Full Name
Margaret Cavenagh, AIA, LEED AP
Company
Perkins&Will
Speaker Bio
Margaret Cavenagh is the Managing Director of Perkins&Will’s Chicago studio, a lecturer at UVA’s School of Architecture, and recent Chair of the A-School’s Dean’s Advisory Board. Through her work at Studio Gang and Perkins&Will, Margaret focuses on projects that strengthen communities, connect people to one another, and build resilience for the future.
For Margaret, design comes from working with what’s already there. “Every project contains a clue about where to begin,” she says. “It’s a process that unfolds over time, shaped by the many voices and identities that come and go.” She gravitates toward projects that celebrate this continuity—transforming existing buildings or restoring public spaces to keep them relevant today and resilient into the future. To her, the success of a project is measured by its connection to its place, by how much it feels like it’s always belonged there.
Margaret grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, but for over 30 years Chicago has been home. Throughout her career, she’s worn many hats, embracing a hands-on, “do whatever it takes” mindset, whether managing projects, building client relationships, or mentoring teams. She’s always led with empathy.
As managing director of our Chicago studio, Margaret is committed to nurturing our collaborative, supportive environment. Here, trust, open communication, and a shared vision fuel creativity and enable personal and professional growth.
For Margaret, design comes from working with what’s already there. “Every project contains a clue about where to begin,” she says. “It’s a process that unfolds over time, shaped by the many voices and identities that come and go.” She gravitates toward projects that celebrate this continuity—transforming existing buildings or restoring public spaces to keep them relevant today and resilient into the future. To her, the success of a project is measured by its connection to its place, by how much it feels like it’s always belonged there.
Margaret grew up in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, but for over 30 years Chicago has been home. Throughout her career, she’s worn many hats, embracing a hands-on, “do whatever it takes” mindset, whether managing projects, building client relationships, or mentoring teams. She’s always led with empathy.
As managing director of our Chicago studio, Margaret is committed to nurturing our collaborative, supportive environment. Here, trust, open communication, and a shared vision fuel creativity and enable personal and professional growth.
Speaking At
Full Name
Peter MacKeith
Company
Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas
Speaker Bio
Peter MacKeith is Dean and Professor of architecture at the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas. Appointed in July 2014, and reappointed in 2019, he is the fifth dean of the school and a nationally recognized design educator and administrator. MacKeith received his Bachelor of Arts in Literature and International Relations, with distinction, as an Echols Scholar from the University of Virginia (1981) and his Master of Architecture and the Alpha Rho Chi Medal from Yale University (1985). An advocate for contextual design and Nordic architecture, Peter connects academia and practice to strengthen communities through design.
A nationally recognized leader in advancing the cause of a forest-centered culture and economy, and the cause of a wood-product centered approach to architecture, engineering and construction, MacKeith lectures and presents frequently on these topics, most recently for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Sustainable Forests Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, and the International Living Future Initiative. He has worked with the World Trade Center Arkansas to organize a state trade and industry delegation to Finland in 2021, to advance the state’s interests in environmental and economic development, particularly in its forests, timberlands and wood products industries, and with the production team of the PBS series “America’s Forests” on two episodes devoted to the Arkansas forests and forest communities. In 2021, AIA Arkansas awarded MacKeith the Award of Merit in recognition of his contributions to the state’s architecture and education culture.
A nationally recognized leader in advancing the cause of a forest-centered culture and economy, and the cause of a wood-product centered approach to architecture, engineering and construction, MacKeith lectures and presents frequently on these topics, most recently for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Sustainable Forests Initiative, The Nature Conservancy, and the International Living Future Initiative. He has worked with the World Trade Center Arkansas to organize a state trade and industry delegation to Finland in 2021, to advance the state’s interests in environmental and economic development, particularly in its forests, timberlands and wood products industries, and with the production team of the PBS series “America’s Forests” on two episodes devoted to the Arkansas forests and forest communities. In 2021, AIA Arkansas awarded MacKeith the Award of Merit in recognition of his contributions to the state’s architecture and education culture.
Speaking At
Full Name
Elliot Felix
Company
Buro Happold
Speaker Bio
Elliot Felix is an accomplished strategist, facilitator, and sense-maker who is focused on defining and solving problems for people. Under Elliot’s leadership, he has helped transform over 90 colleges and universities including Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Institute of Technology, MIT, NC State University, New York University, Stanford University, the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of Michigan, and the University of Virginia.
Elliot is a prolific speaker and writer on reimagining higher education, having presented at more than 80 conferences including EDUCAUSE, SXSW, SCUP, and Tradeline; having been cited in publications such as Fast Company and Forbes; and written more than 40 articles in publications such as Planning for Higher Education, Library Journal, Business Officer Magazine, and Touchpoint: The Journal of Service Design. Elliot also serves on the Advisory Boards of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative as well as the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture.
Elliot is a prolific speaker and writer on reimagining higher education, having presented at more than 80 conferences including EDUCAUSE, SXSW, SCUP, and Tradeline; having been cited in publications such as Fast Company and Forbes; and written more than 40 articles in publications such as Planning for Higher Education, Library Journal, Business Officer Magazine, and Touchpoint: The Journal of Service Design. Elliot also serves on the Advisory Boards of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative as well as the University of Virginia’s School of Architecture.
Speaking At
Full Name
Dr. Mehdi Nourbakhsh
Job Title
CEO
Company
YegaTech
Speaker Bio
Dr. Mehdi Nourbakhsh is the CEO of YegaTech, a consulting firm helping AEC companies lead with AI strategy and innovation. He is the author of two Amazon bestsellers, Augment It and Disrupt It, which provide practical frameworks for applying AI in the built environment. With over two decades of experience at YegaTech, Autodesk, and Georgia Tech, Dr. Mehdi brings a unique perspective to the intersection of design and technology. He holds eight U.S. patents in the application of AI in AEC and manufacturing, and earned a master’s degree in computer science and a Ph.D. in design computing from Georgia Tech. He helps architecture firms shift from reactive technology adoption to proactive, sustainable innovation.
Speaking At
