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CEU Sessions

NeoCon continues to provide unparalleled programming across a range of educational topics and categories with CEU accredited seminars that offer world-class expertise and insight on today's most relevant topics.   

The NeoCon 2023 Programming Hub is now closed.

2023 Onsite CEUs

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  • From Surveys to Solutions – The Impetus Behind Good Design

    As the need for workplace strategy over the past few years has expanded, so does the case for aligning client culture, business and design. In this 1-hour CEU, a case study of an organization returning to the office after the pandemic will be presented. A 6-survey series was conducted with emphasis on employee emotions, connection, and satisfaction over a 4-month period. Additional perspectives from the audience will be actively sought throughout and engaged to understand the complex array of issues at play. Recent national studies will be provided as context, and the format will shift to examining the survey results constructively to build the case for objective design.

    Lizzie Gerock, NCIDQ, RID, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP
    Workplace Strategist, Senior Interior Designer, Gresham Smith
    Lizzie Gerock is Senior Interior Designer & Workplace Strategist at Gresham Smith with 15 years of expertise designing retail and commercial interiors across the U.S. and East Asia. She has extensive experience with green building certifications including LEED, WELL, EEWH, and Green Star. Lizzie enjoys creating buildings that repurpose and recycle materials, and designing spaces that promote wellbeing. Lizzie is passionate about developing personalized workplace strategies and programming for each unique project to deliver spaces where people want to spend time. After 8 years living abroad, Lizzie speaks English, Spanish & Mandarin, and she now works in Gresham Smith’s Life + Work Places studio based in Nashville, Tennessee. Lizzie serves on the Customer Advisory Council for SitOnIt Seating and is published in WorkDesign magazine.
    Lizzie Gerock, NCIDQ, RID, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP
    Jack Weber, IIDA, LEED AP, MCR
    Senior Vice President, Gresham Smith
    Jack Weber is a design leader and a senior vice president at Gresham Smith specializing in consulting for strategy development, research and design for new and innovative workplaces. Jack spends most of the time as a project executive, workplace strategist and firmwide design leader, bringing over 35 years of experience at creating value for businesses through the design of inspirational work environments that align client organizational culture and vision. Jack works in all phases of design from strategic/master planning, workplace strategy, programming, schematic and prototype design, project management, branded environments, product design and marketing. Jack’s passion is centered around the ever changing workplace, and how organizations can build a new workplace platform that allows employees to thrive. He speaks regularly to internal client groups, CoreNet, IIDA, IFMA, NAIOP and other industry audiences about the strategies for new ways working.
    Jack Weber, IIDA, LEED AP, MCR
  • The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly; A Frank Conversation About Our Planet and Saving It

    Why is doing the right thing so hard? The design profession has been working towards sustainability since LEED began, yet effective results remain elusive. The pandemic has accelerated the desire and need to create healthy and resilient environments. Challenges are overwhelming, from regional and cultural influences, to clients, regulatory agencies, material and certification processes and construction costs. How do we implement effective solutions before it is too late? Jon, David and Joey approach these questions from different lens. They will take you on a journey to the center of this question and will share effective paths to success. The presentation will discuss the evolution of sustainability and share strategies that will positively impact climate change, occupant health, social equity and the built environment.

    Jon Strassner, LEED AP
    Chief Sustainability Officer, ASID
    Jon Strassner, LEED AP, serves as Chief Sustainability Officer at the American Society of Interior Designers. A LEED Accredited Professional since 2007, Jon has over 25 years of industry experience. Jon is passionate about understanding the role we all play in the Net Positive Movement, where we don't just take less from the environment, but restore, regenerate, and replace what has been damaged or destroyed. A passionate founding member of the Next Wave collaborative, Jon has traveled the globe to share this message, speaking at events such as the Our Ocean conference in Bali, Indonesia and many more.

    Jon is also the co-founder, co-creator of the “Break Some Dishes” podcast, where he and his partner, Verda Alexander, look for stories and personas in the sustainability world and bring them back to our industry for inspiration and greater understanding.
    Jon Strassner, LEED AP
    Joey Shimoda, FAIA, FIIDA
    Co-Founder, Shimoda Design Group
    Joey Shimoda is curious about anything beautifully designed. A lifetime of searching has created an exceptional architect, planner, and interior designer. His expertise, passion and thoughtfulness lead to inspired and tailored solutions. Born in Alabama and educated in California, wanderlust has led him to live in Florence and London. In 2000, he and Susan Chang founded Shimoda Design Group in a loading dock in the artist district of Los Angeles. Notable clients include; Rolex, Bad Robot Productions, TOMS, Steelcase, Bloomberg and Tishman Speyer. Joey is one of the rare designers who is a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the International Interior Design Association (IIDA).
    Joey Shimoda, FAIA, FIIDA
    David Cordell, FASID, WELL AP, LEED AP
    Associate Principal, Perkins&Will
    David Cordell is an associate principal at Perkins&Will. With over 20 years of experience as project designer and technical coordinator on ground-breaking projects, Cordell brings a particular focus on interior environments and their interaction with occupant health and wellness and sustainability. Cordell’s experience includes a variety of corporate, nonprofit, healthcare, and science and technology projects for clients of various sizes. For more than ten years he has been the sustainability leader for the interiors practice in Perkins&Will’s Washington, D.C. office. Cordell has worked on numerous LEED projects, several of which earned Platinum certification, including ASID’s headquarters, the first project in the world to also earn Platinum certification under the WELL Building Standard. Cordell chairs the National ASID Committee on Climate, Health and Equity, and speaks regularly on topics related to healthy interior environments, diversity and inclusion and sustainability.
    David Cordell, FASID, WELL AP, LEED AP
  • Leading Through Change: Lessons from CBRE, GoDaddy, & Google's Transformation Strategies for the Post-Pandemic Workplace

    Workplace

    This presentation will explore how to effectively lead and manage organizations in the post-pandemic world. The pandemic has created uncertainty and new challenges for companies, including creating how to attract employees to the office by providing a compelling employee experience and tackling the dreaded commute. We will examine real-life examples of companies that successfully navigated these challenges, including CBRE's leadership lessons from the 2008 real estate crash, GoDaddy's transformation of its Global Technology center, and David Radcliffe's approach to the commuting challenge for Google. Attendees will leave with a better understanding of how to lead through uncertainty and practical approaches to tackle the biggest post-pandemic challenges facing companies today.

    Rex Miller, MSF, USPTA, GeniusSpark
    Owner, MindShift
    Rex Miller is an expert in the field of transformation, with a wealth of experience and knowledge that makes him a sought-after consultant. With 44 years of experience in project management, construction, manufacturing, distribution, research, writing, and consulting, he has a unique perspective on how to guide leaders through uncertain times. He owns MindShift, a research and organizational consulting firm, the Genius Spark software company, and the River Rose leadership ranch in Glen Rose, Texas. He is also an award-winning author, having written six books with Wiley.

    Rex has received numerous awards for his contributions to the industry, including the CoreNet Global Innovator Award, CoreNet's Industry Excellence Award, and IFMA Outstanding Achievement Award. His background as a USPTA-certified tennis professional and coach for hall-of-fame and Olympic athletes further adds to his expertise in leadership and performance. He uses his unique blend of experiences to guide leaders into new conversations and relationships that result in new realities.

