The Sedona Summit
November 01, 2021
It was great to disconnect from work and forge a deep bond with nature and our own energy with everyone who joined us in Sedona. It was far more than an escape to a resort—for three days, 150 DLN members were immersed in thousands of years of history and one of the world’s most stunning natural wonders.
Together, we focused on what it truly means to lead in our industry and that it takes commitment and practice from us all. At a time of unprecedented growth, along with a continually shifting landscape, it was incredible to come together to better understand how we are impacted as individuals, as leaders of our firms, and as people working to make a difference.
SUNDAY NIGHT
We kicked off the summit Sunday night with a Día de los Muertos dinner benefitting the Design Leadership Foundation, celebrating its pilot program with Mississippi State University that supports design students from underrepresented communities. Sixty gathered for this festive al fresco dinner, many decked out in in exuberant costumes and makeup that evoked this special cultural tradition, and artists such as Frida Kahlo and José Posada.
MONDAY NIGHT
Our Welcome Dinner was a true fête. We celebrated being together after so many months apart, surrounded by Sedona’s majestic red rocks. As well as greeting old friends and colleagues, we had the privilege of witnessing social and intertribal dances that have survived thousands of years, performed by Native Spirit Productions. We not only were able to witness the beauty and grace, the color and movement of these works, we also learned about the origins, purpose, and meaning of many of the dances.
TUESDAY
DAY 1 – We focused on rethinking leadership with author and advisor Charlene Li. Charlene forged conversations around the critical nature of our roles and the manifestoes we hold for our firms. She guided us in a journey to becoming transformational leaders at a time when our industry is booming and the needs of our employees and colleagues are evolving. See Charlene’s presentation here. In the afternoon, we all had the opportunity to explore through activities including rigorous mountain biking through the canyons, diverse hikes with stunning views and history, a session of watercolor landscape painting, or relaxing yoga.
We dined under the stars surrounded by the canyon walls and celebrated our annual Design Leadership Award winners, Jaime Rummerfield and Ron Woodson of Woodson & Rummerfield’s House of Design. Jaime and Ron were recognized for their preservation efforts with Save Iconic Architecture, and their commitment and efforts as founding board members of the Design Leadership Foundation. You can watch the awards video here.
WEDNESDAY
Day 2 – We began with thought provoking words from architect Michael Imber about starting a conversation that will lead to a new way of thinking about our work, and more holistically, about our entire industry, and how design can actually improve not only the lives of our clients, but our environment, and society as well.
Jesus Robles and Cade Hayes of DUST Architects shared their creative process that allows for a communion with the world, rooting their work in an intimate connection with the environment, both natural and built. See the presentation here.
Famed chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill and Blue Hill at Stone Barns unpacked the powerful concept that what we eat makes us who we are—and makes the environment what it is. He drew a striking parallel between food and what we design and build, raising the question— are we designing in a meaningful way that reflects local culture and the world that we want to live in?
To connect the dots, Catherine Connolly moderated a panel discussion with Tim Slattery, Joan Behnke, and Lisa Zeder about their paths to discovery, raising the tantalizing possibility that this could be one of the biggest opportunities for our industry to rethink our power and our potential.
Amid the majestic red rocks of Sedona, experiencing the power and energy of what is known as a “vortex,” and inspired by the unwavering strength and stability of the canyon walls, we learned, discovered, and shared!
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