ThinkLab’s Visionary Jeffersonian Dinners Forge New Paths for Local Design

Oh my goodness, I can’t remember the last time I didn’t check my phone for such a long period of time. I was just
so ‘in it.’”
— Tina Lamkey, CBRE Chicago

“I am literally still floating from that convo, so much so that I requested a last-minute meeting with my mentor to
discuss future ideas!”
— Amiyra Perkins, Pinterest

“This dialogue became a discourse that ‘rings success.’ It was satisfying, enriching, and certainly piqued my
curiosity in a fresh way.”
— Bill Bouchey, Gensler LA

“Wow, what a huge undertaking herding us all together, and so impressed with the quality of discussion and
insight!”
— Katlain Schultz, Williams Sonoma

As you can tell by these quotes from our Jeffersonian dinner guests, this was not your average dinner discussion.
Wait, you haven’t heard of a “Jeffersonian dinner” before? You’re not alone. The purpose is simple: to listen, learn,
debate, and inspire one another through meaningful dialogue.

Carlos Madrid III, SOM; Anosha Zanjani, HDR; Anya Ostry, CBRE; Nellie Hayat, Density; Marisa Bodecker, Material Bank; Amiyra Perkins, Pinterest; Brett Shwery, AECOM; Amanda Schneider, ThinkLab; Bill Bouchey, Gensler; James Woolum, ZGF Architects; Katlain Schultz, Williams Sonoma
Carlos Madrid III, SOM; Anosha Zanjani, HDR; Anya Ostry, CBRE; Nellie Hayat, Density; Marisa Bodecker, Material Bank; Amiyra Perkins, Pinterest; Brett Shwery, AECOM; Amanda Schneider, ThinkLab; Bill Bouchey, Gensler; James Woolum, ZGF Architects; Katlain Schultz, Williams Sonoma.

And that’s exactly what ThinkLab is doing with our own Jeffersonian dinners. Think of them as an innovative spin
on industry-wide team-building events—just brought down to the local level. ThinkLab’s goal is to create a safe
environment for individuals from the community to connect, cross-pollinate ideas, and share their differing
perspectives. But, through our own tested practices, ThinkLab is pushing these conversations even further, by
putting the typical “conversation after the conversation” on center stage. Here, we’ll share how you can
get involved in an upcoming Jeffersonian dinner with ThinkLab, or create one of your own.

Visit ThinkLab to continue reading the full story.

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