PBS documentary, "Design in Mind: Unlocking the Mysteries of Place."
Gil holds a Master of Architecture from Yale and is the author of the bestselling books The Great American House and A Place to Call Home. His latest book, Home At Last, is newly out from Rizzoli. His work has also been widely published in the press and is included in over three dozen books on design. He opened his eponymous firm G. P. Schafer Architect in 2002 and renamed the firm Schafer Buccellato Architects in the fall of 2023.
Gil serves on the Yale School of Architecture Dean’s Council and the board of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and was president and then chairman of The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, the nation’s leading resource for the classical tradition in architecture and the allied arts, for over a decade. When he’s not traveling for work, he divides his time with his family between New York City, the Hudson Valley, and Maine.
Rush Jenkins

Rush, founder and principal creative of WRJ Design, is nationally known for creating award-winning interiors that are both ultra-luxurious and unpretentiously livable. Based in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, WRJ creates refined, contemporary environments combining the finest internationally sourced furnishings with historically rich, one-of-a-kind pieces that celebrate client stories and reflect a deep connection to surrounding majestic landscapes. The firm's interiors unfold with a sense of discovery, a technique honed early in Rush's career when he worked as director of design for Sotheby's, New York, creating more than sixty showstopping exhibitions of the collections of such luminaries as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Bunny Mellon, Nancy Reagan, Bill Blass, Mario Buatta, Cher, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Recognition for WRJ includes publications in Architectural Digest, LUXE Interiors + Design, The New York Times, Traditional Home, and House Beautiful.
WRJ is the recipient of multiple awards, including the ICAA Jacques Benedict Award, “Home of the Year” from Mountain Living magazine four times in less than a decade, and the RED award from Luxe Magazine. WRJ Design published its first book entitled Natural Elegance: Luxurious Mountain Living, with their next book slated for a summer 2026 release, and have received multiple mentions in other publications. Rush holds a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Cal Poly, and an associate’s degree from Sotheby’s London in fine and decorative arts. When not creating interiors for clients, he and his partner, Klaus Baer, can be found skiing the Rocky Mountains, biking through the national parks, and hiking with their two Newfoundlands, Dutchie and Wolfie.
Chris Dyer

Chris is a trailblazer in leadership, company culture, and business growth, with a career that’s anything but ordinary. From opening high-end hotels in Hollywood to founding his own successful ventures, Chris has spent years cultivating a diverse, action-oriented career that has propelled him to the forefront of his field. His expertise has been sought after by more than fifty of the top companies around the globe, helping them shape culture, lead with purpose, and grow their teams in ways that transform organizations from the inside out and empower leaders to turn challenges into opportunities. His high-energy, highly relatable keynotes have earned him features on major media outlets like NBC, CBS, BBC, Forbes, and more. Chris's storytelling and actionable insights help audiences reignite their passion and commitment, making an impact that extends well beyond the conference stage. He challenges leaders to embrace transparency, positivity, and innovation—and to cultivate cultures where people can thrive.