Luminate: Navigating the Unknown Through Creative Leadership

Hosted by Schmidt Associates

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Aug 2026

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From navigating everyday team operations to carrying maximum impact in the boardroom, visionary leaders have used their experiences to create success. Listen to Luminate: Navigating the Unknown Through Creative Leadership as the Schmidt Associates’ team speaks with executives and leadership experts to uncover their achievements, watershed moments, and the turning points that have shaped their careers. Along the way, you’ll hear about their influences, discover what it takes to build strength and stability at the top, and learn lessons anyone in business can appreciate.

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August 27, 2026Episode 836 min

Foundations + Futures: Building the Next Chapter

To close out our Foundations + Futures anniversary series, we're flipping the format. Rather than revisiting a decade already lived, this roundtable turns to what's next: host Sarah Hempstead speaks with four Schmidt Associates team members, an architect, an interior designer, an engineer, and a landscape architect, about what today's practice looks like, what's changing fastest, and what they hope never does. Listeners will hear from: Alvin Laguerre, Graduate Architect : on the lesson that's shaped his whole approach to Owners (listen to what they say and what they don't), why data centers have become one of the field's most urgent conversations, and the architect's responsibility to help owners understand the real impact of what they build. Asia Coffee, Senior Interior Designer : on ten years at the firm, AI's growing hold on design inspiration and what it means for the value of real expertise, and why she hopes the firm's creativity and genuine care for people never fade. Andrew Eckrich, Mechanical Engineer : on the industry's shift toward safer refrigerants and electrification, why the next generation of engineers needs to be broader rather than narrower, and how technology has compressed a mailed, triplicate submittal process into a quick turnaround. Stephanie Gates, Landscape Architect : on a personal story of the firm standing by her that convinced her she'd her professional home, and how climate change is upending decades-old assumptions about asphalt, native plants, and infrastructure built for a climate that no longer exists. Along the way, the group traces the biggest shift in how the work gets done: technology, and the speed and collaboration it's unlocked. And they land on what they hope holds steady no matter how far the firm goes: creativity, humanity, and the value of solving problems together. This is the final chapter of Foundations + Futures, but as Sarah puts it, the story is far from over. Here's to the next 50. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook. #Schmidt50

July 21, 2026Episode 736 min

Foundations + Futures: 2020s with Ben Simmons and Veena Reddy

In this chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade, we step into the 2020s, a decade that has asked Schmidt Associates to plant roots in a new market, take on the most complex projects in firm history, and figure out what servant leadership looks like as a new generation steps into leadership. Ben Simmons , principal-in-charge and principal leading community work out of Schmidt Associates' Louisville office, and Veena Reddy , senior project architect and firm principal whose work in sustainability, education, and community-centered design shapes how the firm thinks about responsibility, join host Sarah Hempstead to talk through the decade and look at where Schmidt Associates is headed next. Listeners will hear about: Welcoming Arrasmith into the family right before the pandemic hit, a Louisville firm with roots back to 1926 behind landmarks from art deco Greyhound bus stations to the Louisville Zoo's award-winning exhibits, and how a shared belief in servant leadership made the combination work The Kentucky Exposition Center , the largest project either has led, a multi-phase modernization of a beloved 1960s facility built to carry its legacy into the next 60 years CPS projects , from Iroquois High School to Hudson Middle School, the first new West Louisville high school since the 1930s, plus an in-design STEAM charter school for young women Taking sustainability from a buzzword to daily practice, an approach built on subtraction and efficiency, tailored to what each owner's budget, timeline, and building actually need Ben and Veena's own promotions to principal this past year, and their shared vision for the firm's next 50 years: becoming a true community resource without losing the culture that gave them both a voice More than a tour of projects, this is a conversation about planting new roots, taking on work at a scale the firm had never attempted, and carrying servant leadership into a new city and a new generation. It's a look at how the throughline holds: good design serves people, and good leadership serves everyone else first. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

