Meet
The Senior Leadership Team
We represent your interests throughout the luxury and ultra-luxury home building process. Our team offers extensive experience in all aspects of residential construction and renovation, and project management – so we can help you select the best-qualified team, clearly communicate your goals, interpret vendors' perspectives, ensure appropriate payments and lien waivers, and manage your project every step of the way.
Keith Galbut
Keith Galbut is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of ADVOCATE – Residential Construction Advisors. Drawing on his legal, business, and construction expertise, Keith provides homeowners with strategic guidance throughout the design and construction process, helping them navigate complex projects and make informed decisions.
His professional background combines more than two decades of legal experience with advanced degrees in business and construction, including a J.D. from Arizona State University, an M.B.A. from Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a Master of Engineering in Construction Management and Technology from Arizona State University. Keith also serves as Director and President of Galbut Beabeau, P.C., an Arizona business law firm, where he leads the firm's corporate, construction, real estate, and outside general counsel practices.
Keith is also a longtime educator and community leader, having served as an Adjunct Professor of Business Law at Thunderbird and as Chairman and President of the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations. He has received numerous professional and leadership honors, including recognition from the Phoenix Business Journal as one of the Valley's "Most Admired Leaders", the Global Chamber as the "Global Business Service Provider of the Year", and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations with the "PCFR Visionary Award". As well as acknowledgements from AZ Business Magazine, Arizona Executive Magazine, and Phoenix Magazine, and as a repeat honoree of Arizona State University's Sun Devil 100. Under his leadership, ADVOCATE – Residential Construction Advisors has been included on the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest Growing Companies for the last four years in a row.
Scott Schroeder
Scott Schroeder brings extensive experience in luxury residential construction, architectural products, and design to his role as Vice President of Construction Services at ADVOCATE – Residential Construction Advisors. Since joining ADVOCATE in 2021, Scott has led the firm's Owner's Representative Services, providing homeowners with expert guidance and project oversight from concept through completion. His focus on transparency, accountability, competitive procurement, cost control, and team coordination helps clients navigate the complexities of custom home construction while protecting their vision and investment.
Scott's career spans more than two decades in the design and construction industry. Prior to ADVOCATE, he served as Principal of Source Direct Imports, a manufacturer and supplier of custom and prefabricated door systems, shower systems, vanities, and architectural products. There, he worked closely with clients and design professionals to develop creative solutions that maintained design intent while meeting budget and schedule requirements.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Geology from Arizona State University.
Scott Bernhardt
As one of our Senior Project Advocates, Scott serves as a trusted advisor and owner's representative for clients undertaking complex luxury residential construction, renovation, and interior projects. With more than 25 years of experience in full-scope project management, Scott is recognized for his strategic leadership, client advocacy, and ability to guide projects from initial concept through successful completion with transparency, accountability, and meticulous attention to detail.
Before joining ADVOCATE, Scott served as a Senior Project Manager with a private equity group, where he led large-scale luxury residential projects, managing project teams, budgets, schedules, design coordination, permitting, and construction. His earlier roles with Advanced Onsite and 360 View Project Management further developed his expertise in client representation, interior design and furnishings, team selection, cost control, value engineering, and project closeout.
Scott's strength lies in bringing clarity, accountability, and organization to complex projects. He advocates for his clients' interests, helps assemble and coordinate the right professional teams, mitigates risk, controls scope and costs, and ensures that each project remains aligned with the client's vision from concept through completion.
Jimmy Audiss
Jimmy serves as one of our Senior Project Advocates, representing the homeowner's interests throughout the custom-homebuilding process. He brings extensive experience in luxury residential development and a strategic approach to proactively addressing budget, schedule, quality, safety, and construction risk. Jimmy works closely with architects, designers, contractors, and vendors to ensure the homeowner's vision is executed to the highest standard.
Prior to joining ADVOCATE, Jimmy held various positions with Eagle Luxury Properties, an award-winning luxury home builder. His background also includes financial services experience in portfolio management, providing a strong foundation in capital stewardship, risk analysis, and disciplined decision-making. Jimmy holds a bachelor's degree in business sustainability from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.
Alex Baum-Stein
As one of our Senior Project Advocates, Alex serves as a trusted advisor and owner's representative for clients undertaking complex luxury custom homes and premium residential projects. With more than 15 years of experience in construction and development, Alex is recognized for his creative problem-solving, design sensibility, and ability to guide projects from early planning through successful completion while keeping design and construction teams aligned with the client's vision.
Before joining ADVOCATE, Alex founded The Tree Stone Group, an owner's representation firm focused on hospitality and restaurant projects, and served as Director of Development with Casetta Group, where he guided projects from concept through delivery. His earlier roles as a Senior Project Manager with Sydell Group, a developer of lifestyle hotels, and with Ennismore, the global hospitality company behind The Hoxton, deepened his expertise in design coordination, team management, budgets, schedules, and construction delivery. His background in Design and Visual Communications from Syracuse University further shapes his eye for design.
Alex's strength lies in protecting design intent while bringing structure and accountability to complex projects. He advocates for his clients' interests, streamlines the building process, keeps architects, designers, and builders accountable to one another, and ensures that each project remains aligned with the client's vision from concept through completion.