    MindShift's current focus is on unlocking hidden potential through the GeniusSpark program. By combining NASA's research on genius traits with the latest psychometric assessments, MindShift has developed an app and accompanying book called "The GeniusSpark" that guides individuals in creating a unique portrait of their full potential. His client list includes significant organizations such as Google, GoDaddy, Facebook, IWBI, DPR, Balfour Beatty, Atrium Health, UHS, UC Davis Health, Port of Virginia, and The Federal Reserve Bank. As a keynote speaker, Rex inspires and educates audiences on the possibilities of change and the power of unlocking hidden potential.
    Rex Miller, MSF, USPTA, GeniusSpark
  • Positivity in Public Art — A Conversation Between Design Museum of Chicago + You Are Beautiful

    Public Space

    With a combined 30 years of experience in creating high quality public artworks across a variety of surfaces, communities, and audiences, the Design Museum of Chicago and You Are Beautiful are partnering for a discussion at NeoCon on the power of positivity in public art. Cities gain enormous economic, cultural, and social value through a vibrant public art program. Chicago's collection of world-class public artworks reflect its varied cultures, communities, and ideologies, and remind of us our shared values. When designing new artworks for public spaces, artists are responsible for considering participation, community building, and education as part of the design process. From there, positive messaging in public artwork has the capacity to impact our mental health, self worth, and general well being.

    Tanner Woodford
    Founder & Executive Director, Design Museum of Chicago
    Tanner Woodford is founder and executive director of the Design Museum of Chicago. As an artist, he paints optimistic, typographic, and larger-than-life murals. His work has appeared at the WNDR Museum, Soho House Chicago, and is permanently installed at Weber Shandwick in the John Hancock Building. In 2020, Tanner was appointed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot to the City of Chicago’s Cultural Advisory Council. As a designer, educator, and entrepreneur, he has taught, lectured, and led workshops on design issues, social change, and design history in classrooms and at conferences.
    Tanner Woodford
    Matthew Hoffman
    Founder, You Are Beautiful
    Matthew Hoffman is a Chicago based artist & designer whose public works have been exhibited internationally. His ideas and work have been included in Good, the New York Times Magazine, and Ready Made. He has been published in books by Gestalten, Droog, and Taschen, and was featured in a segment on the Oprah network. Matthew has created large scale public installations for the City of Chicago, Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway Conservancy, Albright Knox Gallery, as well as companies like Apple, Facebook, Zappos, & Cards Against Humanity. There are close to 30 outdoor installations currently up in the Chicagoland area.
    Matthew Hoffman
  • Building a Better Buzz: Animating your Workplace

    Workplace

    At a time when uncertainty about workplace and real estate is at an all-time high, we need actionable strategies for making sure that utilization is optimized and offices are "buzzy" - places where the experience of being there aligns with expectations of what the future of workplace can - and should! - be. In this course, we'll learn what constitutes "buzz," how to operationally program for it, how to incorporate it into planning principles, and how to design spaces that enhance it. We'll also look at recently-completed project examples to explore what these spaces look like, how they're performing, and what we're learning from them that we can carry through to future design work.

    Brian Stromquist, AIA
    Global Workplace Practice Area Co-Leader, Gensler
    As Gensler's Firmwide Practice Leader for Technology Workplace Design, Brian draws upon his background in architecture and research to develop workplace solutions for technology companies across the globe. He works closely with design teams across the firm, identifying client-specific project processes while incorporating the latest workplace trends and practices. His work has been published in Metropolis, Fast Company, Propmodo, and Politico, and his recent speaking engagements include NeoCon, ULI, and the Metropolis Think Tank series. He earned his undergraduate in architecture from Yale, and his masters in architecture from the Harvard University Graduate School of Design.
    Brian Stromquist, AIA
  • How to Connect with the Next Generation of Designer: Helping You Stay Ahead as Gen Z Influences Change in the Interiors Industry

    Industry Directions

    Explore groundbreaking new research that will change the way you think about the future of the interiors industry. Gen Z is set to make up 27% of the workforce by 2025, and the ripple effect of their impact on the industry will be felt by all generations. Discover the latest insights from top A&D firms as we reveal the results of ThinkLab's latest Hackathon. Over the past 6 months, the brightest minds in the industry have been working to challenge outdated norms and identify the most impactful ways to CONNECT with the next generation of designers. Join us for a panel-style presentation and gain unique perspective on the shifts and impacts to come. Don't miss out on this game-changing research!

    Amanda Schneider, MBA
    President, ThinkLab
    Amanda Schneider, LEED AP, MBA is a researcher, writer and founder of ThinkLab, the research division of Sandow Design Group, and sister company to Interior Design Media, Metropolis Media, Luxe media and more. Amanda is a strategic thinker with a strong background including industrial design, market research, product management, sales, and strategic launch practices with a breadth of companies within the interiors industry.
    Amanda Schneider, MBA
    Jeanette Kim
    Senior Associate, Senior Interior Designer, Perkins&Will
    Jeanette has a passion for workplace environments, with experience in corporate headquarters, ground-up and renovations, small-scale offices, luxury showrooms and experience centers. Her holistic approach to design includes a commitment to learning and experimenting – channeling curiosity into continuous improvement for her and her clients. With an emphasis on celebrating brand identities and prioritizing human experience, she considers the end user during all phases of a project. By combining responsible design with a motivation to amplify diverse stories, she seeks to challenge possibilities and find opportunities for lasting positive change and cultural influence. Jeanette is committed to defining solutions that inspire, connect, and empower people, with honesty and joy.
    Jeanette Kim
    Audrey Koehn, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Global Interiors Leader, Principal, DLR Group
    As DLR Group's Global Interiors Leader, Audrey leads more than 150 interior design professionals across the firm's 30 global locations. She is responsible for elevating the impact of interior design work in each of DLR Group's market sectors. She also establishes standards, ensures consistency, inspires future leaders, and reinforces the value of dedicated interior designers on integrated design teams. In addition to her Global Interiors Leader role, Audrey's leadership voice is also heard on DLR Group's Executive Leadership Team, Advisory Board, and collaborative Integrated Practice Forum. Externally, she serves on Kansas State University's Interior Design Advisory Board.
    Audrey Koehn, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Isabel Das
    Technical Designer, Gensler
    Isabel Das is a technical designer in Gensler’s Chicago office, contributing to workplace projects for clients including Linkedin, BDO, and Jet Support Services Inc., among others. She joined the firm in 2021 upon graduation from University of Kansas with a master’s of architecture, and in addition to her project work has supported Gensler’s diverse talent pipeline initiatives and serves as her studio’s community impact leader.
    Isabel Das
  • Steppenwolf Theatre: Expanding the I.D.E.A. (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access)

    DEI Public Space

    Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s new 50,000 square-foot theater building and education center is an updated cultural nexus for Chicago. Our multidisciplinary presentation explores how Steppenwolf’s new spaces encourage inclusion and diversity by creating new opportunities for Chicago’s youth, accessible to a wider range of people, and how honest, durable, simple materials can enhance cultural spaces by allowing people to feel included, respected, and seen. Our discussion will explore how natural day light is admitted into the interior spaces to add beauty and functionality to the design. Each aspect of the talk will be viewed through the lens of flexibility, adaptability, and inclusion.