June 23, 2026Episode 625 min

Foundations + Futures: 2010s with Brett Quandt and Lisa Gomperts

In this chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade, we step into the 2010s, a decade that demanded more from everyone in design. Sustainability shifted from something firms aspired to into something they felt accountable for, and communities started asking whether what they'd built still served people or the planet. For Schmidt Associates, it was an era of bold ideas, complex partnerships, and a move into its second generation of leadership. Lisa Gomperts , firm principal, project manager, and Fellow of the American Institute of Architects, and Brett Quandt , principal and Schmidt Associates ' first-ever Chief Financial Officer, join host Sarah Hempstead to reflect on more than 20 years apiece inside the firm. With perspectives from both the design side and the business side, they bring to life some of the firm's most ambitious work yet. Listeners will hear about: P.R. Mallory, where a blighted east-side factory became an educational anchor for Purdue Polytechnic High School and the Paramount School of Excellence, sparking new housing and businesses across the neighborhood The Scott College of Business at Indiana State University, a 1920s federal courthouse reborn as a modern, collaborative learning community The Community Justice Campus criminal courts tower, one of the most technically demanding projects in firm history, designed largely through the pandemic The Hoosier Energy headquarters, a LEED Gold building for an owner who lives and breathes efficiency A move into second-generation leadership in 2016, plus Schmidt Academy, mentorship and the servant-leadership culture that still shapes how the firm shows up for clients and staff More than a tour of projects, this is two longtime colleagues remembering the decade that asked the firm to walk the walk: to commit to sustainability publicly, invest in its people deliberately, and take on work too complex to do alone. It was a decade about leaning into values, designing for people and the planet, and building bold things through partnerships that last. That approach is still how Schmidt Associates operates today. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

May 26, 2026Episode 524 min

Foundations + Futures: 2000s with Anna Marie Burrell

In this chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade, we step into the 2000s, a decade reshaped by school security, sustainability and the growing belief that a building could be a tool for wellness, community and change. For Schmidt Associates, it was the era of deepening roots. Anna Marie Burrell , K-12 studio leader and principal-in-charge, joins host Sarah Hempstead to reflect on more than 21 years of putting community at the center of every school project. Anna Marie came to Schmidt Associates in the early 2000s with architecture already in her bones, and this conversation brings to life the decade when that kind of intentional, people-first design began to define the firm's identity. Listeners will hear about: Plainfield High School and the community task force process that started with a question, not a blueprint Decatur Central High School , one of Indiana's first project-based learning environments The Vincennes Community School renovation , one of Indiana's first LEED-certified schools School security, mental health and wellness and how those conversations took root in this decade Schmidt Academy and the firm's formal commitment to lifelong learning Wayne Schmidt's servant leadership , seen up close by someone who got to watch it firsthand For the first time in this series, Sarah isn't just interviewing someone about a decade. She's remembering alongside them. Both joined the firm in the early 2000s, both found something here they weren't expecting, and both will tell you the culture was better than advertised. This decade was about purpose. About designing not just for today's students, but for the communities they'll grow up to lead. That approach is still how Schmidt Associates operates today. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

May 12, 2026Episode 423 min

Foundations + Futures: 1990s with Kevin Shelley & Steve Schaecher

In this third chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade, we step into the 1990s, a decade of dial-up connections, AutoCAD debuts, and a firm that was growing up fast. For Schmidt Associates , it was the era of intention. Kevin Shelley , chief operations officer and principal, and Steve Schaecher , design architect and firm principal, join host Sarah Hempstead to bring the decade to life. Both joined the firm at the start of the decade and have been part of its story ever since. Together, they share the stories behind the firm's expanding ambitions and the culture that made it worth staying for. Listeners will hear about: Just get over the wall: the retreat story that captures Wayne Schmidt's leadership in one unforgettable moment The NCAA announcement: a foam basketball, a surprise, a private plane to Princeton, and the firm's first brush with a star architect Perry Clark Aquatic Center: the project that quietly launched an entirely new market segment Adding disciplines: how landscape architecture, interior design, and MEP engineering transformed the firm in a single decade The throughline: servant leadership, owner focus, and the people who made it all possible This decade was about structure, layering intention onto entrepreneurial energy and trusting that a firm built on the right values could grow without losing itself. The 1990s gave Schmidt Associates its staying power, and you can still feel it in every studio today. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #Schmidt50

April 1, 2026Episode 329 min

Foundations + Futures: 1980s with Wes Harrison

In this second chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade, we step into the 1980s—cassette tapes, big hair, and a decade that wasn't afraid to reinvent itself. For Schmidt Associates , it was the era of finding direction. Wes Harrison , structural engineer and longtime collaborator, joins host Sarah Hempstead to bring the decade to life. From hand-drafted drawings and eraser crumbs to a bold bet on a dilapidated building on Massachusetts Avenue, Wes shares the stories behind the firm's early momentum and the leader who made it possible. Listeners will hear about: The IPS school projects that launched Schmidt Claffey's first big break and a K–12 legacy Wayne Schmidt's vision for an old building on Mass Ave that helped spark a neighborhood's transformation The Soldiers and Sailors Monument restoration and the controversy over tilted glass that ultimately became beloved The Tippecanoe County Courthouse renovation and the hidden floor discovered inside the walls The Indiana University Auditorium project and the bouncing balcony that became an engineering challenge worth solving Wayne's servant leadership quietly shaped a generation of young professionals This decade was about direction, discovering what the firm was built for and building the trust to prove it. The 1980s gave Schmidt Associates its pattern, and you can still see it in every studio today. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram , and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

