Meet the 2026 Speakers

World-class designers, business strategists, and industry leaders who have built the studios you admire are here to share what actually works.

Wendy Estela

Founder of Estela Law and Designed Counsel™

Wendy Estela is the Founder of Estela Law and Designed Counsel™, a contract template and subscription service exclusively for interior designers. With 25 years of experience in business law, Wendy focuses on serving the interior design, building, and construction industries. She has represented hundreds of interior designers, from AD100 and Elle Decor A-List professionals to those just starting out or changing careers. Wendy is a frequent speaker on contract negotiations and issues impacting the interior design industry, including presentations at High Point Market for prominent companies like Sherrill Furniture, Feizy Rugs, Daniel House Club, Studio Designer, Universal Furniture, and Dovetail. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Interior Design Community and The Design Besties. As an approachable and business-minded attorney, Wendy partners with her clients to deliver thoughtful, timely, and efficient advice, helping interior designers navigate contracts, business transactions, and risk management with practical solutions.

Bria Hammel

Bria is the Creative Director and CEO of Bria Hammel Interiors and Brooke & Lou. Based in St. Paul, Minnesota and Charleston, South Carolina, she leads a talented, all-women team known for its thoughtful, process-driven approach to design. Her work spans the country and reflects a depth of experience shaped by diverse regions, architectural styles, and ways of living.

Her work has been featured in national publications including Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, and Traditional Home. She was recently named one of Traditional Home's "New Trad" designers and, most recently, was included on Luxe Magazine's 2025 Gold List.

CEO & Creative Director

Jonathan Gulley

Executive Advisor and Strategy Consultant

Jonathan Gulley is a strategist, executive advisor, and former senior leader at Magnolia, the company founded by Chip and Joanna Gaines. He previously served as Head of Operations and Chief Strategy Officer at Magnolia, where he played a significant role in shaping the company’s internal structure and supporting its rapid growth. 2

During his tenure, Gulley was closely involved in operational leadership as Magnolia expanded its influence in Waco, Texas. He contributed to the company’s efforts to attract creative talent, build organizational systems, and support Magnolia’s role in revitalizing the local economy. His work helped strengthen the company’s operational foundation during a period of major expansion. Beyond Magnolia, Jonathan Gulley is an Executive Advisor and Strategy Consultant based in Waco, Texas. Through his advisory practice, Founder’s Table, he works with business owners and leadership teams on organizational structure, long‑term strategy, and scaling operations. His services include vision and strategy sessions, leadership team structuring, and interim COO/CEO support.

Jon Cheney

Jon Cheney is a builder-operator turned AI educator who sits at the intersection of strategy, execution, and human capability. As a leader within GenAIPI, Jon works directly with executives, founders, and teams to design AI strategies that actually ship—moving beyond pilots and hype toward durable business advantage.

Rather than chasing tools, Jon’s approach centers onAI literacy, governance, andoperational integration, helping organizations answer thehard questions:Where does AImatter? Where doesn’t it? And how do we enable people to lead with it responsibly?

Known for his calm, practical style and real-world analogies drawn from entrepreneurship and high-consequence environments, Jon frames AI adoption as a leadership challenge, not a technology one. His work focuses on turning AI into a compounding capability inside organizations, not an outsourced dependency.

Most importantly, Jon won’t get on a stage without leaving the audience with hands-on, practical advice on what to do next with AI. He often invites audience members to download something then and there and to start building immediately. He invites people to act rather than be acted upon.

Founder, GenAIPI

"Attending Empower The Designer in 2025 was a worthwhile investment in my professional growth. The programming was exceptionally thorough, with sessions that addressed the real business drivers of our industry—finance, project and client management, operational efficiency, and strategic growth. The speakers delivered engaging presentations that balanced creativity with practical, actionable guidance. The event maintained an enjoyable and energizing atmosphere, making it both productive and genuinely fun. I left with valuable knowledge, new connections, and new ideas to put forth in my work."