    Gordon Gill, FAIA, OAA, AIBC
    Design Partner, Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture
    Gordon Gill FAIA, is one of the world’s foremost exponents of performance based architecture. Ranging from the world’s tallest buildings to sustainable communities, his work is driven by his philosophy that there is a purposeful relationship between formal design and performance; and that there is a Language of Performance, which is the basis of his practice: Form Follows Performance.

    His approach is based on an ecologically conscious philosophy that sets new standards for the relationships between the built and natural environment. His buildings and urban projects have transformed cityscapes and defined as well as restored city centers around the world.

    A founding partner of award-winning Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, Gordon’s work includes the design of the world’s first net zero-energy skyscraper, the Pearl River Tower (designed at SOM Chicago), the world’s first large-scale positive energy building, Masdar Headquarters, the world’s tallest tower, Jeddah Tower in Jeddah Saudi Arabia and most recently the design of Astana Expo 2017 and its sustainable legacy community for Astana, Kazakhstan. These landmark projects pursue energy independence by harnessing the power of natural forces on site and striking a balance with their environmental contexts. Gordon’s designs also include performing arts centers, museums, strategic carbon planning and urban master plans across the globe.

    Gordon has been published extensively and has exhibited, lectured and taught widely in the U.S. and internationally. His designs have repeatedly been recognized and awarded by the American Institute of Architects and Architectural Institutions around the world. In 2009 he was selected as Chicago’s best emerging Architect. In 2013 Gordon was elected to The College of Fellows at the American Institute of Architects and in 2015 Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture was ranked the number one firm in the United States of America by Architect magazine.
    Gordon Gill, FAIA, OAA, AIBC
    Brooke Flanagan
    Executive Director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
    Brooke Flanagan serves as Executive Director for Steppenwolf Theatre Company, America's premier ensemble theatre. Together with Artistic Directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis, she is responsible for stewarding the company's artistic growth, programmatic service, and economic vitality. This includes the ""Building on Excellence Campaign"" in progress, a $73M capital expansion program that serves to evolve the Theatre's artistic home to foster bold and ambitious opportunities for creative expression, social exchange, unparalleled accessibility, and arts-driven learning for Chicago teens.

    Prior to this role, Brooke served as Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s Managing Director, responsible for the theater's fundraising, long-range strategy, and external affairs programs. During her ten-year tenure, she increased the Tony Award-winning Theater’s annual contributed income by 50% and led the Our City, Our Shakespeare Campaign, which closed above goal after raising $61.6 million. Key programs developed during her tenure include: a rebranding and positioning campaign; Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks; Shakespeare 400 Chicago; and the design and opening of The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare.

    Brooke spent seven seasons previously at Steppenwolf as Director of Major Gifts; was the Associate Director of Development for Ravinia Festival; and held early career positions at League of Chicago Theatres and Santa Fe Opera.

    Brooke is a member of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s Cultural Advisory Committee and the Economic Club of Chicago. She has raised more than $200 million across the span of her career for non-profit arts organizations. During her tenure as Board Chair for Arts Alliance Illinois, the advocacy organization secured a 30% increase in state funding for the Illinois Arts Council, a historic $50 million capital arts infrastructure bill, and a legislative win guaranteeing arts curriculum for all K-12 students. Following the onset of Covid-19, she championed the creation of the Arts for Illinois Relief Fund, launched a mask fabrication program for out-of-work costume artisans, and served on both the city and state ""back to work"" task forces for the performing arts. She co-chaired the AFP Chicago and National Alliance for Musical Theatre Conferences. She received the Nashville Mayor’s Acts of Excellence Award for her 1994 direction of The Holocaust—a Gathering of Stones.

    She holds her BFA in Theatre from the College of Santa Fe and resides in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood with her husband and three children, who proudly attend a Chicago Public School.
    Brooke Flanagan
    Clemeth Abercrombie
    Group Design Principal, Charcoalblue LLC
    Clemeth’s work spans disciplines ranging from facility planning and technical systems design, to room acoustics design and noise control. Clemeth combines experience in real-world venues with a theoretical base to provide creative design solutions rooted in pragmatism. He has seventeen years’ experience working in theatre including fourteen years as a consultant with stints at Artec Consultants and Arup serving as a project manager and designer for several of their major international arts venues. He also served as a concert sound engineer, production manager, and stagehand in the central Illinois region with clients including Krannert Center for the Performing Arts and Technotrix.

    Since joining Charcoalblue in 2015, Clemeth has opened the Hudson Theatre on Broadway, opened (and closed) a temporary performing arts centre within a coal-fired generating station for Toronto’s Luminato Festival, adapted a church into a theatre for Southern Rep in New Orleans, and led the design of the landmark TheatreSquared in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

    Clemeth has previously worked with l’Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra, and Israel Camerata Jerusalem in the course of their opening seasons in new concert halls. Clemeth has also developed systems for virtual reality displays which bring clients into the design experience with immersive environments including visual, acoustic and tactile stimuli."
    Clemeth Abercrombie

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2023 Virtual CEUs

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  • A Designer’s Role in the Digitally-Supported Future of Work

    Technology Workplace

    The interaction of people, workspace, and technology is an ecosystem that has been evolving for years, and the pandemic only accelerated this trend. We believe that office spaces—both physical and virtual—should be designed based on how people work today, incorporating technologies that provide a consistent experience regardless of location. Adopting this design approach sets a standard for an inclusive and seamless work environment that promotes well-being and productivity. This presentation will introduce the concept of AV Equity to address the technology tools, design approaches, and new behaviors that are needed for all to do their best work. The concepts will be demonstrated by case study examples and inspirations that serve as a call to action for everyone who contributes to the designed workplace experience.

    Haley Nelson, NCIDQ, ASID, LEED AP, WELL AP
    Senior Interior Designer and National Interior Design Expertise Leader, HGA
    Haley Nelson is an Associate Vice President and Senior Interior Designer in the Los Angeles office of HGA. With expertise as a workplace designer and strategist, Haley focuses on the cultivation of original insights that support the creation of places for people and organizations to thrive. Haley is currently serving as one of three National Interior Design Practice Leaders at HGA, where she is responsible for connecting and empowering designers while elevating interior design excellence for all project types across the firm. Many of Haley’s projects have achieved the highest levels of certification for sustainability and well-being, have been published, and have won design and sustainability awards. Haley is a thought-leader and has presented at numerous venues on how design can positively impact people.
    Haley Nelson, NCIDQ, ASID, LEED AP, WELL AP
    Amin Mojtahedi, PhD, Assoc AIA
    Design Innovation Manager, HGA
    Amin Mojtahedi, PH.D., Assoc. AIA Design Innovation Manager, HGA Amin’s work focuses on the architecture of social learning in work and higher education environments. Leveraging his Stanford training as a University Innovation Fellow and IDEO teaching experience, Amin is a proponent of incorporating Human-Centered Design and Design Thinking into the architectural process. Amin believes the most innovative and equitable solutions to organizations’ toughest challenges are inside them. So, he designs conditions for grassroots change and sustainable growth in organizations by empowering their people. Amin is the Chair of Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE) at the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA). In 2018, Silicon Valley Business Journal and San Francisco Business Times named Amin “Upstart 50” for his innovative approaches to user-centered design and research.
    Amin Mojtahedi, PhD, Assoc AIA
    Daniel Michaud
    Building Technologies Department Leader, Principal, HGA
    Daniel J. Michaud Department Leader and Building Technologies Principal, HGA Dan's 33 years of experience working in technology design, consulting, contracting and integration firms gives him a well-rounded perspective on methodologies for implementing technology in both new and retrofit projects. He has spent his career becoming familiar with all low voltage systems that are used in the built environment, spanning wired to wireless, IT to audiovisual, and security to building automation. An experienced technology project manager, Dan has developed customized processes in program and project management for integrated building systems from both a design and implementation perspective. At HGA, he is tasked with developing these processes into management consulting offerings that bring enhanced value to clients.
    Daniel Michaud
  • A Diamond in the Rough: A Case for Adaptive Re-Use

