Robert L. Easter, FAIA, NOMAC is President of KEi Architects, based in Richmond, Virginia, with an additional office in Charlotte, North Carolina, leading a practice focused on ecclesiastical, educational, recreation, and health care design. A graduate of Hampton University and Virginia Tech, he is a licensed architect in Virginia, the District of Columbia, and North Carolina, holds NCARB certification, and has served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He recently retired after fifteen years as Chair of the Hampton University Department of Architecture, where he advanced architectural education through initiatives such as IPAL and taught comprehensive design and professional practice. Nationally, he has held significant leadership roles with NOMA, AIA, NCARB, and NAAB, and has been widely recognized for his professional and civic contributions, including elevation to the AIA College of Fellows and receipt of AIA Virginia’s William C. Noland Medal for lifetime achievement.