Raymond Kent, ASTC, Assoc AIA, is a Partner, Senior Principal, and Director of Technology and Innovation at Studio B1, a premier theater design and performance venue consulting firm with offices in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky and Cleveland, Ohio. A third-generation theater practitioner, Ray brings 39 years of experience in the field, 25 of them in consulting, and has designed over 400 performance venues across his career. 

Ray holds a dual MFA in Lighting Design and Production Management from the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University, a dual BFA in Lighting Design and Technical Direction from Ohio University's School of Theater, and a Certificate in Executive Leadership for Creative Industries from the Yale School of Management. He is a full member of the American Society of Theatre Consultants (ASTC) and a LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction. Raymond is also a founding member and consultant with NEXXT AI focusing on AI in the audiovisual industry.

Additionally, Raymond was awarded the inaugural AV Professional of the Year in 2025 by AV Magazine's AV Awards Americas and was named an AV living Legend by Commercial Integrator in 2024.

Raymond is an active member with AVIXA's Sustainability Committee, Consultants Council, and Live Events Council, as well as being a former board member of Sustainability in AV (SAVeAV.org)

Ray is a keynote speaker and frequent presenter at national and international conferences and has taught at colleges and universities across the United States for the past 25 years. He is the author of A Spin Around Moving Lights, the first book written on automated lighting, host of the podcast Theatre Operations Unleashed, a frequent contributor to industry publications on topics including AI, projection mapping, lighting design, accessibility, and sustainability, and is currently working on a new book on accessibility in the performing arts.