    Sustainability

    See the possibility of adaptive reuse to research environments. This interactive discussion will challenge the possibilities for the conversion of unexpected building types into workplace and research environments while prioritizing planet impact and design innovation. Our knowledge sharing of two different West Coast project case studies have pushed boundaries to expand thinking, while sharing the opportunities and challenges.

    Knowledge: The presenters will inform the audience of current metrics, statistics and data around adaptive reuse, carbon reduction impacts and evaluation.

    Query: Leading the audience through a series of interactive queries, the presenters will lead a discussion around the possibilities and limitations for repurposing assets in unexpected ways.

    Inform: The presenters will share case studies for various adaptive reuse scenarios and the outcomes from these studies.

    Leah Bauer, ASID IIDA IFMA NCIDQ
    Project Director, Gensler
    Leah Bauer, ASID, IIDA, IFMA, NCIDQ, Project Director at Gensler, is a global interior architectural design leader who has played an integral role in a wide variety of commercial projects including corporate, research, workplace strategy, hospitality and healthcare. Leah excels at connecting great design with a client’s vision and budget to deliver world-class solutions. In her current role, she is leading the San Francisco Life Science practice which includes global biopharmaceutical clients and working with developers to convert existing buildings into research environments. Leah is involved with many organizations, including IFMA as the Hospitality Council Vice President and with ASID as the Professional Development Chair. A champion of lifelong learning, Leah shares her knowledge through mentoring, guest lecturing, writing and presenting. She has a unique approach to her designs and delivering successful award-winning projects.
    Leah Bauer, ASID IIDA IFMA NCIDQ
    Ed Palushock
    Project Director, Gensler
    Ed’s life has largely been centered around design and building, including within his own hands. His approach to design is drawn towards rooting a project into the place and space where it resides. The depth of knowledge, design expertise, and proactive planning he brings to projects provides an integrated approach fostering inventive design solutions while achieving project aspirations. His approach has led to award-winning recognition for his work, spanning multiple scales and project types.
    Ed Palushock
  • Amplify Your Impact: Applying Sustainable Thinking in Design and Construction

    Sustainability

    To demystify the process of building and designing sustainably, we propose the idea of featuring HUSH, Material Bank, and EHDD in conversation to discuss the research, process, and decisions necessary in sustainable design and construction projects. HUSH will present a case study of sustainable experience design, discussing how the studio makes the invisible systems of sustainable buildings visible to inspire and empower audiences. Material Bank will present on sustainable material choices addressing how designers, architects, and builders can better understand the sustainability of materials and the resources available to make these decisions more accessible. EHDD will present their embodied carbon calculator, addressing how these tools work and how audiences can use them to estimate/quantify the impact of their material choices on the environment.

    Rebecca Best
    EVP Sustainability, Material Bank
    Rebecca has 20 years’ experience developing and leading corporate sustainability and marketing strategies within different facets of the construction & design industry. She has a deep understanding of how-to bring climate responsibility to the forefront of innovation, to create business value. She is incredibly passionate and creatively integrates sustainability and CSR initiatives into core strategic decisions. Currently, her focus leads Material Bank’s commitment to support climate action, as a part of responsible corporate governance, as well as practically integrating sustainability into workflow tools to build added value for the entire design community.
    Rebecca Best
    David Schwarz
    Founding Partner, HUSH
    David Schwarz is an award-winning creative leader and a founding partner of HUSH. His career has been dedicated to designing brand experiences that integrate content, interactivity, architecture, and technology. After graduating from ArtCenter College of Design, he worked for notable creative studios, interactive agencies, and design firms in Los Angeles and New York. Since founding HUSH, he has developed numerous projects across sport, luxury, beauty, technology and entertainment categories—most notably for Equinox, Google, Nike, Sonos, and Uber.

    David has been featured in esteemed publications and outlets, including Creativity, Fast Company, Inc. Magazine, Communication Arts, Cool Hunting, FWA, and The Hub. He’s spoken at conferences for AIGA, The One Show, SEGD, SXSW, AdWeek, Cannes Lions, FITC, Seattle Interactive Conference, the Columbia School of Architecture, RE:DESIGN, and Digital Dumbo. He is also a mentor at New, Inc.—the New Museum’s incubator program for art, technology, and design.
    David Schwarz
    Patricia Heye, AIA, LEED AP BD C
    Architect, EHDD
    Patricia is a project architect at EHDD licensed in both California and Washington. Working as a sustainable design specialist and skilled in design thinking, human centered design, and stakeholder engagement, Patricia currently is working to create the first fully decarbonized renovation project in the United States. Prior to this position, she attended Cornell University and earned my Master of Arts in Design with a concentration in Sustainable Design Studies.
    Patricia Heye, AIA, LEED AP BD C
  • Antimicrobial Textiles: Science Fiction vs Facts from the Lab

    Healthcare Wellness

    Many products are marketed to designers and architects touting antimicrobial benefits, yet antimicrobials are also flagged as chemicals of concern by many authoritative lists. This has created confusion around if or when using these treated products makes sense. Using recent research results, we will dive into this chemical class by focusing on one common use: as a textile treatment. Architects, designers, specifiers, and purchasers will become informed about when and where to use antimicrobial treatments on products, understand the downstream effects, and be able to talk with manufacturers of treated building products about the need for antimicrobial treatments in the built environment.

    Suzanne Drake, CID, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, Fitwell Ambassador, NCIDQ
    Senior Interior Designer, Revel Architecture and Design
    Suzanne’s career has focused on commercial interiors, specializing in creating healthy environments and being the conduit for healthy materials knowledge dissemination. As an interior designer, she draws on over two decades of experience in workplace, health care, and laboratory environments to support client initiatives and sustainability goals. Currently, she is leading Revel’s firmwide sustainability initiative. She was instrumental in developing the Precautionary List, and has co-authored three installments of the Healthy Environments whitepaper series, including Strategies for Avoiding Flame Retardants in the Built Environment, What’s New (and What’s Not) With PVC, and Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients in Building Materials. Her book EcoSoul: Save the Planet and Yourself by ReThinking your Everyday Habits was published in 2013.
    Suzanne Drake, CID, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, Fitwell Ambassador, NCIDQ
    Erica Hartmann, PhD
    Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University
    Dr. Erica Marie Hartmann is an environmental microbiologist interested in the interaction between anthropogenic chemicals and microorganisms, as well as bio-inspired mechanisms for controlling microbial communities. Her career began at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, where she worked on mass spectrometry-based methods for detecting microbial enzymes necessary for bioremediation. She then moved to Arizona State University where she was the first graduate of the interdisciplinary Biological Design PhD program. She then moved to France on a Fulbright, studying microbes that degrade carcinogenic pollutants at the Commission for Atomic Energy. She began leading studies on antimicrobial chemicals and microbes found in indoor dust at the Biology and the Built Environment Center at the University of Oregon. She is currently continuing that work and developing novel non-chemical antimicrobials as an assistant professor at Northwestern University. She was recently awarded an NSF CAREER to support her work on antimicrobial textiles.
    Erica Hartmann, PhD
  • Beyond Facetime: Transforming the Value Proposition of Interior Design Services in a Post-Pandemic World

