I’m excited to share the second episode in our Welcome to KM 3.0 podcast series, a collaboration between Knowledge Architecture and the TRXL Podcast.
This month’s guest is Ellen Bensky, CEO of Turner Fleischer Architects.
We titled this episode “CEO as Knowledge Architect” because that’s exactly what Ellen models in practice. Over the past decade, she’s helped Turner Fleischer grow from 60 to 250 people—not just by adding headcount, but by connecting people, process, technology, and culture in ways that support smarter, more sustainable growth.
In short, she’s doing the work of knowledge management—or KM—but from the CEO’s chair.
Ellen shares how KM became a strategic priority at Turner Fleischer, how her team embedded it into roles and workflows, and why AI is now playing a central role in simplifying and scaling the firm’s institutional knowledge. From employee onboarding to digital practice, project management to culture building, she shows how KM, done well, can become both an operational advantage and a leadership philosophy.
It’s one of the clearest, most thoughtful conversations on modern KM in AEC that I’ve ever been part of and we’re so happy to share it with you.
Enjoy!
Best,
Chris
▶ Watch or Listen:
📺 YouTube
🎧 Spotify
🎧 Apple Podcasts
Episode Highlights
Here are a few standout moments from the conversation:
13:12 Why your intranet should be a digital twin of your AEC firm
19:57 Why ‘Starting with why’ matters more than ever in AEC knowledge management
26:58 Using AI to write simpler, clearer AEC intranet pages for people and agents
45:36 Embedding knowledge management in roles: How Turner Fleischer baked KM into studio culture
1:07:24 Burnout, change fatigue, and the need for prioritization in AEC leadership
1:12:56 An AEC CEO’s advice on starting a knowledge management program from scratch
Note: We strongly recommend the full episode. Ellen’s clarity, candor, and care for her people are evident throughout and there’s something valuable here for anyone building a learning culture and/or leading through change.
About the Welcome to KM 3.0 Series
Knowledge Management has always evolved alongside technology. Today, powered by AI, a new golden era of KM is emerging — KM 3.0.
In this limited series produced by Christopher Parsons, CEO and Founder of Knowledge Architecture and Evan Troxel, host of the TRXL Podcast, we’ll profile a range of firms—each with a distinct approach to knowledge management. From program structure to measurable impact, we’ll explore how AEC firms are using knowledge management to get smarter in an AI-driven world.
You’ll hear from a CEO, a marketing director, a technology leader, a sustainability expert, and a dedicated knowledge manager. Each will bring a different lens—showing us how knowledge leadership can emerge from different corners of an organization and take shape in distinct ways.
In every episode, we’ll aim to get to the heart of how AEC knowledge management functions in practice—what’s working, what’s changing, and what’s next.
About the TRXL Podcast
The TRXL podcast is a leading voice at the intersection of architecture and emerging technology, hosted by Evan Troxel. Each episode features thoughtful conversations with architects, technologists, and industry leaders who are shaping the future of the built environment. With a focus on innovation, practice, and the people behind the work, TRXL offers listeners an inside look at how architecture is evolving—one insight at a time.
In addition to the free weekly show, TRXL+ offers an extended experience with bonus content, early access, behind-the-scenes commentary for subscribers who want to go deeper, ad-free episodes, and the Leadership Edge newsletter. You can explore the full archive and learn more about TRXL+ at https://trxl.co.