Transforming Tragedy: From Pulse Nightclub to onePULSE Foundation

Join Build Out Alliance and onePULSE Foundation, hosted by the Center for Architecture, to hear the compelling story of Pulse Nightclub and the creation of onePULSE Foundation, aiming to honor the victims and survivors of the largest terrorist attack on the LGBTQ+ community in the United States. Barbara Poma, owner of Pulse Nightclub and CEO of onePULSE Foundation, will expand on onePULSE’s vision for the National Pulse Memorial and Museum while Sebastian Baillet, co-chair of the Design & Construction Committee for the memorial and museum, will speak to the global design and construction effort involved in making the vision a reality.

Speakers:
Barbara Poma, CEO, onePULSE Foundation
Sébastien Baillet, Co-Chair, Design, Development & Construction Committee, onePULSE Foundation

About the Speakers:
Barbara Poma opened Pulse Nightclub in 2004 in Orlando, Florida. The nightclub was instantly embraced by the global LGBTQ+ community for its culture of love and because it provided a space where the community and their families could be themselves. Following the loss of her business when Pulse became the scene of one of the nation’s worst mass shootings in modern American history, Poma shifted her focus to serve as Founder of onePULSE Foundation, a not-for-profit established to honor and preserve the legacy of the 49 killed and all those affected by the June 12, 2016 Pulse Nightclub tragedy. Through her work, she has become a respected human and civil rights advocate, and she continues to drive onePULSE’s mission to create and support a memorial that opens hearts, a museum that opens minds, educational programs that open eyes, and 49 Legacy Scholarships that open doors.

Sébastien Baillet began his career at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts as an intern with the resort development and real estate team. He has worked on countless development projects throughout the globe, including the first hotel expansion project and the long-term development and master plan for Disneyland Paris; the 60th anniversary program for Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California; and the repositioning of the existing Walt Disney World Resorts and the new Disney College & International participants campus, Flamingo Crossings Village, which is now the largest housing campus in the United States. In April 2020, Baillet joined the leadership team at onePULSE Foundation, where he chairs the Design, Development and Construction Committee.

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