    Design Skills Industry Directions

    How can the new post-pandemic era enhance the values that are “broken“ in the interior design engagement with clients and improve the vitality of the profession in this time of economic, environmental and societal instability? This interactive presentation with a design research analyst, a CRE, and a commercial interior designer, will probe the issues that accelerated the shift from designing environments to designing experiences. Workplaces demand new experiences to remain relevant and future-proof, while trends toward well-being, sustainability and DEI gain new urgency. Our expert panel will unpack the drivers that dictate a new design mission, and provide insights on how commercial designers—as experts on the impact of design on human behavior/experience—can leverage these challenges to reassert their present and future value to commercial clients.

    William Bouchey, NCIDQ, FIIDA, ASID
    Design Director, Gensler
    As a leader in "agile" corporate workplace design Bill has completed over 5 million square feet of award winning and recognized corporate workplace and showroom projects. With over 25 years experience Bill facilitates a team process with creative leadership which emphasizes visioning, culture, business objectives, and branding that define a workplace strategy. Innovative and forward thinking environments include WPP, Tough Mudder, Milliken and other companies.
    William Bouchey, NCIDQ, FIIDA, ASID
    Susan Chung, PhD, WELL AP
    Sr. Research Program Manager, Vice President, HKS Inc.
    I'm passionate about connecting research and design to improve human experiences in the interior environment. With a background in both interior design and environmental psychology, I take on a holistic approach and focus on the synergy and collaboration between the two in order to create meaningful positive impact on human experience. True to my design philosophy, "Design is Life; Life is Design," I believe in sharing knowledge on how design impacts our lives and how we can design to make a difference to all through research, teaching/learning opportunities, speaking engagements, and everyday life.
    Susan Chung, PhD, WELL AP
  • Branded Interiors and Storytelling

    Hospitality Design Skills

    Brands are communicated through stories. We have designed successful interiors that tell unique and powerful brand stories from the first moment of the experience all the way through to the touchpoints and materials. We will illustrate and analyze retail and hospitality case studies of award-winning interior designs that create immersive and unique branded environments which deliver a strong brand narrative for visitors. Projects: Barbie Shanghai flagship for Mattel, Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Clubhouses at JFK, Newark and LAX Airports, and Flightclub New York and LA locations. Each of these projects articulates the brand promise and tells the story with a visceral and intuitive visitor connection. Each of these projects was awarded Best-of-Year Design Award from Interior Design Magazine as well other national and international awards.

    Hayes Slade, AIA, NCARB, RA, IIDA
    Founding Partner, Slade Architecture
    Hayes Slade, AIA, believes in the catalytic potential of design for people, communities, institutions, and societies. Her work spans across scales, designing and delivering projects that are innovative and impactful for private and public clients: her smallest project was a doghouse that won an AIA National Small Project Award and her largest an eight acre Staten Island Masterplan.

    She co-founded Slade Architecture in 2002, with her partner in work and life, James Slade. In order to contribute to the public realm, Slade Architecture has been part of the NYC Design Excellence Program at the NYC Department of Design and Construction for over ten years. Additionally, Hayes served as an Architecture Fellow with Design Trust for Public Space and co-authored Design Guidelines for affordable housing for the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development . On the private side, her clients include Virgin Atlantic, Mattel, W Hotels, Flightclub and Aperture Foundation as well as distinguished confidential clients. Her work has been published and exhibited in the US and abroad and recognized with numerous design awards.

    In addition to her work at the firm, Hayes currently serves on the board of Grace Farms Foundation, as well as the advisory committee for FIT Interior Design program and the advisory board of Madame Architect. Hayes has been actively involved with the NY chapter of the American Institute of Architecture and served as AIANY President in 2019. The focus and theme of her term was “Building Community” in keeping with her long-term priorities. Hayes has taught design studios at Parsons School of Design/The New School and Syracuse School of Architecture. She is an alum of Cornell (BS and Meng) and University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School (MBA), a long-time Lower East Sider, and a mother of four.
    Hayes Slade, AIA, NCARB, RA, IIDA
    James Slade, FAIA, LEED-AP, IIDA
    Founding Partner, Slade Architecture
    James Slade FAIA, IIDA, LEED-AP is a co-founder of Slade Architecture. With built projects in the United States, England, Korea and China, his work has been recognized internationally with awards, exhibitions and over 300 publications. His awards include a NYC Design Excellence in Public Architecture Award, Progressive Architecture (PA) Awards, AIA Awards, Interior Design Best of Year (BoY) Awards, Architectural Record Design Vanguard (2000), Architectural Record/Businessweek Award, FX Award, the Architecture League of New York’s 2010 Emerging Voices and 2000 Young Architects Award. His work has been exhibited at MoMA, the National Building Museum, Deutsches Architekturmuseum, the Swiss Institute, the Architecture League of New York, AIA Center for Architecture, the Venice Biennale and other national and international venues.
    James is committed to the public role that architects play in shaping our society. He co-authored Design Guidelines for affordable housing for NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Furthermore, Slade Architecture has been part of NYC Department of Design and Construction Design Excellence program for over a decade.
    James has taught design studios at Parsons, Syracuse University, Columbia/Barnard, Pratt Institute, and other schools. He has served on juries for national and international design awards. He is a past co-chair of the NY AIA Awards Committee. James has a BA from Cornell University and a MArch from Columbia University.
    James Slade, FAIA, LEED-AP, IIDA
  • Building Resilience in the Workplace: A Global Perspective

    Wellness Workplace

    Stress and mental health issues are increasingly pervasive at work. No matter the source of the stress, its effects are felt rippling through our lives at home and the workplace—impacting our well-being, relationships, job satisfaction, and performance. The workplace can act as a buffer to help employees reduce stress and build resilience. Resources come in many forms, from the built environment to social support. A workplace that is optimally designed provides people with resources that are most relevant to combat stressors, build resilience, and contribute to improved performance. From original research conducted by Haworth, we have gained a unique understanding of what workplace resources employees value the most, and the quantifiable impact they can have on mitigating stress and improving performance.

