BAC Talks 2025 Schedule of Events
Wednesday, April 8, 2026, sessions will be available virtually. Thursday, April 9, 202, sessions will be held in person at the BAC and available virtually.
Day I | Wednesday, April 8, 2026
12:00-4:30PM | BAC Talks Day I
Featured Speakers:
12:00pm-3:00PM – Three featured speakers, to be announced soon!
3:00pm-4:30PM – Interactive workshop, to be announced soon!
Location: Virtual
This two-day annual symposium brings the design community together for in-depth discussions on relevant topics. With this year’s theme, ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation by Design’, join us virtually for Day I with three featured speakers' presentations followed by an interactive workshop.
Location: BAC
Please join us for the Celebrating Our Champions Reception, scheduled immediately before the Hive Week Keynote and the Alumni and Friends Awards Ceremony. Help us honor the BAC’s most loyal supporters—our dedicated donors, partners, and volunteers—who form the foundation of our college’s thriving community.
6:45PM | Hive Week Keynote Speaker Fireside Chat
Featuring:
Taniya Nayak, MSIA'03 Principal, Taniya Nayak Design and Television Host
Location: BAC
Join us the evening of Wednesday, April 8, 2026, following the Celebrating Our Champions reception, to hear BAC Alumna Taniya Nayak featured as the 2026 Hive Week Keynote. Please stay after to celebrate this year's 2026 Alumni and Friends Award winners. Taniya will join President Mahesh Daas for a candid fireside chat reflecting on her professional journey as an entrepreneur, creative process, and perspective on the future of design. The conversation will open to audience questions, creating an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and connection.
Location: BAC and Virtual
We invite you to join us for the BAC Alumni and Friends Awards Ceremony, a tradition that has been celebrated for over two decades. Presented by the BAC Alumni Advisory Council, this special event honors distinguished alumni and friends for their achievements in the design community.
Day II | Thursday, April 9, 2026
11:30AM | Presidential Luncheon and Presentation: "Entrepreneurship Through Design"
Featuring:
Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., MBA'92, PhD, President, Babson College
Dr. Mahesh Daas, President, Boston Architectural College and ACSA Distinguished Professor
Location: BAC and Virtual
1:00PM | Women’s CEO Roundtable: Partnerships that Drive Change
Featuring:
Lori Cowles, B.Arch'98, Principal, HMFH Architects
Natasha Espada, AIA, NOMA, LEED AP BD+C, Founder and Principal, STUDIO ENÉE
Diana Nicklaus, FAIA, President & CEO, Saam Architecture
Location: BAC and Virtual
2:00PM | From Idea to Enterprise: Stories from BAC Innovators
Featuring:
Tania Aguilar, M.Arch'22, Arch. Designer & Owner, TAN Design Studio
Collin Bray, President of Sales, Century 21 Cityside
Anddie Chan-Patera, MIA'18, Principal, A Square Design
Abby Gordon, BID'12, M.Arch'13, Co-Founder & Director of Design, Adaptiv
Location: BAC and Virtual
3:00PM | Designing for Impact: Social Innovation and Community Entrepreneurship
Featuring:
Kamilah Ain Welch, M.Ed, MDS-DHH'25, TiD-B, BAC Adjunct Faculty
Mark S. Goldman, AIA, B.Arch'89, Mark Goldman Architect, Arroyo Seco, NM
Monica Martinez Avila, MDS-RED'23, Project Manager - Boston Housing Authority
Bill Peterson, AIA, NCARB, B.Arch'13, Principal Architect, Derby Square Architects Inc. & USAF Captain
Location: BAC and Virtual
4:00PM | Industry Disruptors: Innovation, Emergent Tech and AI
Featuring:
Isra Banks, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, WELL AP, M.Arch'17, Boston Arch. Studio Manager, GFT
Amr Raafat, M.Arch'10, CIO Windover Construction
Nicole Voss, AIA, LEED BD+C, WELL AP, M.Arch’14, Director of Sustainability and Associate Principal, isgenuity
Location: BAC and Virtual
Location: Dillon's at 955 Boylston St., Boston
We invite you to join us for the Hive Week Happy Hour on April 9 at 5:30PM at Dillon's as we raise a glass to a week full of design-focused seminars, receptions, and award ceremonies showcasing and celebrating our vibrant community of BAC alumni, faculty, partners, and friends.
