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Home » Events » Design for Freedom Summit 2025

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Design for Freedom Summit 2025

March 27 @ 10:00 am - 6:30 pm

$100 – $350

The 2025 Design for Freedom Summit is a pivotal event that brings together leaders from architecture, engineering, construction, technology, government, manufacturing, non-profits, real estate, and academia to drive meaningful change in the built environment. This summit is dedicated to removing forced and child labor from the building materials supply chain and advancing ethical practices.

Participants will engage with cutting-edge research and technologies to implement the Design for Freedom Principles, including identifying forced labor, pursuing ethical decarbonization, and prioritizing circularity.

Building on the success of previous years, this summit will inspire, educate, and empower industry professionals to create a more humane and sustainable future.

Registration Details

  • General Admission: $350

  • Students: $100

  • Grace Farms Members: Use code MEMBER20 for a discount

  • AIA CES & SARA CES Approved: 5 LU | HSW

[Join the Waitlist]

Event Highlights

  • 2025 Pilot Project Announcements

  • Panels & Roundtables

  • Architectural & Nature Tours

  • With Every Fiber Exhibit

  • Jazz Breakfast, Lunch & Cocktail Reception


Agenda

9:00 AM – Registration, Breakfast & Exhibit

  • Jazz Breakfast with Marcus G. Miller & The Hummingbirds

  • With Every Fiber Exhibit

10:00 AM – Welcome Address

  • Sharon Prince, CEO & Founder, Grace Farms

10:15 AM – Opening Conversation

  • Grace Forrest, Founding Director, Walk Free

  • Amar Lal, Child Rights Lawyer & Activist

10:50 AM – Innovation in Supply Chain Accountability

  • Myrrh Caplan, SVP Sustainability, Skanska

  • Dave Lemont, Executive Chairman, Acelab

  • Amy Musanti, Director of Sustainable Building, ASSA ABLOY

  • Suchi Reddy, Founding Principal, REDDYMADE

  • Moderator: Nora Rizzo, Ethical Materials Director, Grace Farms

11:35 AM – Morning Break

11:55 AM – Generational Forest Stewardship in Haida Gwaii

  • Leticia Hill, CEO, HaiCo

  • Jeff Mosher, Chief Forester, Taan Forest

  • Toshihiro Oki, Architecture Advisor, Grace Farms

  • Orrin Quinn, Manager, Western Canada, FSC

  • Moderator: Sharon Prince, CEO & Founder, Grace Farms

12:35 PM – Grace Farms Tea & Coffee

  • Adam Thatcher, CEO & Co-Founder, Grace Farms Tea & Coffee

12:45 PM – Lunch & Tours

  • Architectural TourAnna Greco, Director of Education, Grace Farms

  • Fascia Pop-up TalkToshihiro Oki, Architecture Advisor, Grace Farms

  • Nature TourKimberly Kelly, Director of Horticulture, Grace Farms

  • Pavilion Tea SamplingFrank Kwei, Tea Expert, Grace Farms

  • With Every Fiber Exhibit Bio-Materials TourAnna Dyson & Ina Dajci, Yale Center for Ecosystems + Architecture

2:15 PM – Breakout Sessions

  • Ethical Decarbonization with Mass Timber

    • Justin Den Herder, Principal, TYLin | Silman Structural Solutions

    • Adrienne Nelson, Principal, Pickard Chilton

    • Orrin Quinn, Manager, Western Canada, FSC

    • Ryan Temple, Founder, Sustainable Northwest Wood

  • Scaling Up Circularity

    • Sarah Billington, Stanford University

    • Heather Henriksen, Harvard University

    • Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Senses

    • John Morrison, CEO, Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB)

    • Adair Smith, World Economic Forum

    • Kim Yao, Architecture Research Office

  • The Role of Investors, Insurance & Tech

    • Abi Potter Clough, CEO, AbiLeads LLC

    • Benafsha (Bee) Delgado, UN Global Compact Network UK

    • Wade Myers, Eagle Venture Fund

    • Peter Goodings Swartz, Altana

  • UVA Karsh Institute of Democracy: Pilot Project Case Study

    • Mike Castle, VP, Hourigan

    • Sydney Covey, STRUCTR

    • Sarita Herman, University of Virginia

    • David Keith, CEO, Hanbury

    • Bernard Peng, Höweler + Yoon

    • Alice Raucher, University of Virginia

  • With Every Fiber: The Designer’s Perspective

    • Nina Cooke John, Studio Cooke John

    • Ed Thompson, Brick & Wonder

  • Industry Alignment: Social Health & Equity

    • Illya Azaroff, AIA President-elect 2026

    • Lindsay Baker, CEO, Living Future

    • Annie Bevan, CEO, mindful MATERIALS

    • Vardhan Mehta, CEO, Acelab

    • Kelly Worden, IWBI

  • Design for Freedom International Guidance & Toolkit in Practice

    • Brigid Abraham, Grace Farms

  • Social Entrepreneurs Solving Global Challenges

    • Nasreen Sheikh, Empowerment Collective

3:45 PM – Pilot Projects, University & Exhibit Announcements

3:55 PM – Accelerating Design for Freedom Internationally

  • Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE, UK Parliament

  • John Morrison, Institute for Human Rights and Business

  • Alan Ricks, MASS Design Group

  • Anastasia Vynnychenko, UN Migration

  • Moderator: Elaine Mitchel-Hill, Grace Farms

4:40 PM – Special Guest: Hugh Evans, Global Citizen

4:55 PM – Closing Remarks & Cocktail Reception


Featured Speakers

  • Amar Lal, Child Rights Lawyer & Activist

  • Baroness Young of Hornsey OBE, UK Parliament

  • Grace Forrest, Walk Free

  • Hugh Evans, Global Citizen

  • John Morrison, Institute for Human Rights and Business

  • Sharon Prince, Grace Farms

Speakers List Includes:

  • Adrienne Nelson, Pickard Chilton

  • Alan Ricks, MASS Design Group

  • Amy Musanti, ASSA ABLOY

  • Heather Henriksen, Harvard University

  • Kim Yao, Architecture Research Office

  • Lindsay Baker, Living Future

  • Nasreen Sheikh, Empowerment Collective

  • Neil Jacobs, Six Senses

  • Orrin Quinn, FSC Canada

  • Sarah Billington, Stanford University

  • Suchi Reddy, REDDYMADE

  • Vardhan Mehta, Acelab

…and many more leading experts in ethical and sustainable design.

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Details

Date:
March 27
Time:
10:00 am - 6:30 pm
Cost:
$100 – $350

Organizer

AIA

Venue

Grace Farms
New Canaan, CT
Connecticut, United States
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