    Kristin Reddick, NCIDQ
    Senior Design Research Consultant, Haworth
    Kristin is a certified Interior Designer and Design Consultant on the Research team. In this role she collaborates with the team to study and learn about topics that are important to our clients, including culture, workplace performance and wellbeing. Kristin believes that learning about people, making connections and having empathy can translate into more thoughtful design outcomes that best support the way people work. Kristin takes the insights gained through our research and develops design concepts and best practices that help our clients create effective workplaces. A graduate of Purdue University, Kristin has been a member of Haworth since 2011.
    Kristin Reddick, NCIDQ
    Eric Novotny, PhD
    Research Specialist, Haworth
    Eric Novotny is a behavioral scientist with a decade of experience conducting research on how people respond to aspects of their social, virtual, and physical environments. He joined Haworth in 2022 as a Workplace Research Specialist, investigating the ability of workspaces and furniture to support performance and wellbeing, as well as to enhance the experience of employees at work.
    Eric received his PhD in Communication from Michigan State University in 2020. Throughout his academic career, Eric studied nonverbal communication, with a focus on how humans synchronize their behavior in time and space, and the affiliation and coordination that can result from this synchrony. He also investigated the impact of media on human cognition and behavior, including how news, television, and video games affect one’s sense of morality.
    Leaving academia in 2022, Eric has brought a rigorous scientific background to his role in the Workplace Research and Insights team within the Global Design and Sustainability group at Haworth. His expertise in methodology includes experimentation, surveys, interviewing, and content analysis. He also brings experience conducting research that leverages advanced technology, such as virtual reality and motion capture, to his role in researching workplace behavior. These abilities allow Eric to collaborate harmoniously with designers and engineers to provide the “why” behind Haworth’s design.
    Eric Novotny, PhD
  • Building Resiliency for Health

    Wellness

    When we define resilient building, we usually mean the ability to withstand weather events that threaten exterior structures. But a resilient building also needs safe conditions inside – where the people are! What happens on the outside can impact the inside. Learn how to expand your definition of resiliency to safeguard both the interior and the exterior of a structure and human health. Gain insight into emerging materials science related to resiliency including current research of the impact of climate on material emissions and the presence of long lasting “forever” chemicals called PFAS.

    Marilyn Black, PhD, LEED AP
    Vice President and Senior Technical and Strategic Advisor, Chemical Insights Research Institute
    As a Public Health scientist, Dr. Black is a leader in the study of environmental pollution and its impact on human health. Dr. Black founded the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides verification of chemical safe products. GREENGUARD has been instrumental in helping transform products to safer formulations for the betterment of the environment and human health.

    Following research and teaching, Dr. Black founded Air Quality Sciences, Inc. (AQS,) a research company focused on measuring sources of indoor pollution and associated health effects. Dr. Black currently leads Chemical Insights Research Institute, a nonprofit organization providing scientific insights for societal well-being.

    She received a PhD from the Georgia Institute of Technology, M.S. from the University of Florida, and B.S. from the University of Virginia, all in Chemistry. She also holds a professional certification in Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
    Marilyn Black, PhD, LEED AP
  • CIDA Future Vision: Closing the Gap Between Interior Design Values and Practice

    Industry Directions Design Skills

    As part of its commitment to research-based standards development, the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) scans the interior design industry looking for data, trends, and other information as to what designers (and therefore students) will need to know to be prepared for successful practice. Scans of economic, demographic, environmental, and technological trends are invaluable for charting the future in increasingly uncertain times, but so too for looking deeply into the interior design profession itself. Future Vision presents a thoughtful look at what interior design practitioners, educators, and allies think about the evolution of the profession and the perceived gap between interior design values and practice. Our panel of distinguished speakers will discuss how closing the gap may require disrupting the whole ecosystem.

    Moderated by Khoi Vo, ASID, IIDA
    Chief Executive Officer, American Society of Interior Designers
    Khoi Vo, CEO, ASID, has two decades of experience across interior design, architecture, and education. Most recently, Vo was a leader at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). In 2002, he founded Studio Four Los Angeles. He later founded Khoi Vo Design and was the studio’s design director for 12 years. Vo began his career at CSU as an assistant professor for the interior design program. He later became a professor and Chair at SCAD’s department of interior design. After a stint at UNC Greensboro, Vo returned to SCAD to head its former Hong Kong campus.
    Moderated by Khoi Vo,  ASID, IIDA
    Ian Rolston, NCIDQ, IDC, LEED GA
    Founder, Decanthropy
    Decanthropy is a collaborative equity design and innovation studio engaged by executive teams committed to equitable futures in both private and public sectors. Led by Founder and global design strategist, Ian Rolston, the studio leverages cross-discipline knowledge foresight to optimize unrealized value for their clients impacting people, processes, and built environments. Decanthropy makes systems, strategies, and spaces more human.
    They are equity engineers – partners for social impact.
    Ian Rolston, NCIDQ, IDC, LEED GA
    Felice Silverman, FIIDA, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, EDAC, NCIDQ
    Principal, STA Design
    Felice Silverman, FIIDA is a Principal at STA Design Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. She is the Chair of the Board of the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). She served as President of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA) from 2013-2014, and served on IIDA’s International Board of Directors from 2009-2016. Felice has been practicing interior design for the past thirty years, with a focus on the design of interior spaces for innovation, workplace, education, children, hospitality, healthcare, and well-being. Felice is NCIDQ certified, and was the 2006-2007 President of the IIDA New England Chapter. She served on the Boston Architectural College’s Board of Trustees from 2009-2012 and 2016-2018, as an Overseer from 2012-2016, and was the Chair of the BAC's Interior Design Advisory Board and Student Development Committee. Felice is the Past President of the Interior Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC), and has served as a member of the Massachusetts Interior Design Coalition Advisory Council. She has been an educator and guest critic at many colleges and has served on numerous competition juries nationally and internationally.
    Felice Silverman, FIIDA, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, EDAC, NCIDQ
  • Contemporary Disruptors in Traditional Architecture

    Design Skills Public Space

    When it comes to public buildings, the majority of people favor traditional over contemporary styles of architecture. Traditional and historic architecture is often characterized as being a better fit in our neighborhoods and communities, with a warmth and familiarity that seems to be lacking in many contemporary buildings. And yet, many of these so-called traditional buildings were considered controversial and deemed progressive for their time. This session examines some of the outliers of historic architecture which were innovative for their time, explores how our baseline of normal has shifted, and how progressive thinking has played a role in traditional architecture.

    Maurice Gagnon
    Director, Gagnon Architecture
    Mo Gagnon is the founder of Gagnon Architecture, a full-service architecture firm in New York City. He leads a collaborative practice of architects, interior designers, and model makers who specialize in creating unique places that are relatable, efficient, and expressive. They work with ambitious clients who share their belief that people deserve authentic and inspiring places.

    Mo Gagnon provides design direction for all projects from concept to completion. With more than two decades of experience as an architect on a wide range of national and international projects, he brings extensive expertise in high-performance cultural, civic, and housing projects. Places he has helped create have been recognized by the American Institute of Architects, the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, and the US Green Building Council. Mo has lectured and served as a visiting juror at Norwich University, Keene State College, and Pratt. He is a member of the AIA, the Architectural League of New York, and the American Alliance of Museums, and is a registered architect in multiple states.
    Maurice Gagnon
  • Cracking the Code of Commercial Interiors in Mass Timber Buildings: How Interior Design Influences and Reacts to Mass Timber Structures for Longevity and Reduced Carbon Impact

    Sustainability

    A case study in mass timber design to explore how workplace interiors can support and advance sustainability goals. Beyond the renewable nature and visceral appreciation of wood these buildings offer, the material properties expose design opportunities unique to the structure unlike more common steel and concrete offices. This session identifies the conditions to anticipate and how to develop a lasting solution. With restrained material use, optimized energy systems, and infrastructure strategies for future changes, this facility is designed to support a government organization striving to build by example. In addition to targeting LEED Platinum certification, upon completion in 2023, the five-story, 207,000 square foot County Office Building in Northern California will be the first net-zero-energy civic building constructed with mass timber in the country.