March 5, 2026Episode 223 min

Foundations + Futures: The 1970s with Dean Illingworth

In this first chapter of Foundations + Futures: By the Decade , we travel back to 1976—when Schmidt Associate s was born from a bold idea, one chair, two employees, and a deep belief that architecture should serve people first. Dean Illingworth , a longtime Schmidt Associates team member and firsthand witness to the firm's earliest days, joins host Sarah Hempstead to bring the 1970s to life. From hand-drafted drawings on repurposed doors to animal safaris for third graders, Dean shares the stories that reveal who Wayne Schmidt was—not just as a founder, but as a leader who practiced servant leadership long before it had a name. Listeners will hear about: The real story behind "one chair, two employees"—and the doors that became drafting tables How a staged job interview landed Dean his first day at the firm (and why he was left alone in the office) The Hammond Block, Mass Ave, and the birth of the firm's historic preservation expertise The restoration of the Soldiers and Sailors Monument—a project that shaped the firm's identity and its place in Indianapolis The roots of Schmidt's K–12 education practice and early community-centered work This decade was about conviction—showing up for communities, leading with empathy, and building something bigger than a business. The 1970s gave Schmidt Associates its DNA, and you can still feel it today. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

January 29, 2026Episode 122 min

Flipping the Script: Sarah Hempstead on Legacy and Leadership

In this special anniversary series episode, we’re flipping the script— Sarah Hempstead , CEO of Schmidt Associates and host of Luminate , takes the guest seat to reflect on legacy, leadership, and what it means to carry a vision forward. As Schmidt Associates celebrates 50 years—and honors 100 years of Arrasmith history in Kentucky—Sarah shares the story behind her architectural journey, the values that drew her to the firm, and the pivotal moments that shaped her approach to servant leadership. From her earliest design inspirations to navigating the transition to CEO, this conversation explores how thoughtful preparation, collaboration, and curiosity have defined both her path and the firm’s evolution. Listeners will hear about: Finding purpose in architecture through travel, education, and mentorship Leading through uncertainty and the lessons learned from unexpected challenges Preserving culture while adapting for growth during leadership transition The importance of inclusive, ego-free design rooted in community impact This episode sets the stage for Foundations + Futures: By the Decade , a special anniversary series exploring the people, projects, and decisions that built our past—and the vision shaping our future. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook . #WeAreSchmidt

December 10, 2025Episode 3731 min

Episode 37: Showing Up Matters: How Dr. Travis Madison Leads with Heart and Clarity

Few roles demand more heart, humility, and resolve than leading a public school district. In this episode, CEO Sarah Hempstead sits down with Dr. Travis Madison, superintendent of New Albany Floyd County Schools , for a candid conversation about leadership rooted in purpose—and the power of showing up for students, staff, and the community every day. With nearly three decades in education, Dr. Madison offers the perspective of someone who has served at every level—from the English classroom to the superintendent’s office. He reflects on how coaching shaped his leadership style, why visibility and trust matter more than ever, and how career education can serve as a powerful equalizer for students across the district. Listeners will explore: Empathy and consistency as foundations for effective school leadership Visibility, relationships, and trust as drivers of districtwide success Career education access and how programs like Prosser prepare students for life beyond the classroom District alignment and the strategies behind building systems that support long-term impact Whether he’s cheering on students at an evening event or navigating big-picture strategy, Dr. Madison leads with an unwavering commitment to doing what’s best for kids. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram, and Facebook .

November 12, 2025Episode 3542 min

Episode 36: Tuned to Serve—Wendy Muston on Arts Advocacy and Community Leadership

In this insightful episode, CEO Sarah Hempstead sits down with Wendy Muston—concert harpist and former school board president—for a conversation about leadership, service, and the lasting impact of the arts in education. With a career that spans international concert halls and 25 years of public service in The Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township , Wendy shares how her experiences as a musician shaped her leadership style and fueled her advocacy for equitable arts education. From navigating challenges on stage to leading through a pandemic, her story is one of resilience, integrity, and a deep commitment to community. Listeners will hear about: Developing a music career with adaptability and purpose Leading without a personal agenda—and why that matters Advocating for early instrumental education as a foundation for equity Drawing leadership lessons from orchestral collaboration This episode is a powerful reminder that creative disciplines can build the skills leaders need most: empathy, collaboration and the ability to listen with intent. 🔗 Subscribe and follow us at @ SchmidtAssociates on LinkedIn , Instagram and Facebook .