    Matthew Wasylciw, AIA IIDA LEED
    Interior Design Associate, SOM
    Matthew is an Associate Interior Designer in SOM’s San Francisco studio, where he leads the interior design of commercial and civic workplaces. For over 15 years, he has designed technology industry campuses, headquarters, and office spaces in the Bay Area, developing a deep appreciation for user experience design. He is constantly investigating the effect of interior spaces on employee health, wellness, and productivity.

    Matthew’s work at 49 South Van Ness–the award-winning, LEED Platinum headquarters for the San Francisco Departments of Public Works, City Planning, Building Inspections and Permitting–is a testament to his dedication to creating interiors that are simultaneously logical and comforting, engaging and timeless.

    Outside of work, Matthew’s current passion-project is updating his mid-century home in the California mountains.
    Matthew Wasylciw, AIA IIDA LEED
    Elissa Gee
    Interior Designer, SOM
    Elissa Gee is an integral member of the SOM Interiors Studio in San Francisco, where she has developed the interior architecture for a variety of typologies, including large-scale city and federal government workplaces. When composing architecture that connects people and their environment, Elissa integrates in-depth research with a discerning design sensibility.

    Elissa has contributed to the development of award-winning and innovative architecture, including the space-planning at 49 South Van Ness which integrated four municipal offices into a single, integrated workplace.

    Beyond architecture, Elissa find joy in the crafting ceramics, cooking, and her adorable rescue dog, Katsu.
    Elissa Gee
  • DEI at the Intersection of Art & Design: A Penn State Health Case Study

    Healthcare DEI Design Skills

    Diversity and equity are the building blocks of population health--with this in mind, how can healthcare systems convey an atmosphere of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) through their environments? This presentation will focus on a case study at Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center. There we developed “personas” representing the area's diverse demographics. These personas provided the perspective to help the design team imagine the individual experiences and emotional connections that tie people to place. To further celebrate the area's diversity, PSH leadership created a DEI-focused art program. The art committee and selected artists represent a diverse group and artwork includes subjects with diverse skin color, body types, cultures, geographies and abilities. We will discuss the unique process used to build this program.

    Margi Kaminski, ASID, NCIDQ
    Principal, Director Health Interiors, CannonDesign
    As co-director of CannonDesign’s Health Interiors Practice, Margi supports market initiatives and strategy, focusing on business growth and client engagement. With over 30 years of practice experience, she has led a range of notable projects for leading healthcare systems such as Kaiser Permanente, Northwestern Medicine and Penn State Health. Margi brings a valuable perspective from the provider side of healthcare, having worked alongside practitioners during her tenure at Northwestern Medicine, and also from the owner side having managed her own firm, Quarters - Design for Living Spaces, for 15 years. Margi is a certified Lean Green Belt. She is a frequent speaker at leading healthcare industry conferences and was named the 2019 “Member of Distinction” by the Illinois Chapter the American Society of Interior Designers, their highest honor. Margi currently serves on the National Board of Directors of ASID.
    Margi Kaminski, ASID, NCIDQ
    Troy Hoggard, AIA, EDAC
    Design Principal, CannonDesign
    With years of experience designing healthcare projects of all scales and scopes, Troy distills the vision, values and goals of clients into design concepts that embrace and support the art and science of healing. As a Design Principal in the firm’s healthcare market, Troy continuously strives to advance resilient built environments toward architecture that excites and engages patients, staff and the community and is also sustainable, beautiful and closely reflects the values of society. His broad roster of clients includes Advocate Aurora, Penn State Health, University of Chicago, Northwestern Medicine, Johns Hopkins and more. He has earned multiple AIA and Healthcare Design awards for his work, and consistently speaks on healthcare design trends and creating meaningful and impactful patient and clinician experiences. Troy is also one of the firm’s subject experts in Lean Design and Construction, with experience guiding teams using non-traditional delivery, including incentive based and Integrated Delivery methods.
    Troy Hoggard, AIA, EDAC
    Aimee Platt, CHID, IIDA, LEED AP
    Associate Vice President, Interior Design, CannonDesign
    With more than 25 years of healthcare interior design and medical planning knowledge, Aimee’s strengths lie in collaborating with her fellow design team, hospital leadership and staff to create thoughtful and empathetic interior experiences. From outpatient specialty clinics to new community hospitals, Aimee has designed remarkable healthcare journeys that improve quality of life for patients, staff and visitors alike on projects from coast to coast. In 2020, Aimee was named to the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID). She also mentors students at her alma mater, Texas Christian University, and serves on juries for design awards such as Best of NeoCon and the Nightingale Awards.
    Aimee Platt, CHID, IIDA, LEED AP
  • Demystifying the Metaverse as a Sales Channel and Business Tool for Design

    Technology Industry Directions

    3D spatial technology already pervades the architecture and design industries and its much-discussed cousin, "the metaverse", has evolved to the point where it's of the visual quality, low cost and ease of accessibility across digital devices that it's poised to transform the industry. Join this interactive CEU session where you'll learn from a builder of the tech and a business implementation specialist about the truth behind what's possible with the technology, how to think 'beyond the goggles' about the capabilities of the technology, and dive into real world use cases of how your business can integrate a metaverse channel. From how to expand and create greater accessibility to your showrooms to bringing ecommerce into 3 dimensions and beyond - this session has you covered.

    Andrew Lane
    Co-founder, digby
    As co-founder at digby, Andrew draws from over two decades of digital business and Web 2.0 leadership experience to help heritage-rich global brands navigate their first steps into Web3, blockchain and the metaverse, with a focus on delivering brand value and new revenue and customer engagement opportunities. A seasoned entrepreneur, intrapreneur, speaker, and educator with deep expertise in emerging technologies, Andrew made his career building and leading teams and organizations from startups to multinational corporations through change and transformation. He’s spoken at leading conferences in multiple industries including NeoCon Salone del Mobile and KBIS, designed and delivered innovative courses for prominent colleges and universities in digital media and technology, and sat on numerous boards and councils aligned to helping organizations and individuals chart their course into new territory. Andrew is also a co-host of Barriers to Entry, a web3 and emerging tech podcast for the architecture and design industry, and a co-founder of Interior Design Magazine’s Metaverse Architecture & Design (MAD) Awards.
    Andrew Lane
    Cosmo Kramer
    CEO & Co-Founder, Bitreel
    I'm proud to be the CEO of Bitreel. Bitreel is helping retailers build the next evolution of shopping by empowering their store associates to connect with consumers in immersive and collaborative virtual shopping sessions. These virtual sessions help make remote sales more effective for products that have historically been hard to sell online (luxury furniture, home décor and fashion in particular) and reduces the need for massive physical stores in high priced locations. I'm grateful every day for our users, team, clients, advisors and investors. And when I'm not working I enjoy spending time with my family (wife, 2 kids and 1 dog so far) and friends around the world.
    Cosmo Kramer
  • Designing for the Future: Exploring Workplace Research

    Workplace

    In today's evolving workplace landscape, addressing current needs and anticipating future requirements is crucial. This presentation explores the essential practice of Workplace Research and its role in creating a productive and efficient environment. The approach, which includes three essential stages: planning, execution, and evaluation, will be discussed with real-life examples provided to demonstrate how to execute these steps. This approach enables continual improvement and adaptation to the ever-changing needs of the workplace. By the end of the presentation, attendees will have a comprehensive understanding of how to navigate the dynamic workplace and will be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct successful workplace research.

    Brent R. Arnold, RID
    Senior Manager, Workplace Experience and Experimental Design, Indeed
    Brent Arnold is passionate about human-centered design and has spent his career creating experiences that focus on people. He has a background in event management, web design, lighting design, and interior design, with a focus on designing corporate offices for tech companies. As a Workplace Leader at Indeed, Brent transforms the workplace using a data-driven and research-based approach to design. He focuses on understanding how employees work in order to create the best environment for them.
    Brent R. Arnold, RID
  • Designing the Future by Redesigning Our Roles

    Technology Industry Directions

    The future of the design industry as we currently know it is at risk with the rise of technology that renders jobs, roles, and processes obsolete. The counterpoint is also true, where the status-quo is hindering change for the greater good. What does the future look like for designers in this new era of profound and rapid change? What is the true value of design when practiced by humans and machines? Can we create a new path forward that merges the best of humanity, nature, and technology? This talk will explore and expand the role of “Designer” within this context, as the future will need Eco Hackers, JEDI Facilitators, Tech Synthesizers, and Experience Makers.

    Royce Epstein, LEED AP
    A&D Design Director, Mohawk Group
    Born with one eye open, Royce Epstein is both historian and futurist who shares her passion and vision for how culture affects the language and meaning of design in a broad context. Trained in art history, she spent two decades working as a designer in architecture firms before working in product development for commercial building products. Royce is currently the A&D Design Director for Mohawk Group. She is always on the watch for new trends in all aspects of culture, feeding this insight to our industry’s touch points as a strategic designer, trend forecaster, professor, lecturer, critical thinker, and writer.
    Royce Epstein, LEED AP
    Mark Bryan, NCIDQ, Certified Futurist
    Senior Foresight Associate, Future Today Institute
    Mark Bryan is a Senior Foresight Associate at the Future Today Institute. Prior to FTI, Mark worked as a workplace strategist, designer and design researcher, and futurist for clients all across the country, most recently through his role as Director of Innovation + Research and Senior Interior Designer at Ohio-based MA Design.

    Mark’s portfolio of clients includes national retail brands, higher education institutions, non-profits, multi-family developers, and large corporate clients. Working with his clients, Mark brings an understanding of the principles of psychology, culture, and human behavior that can shape and change the future.

    Mark has authored several whitepapers and developed research surrounding what leaders need to know about for the future of workplace culture. Mark is also certified by the University of California, Berkeley, in using resiliency to combat stress at work. Mark is a member of the IIDA Equity Council, an NCIDQ Certified Senior Interior Designer, and a recipient of two 2022 40 Under 40 awards. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from Virginia Tech University and is certified by the Institute for the Future as a trained foresight practitioner.
    Mark Bryan, NCIDQ, Certified Futurist
  • Designing the Future of Des-AI-gn

    Technology Design Skills

    Design has impacted every aspect of life as we know it, but what impacts how we design? During this session, Framarz Mistry provides his thoughts on the impact of AI on various facets of design, what this means for talented designers and whether artists should and how to embrace this revolution or fear it.

    Framarz Mistry
    Sr. Director, Design Technology, Mohawk Group
    Having worked in the architecture and interior design visualization industry for 10 years, Framarz Mistry is responsible for the visualization technology needs for Mohawk Group and their clients, from state-of-the-art simulations and room scene renderings, to online tools that assist designers with adding their personal style to their spaces. He has been responsible for establishing the Visual Interactive Studio (VIS) at Mohawk and led the development, and implementation of award-winning virtual reality technology in all of the company’s showrooms across North America. Currently, he is leading the development of Mohawk’s web-based real-time carpet recoloring and simulation tool – Personal Studio. Framarz earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the Birla Institute of Technology in India and a master’s degree in interactive design and game development from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
    Framarz Mistry
  • Distributed Cognition and the Future of Work

    Workplace Wellness

    Current approaches for post-Covid return to the office focus heavily on interior design and furnishings. This is clearly an important component, but there should be a broader discussion of the changing nature of work and its impact on workplaces. The world of office work is in a transition period involving two key components: (1) the concept of distributed cognition and (2) the nature of distributed work. This presentation addresses how to synthesize these two components into a new framework that integrates cognitive processes (such as memory and thinking) with technology and behavioral flexibility in when, where, and how to work.

    Judith Heerwagen
    Environmental Psychologist, Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, US General Services Administration
    Judith Heerwagen is an environmental psychologist with the Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings at the US General Services Administration. Her work focuses on the impact of the built environment on health, well-being, and performance. Prior to joining GSA she was a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and also had her own consulting business for 10 years. She is co-editor of Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life which won the 2008 Publishers Award for best book in architecture and urban planning. She received the 2014 Design for Humanity Award from the American Society of Interior Designers.
    Judith Heerwagen
    Sally Augustin
    Principal, Design With Science
    Sally Augustin, PhD, is a practicing environmental psychologist and a principal at Design With Science. She has extensive experience integrating neuroscience-based insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and services that support desired cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes/experiences. Her client base is worldwide and includes individuals and organizations that produce and/or use design solutions (for example, design firms, manufacturers, service providers, trade organizations, design user groups).

    Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the editor of Research Design Connections, a monthly subscription newsletter with daily blog, that reports and synthesizes (in everyday language) the findings of recent and classic research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and the social sciences that are useful to designers.

    Dr. Augustin has appeared on mass-market national television and radio programs discussing how to use design to enhance lives. She speaks frequently to audiences in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Sally has been featured in publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as well as the online Harvard Business Review. She is the author of several books: Designology (2019, Mango), Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009), and The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012; Cindy Coleman, co-author).

    Sally Augustin earned a PhD in psychology at Claremont Graduate University, an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business (majors in finance, marketing, and management information systems), and a bachelor’s degree at Wellesley College (majors in economics and American studies).
    Sally Augustin
  • EQ and You: Tracking Environmental Quality to Create Healthier (Hybrid) Workplaces

    Wellness Sustainability

    It’s no secret the environmental quality (EQ) of our workplaces can have profound impacts on our health, but its influence doesn’t stop there. The environment we work in can directly affect our cognitive abilities and overall performance. Providing work settings that promote wellness is obviously the right thing to do But how do we know if our offices are healthy, especially when “office” could mean a commercial building, a nook at home, or anywhere in between?

    We will introduce the latest technology in healthy buildings and explore the sensing devices that are helping organizations and individuals adjust their workspaces for greater well-being. This science will delve into the capturing of environmental controls such as noise, lighting, temperature, and humidity and the effects they have on human performance in space plans.

    This presentation will bridge awareness and action. We’ll discuss how people can begin tracking EQ, uncovering improvement areas, and enacting practical interventions—from affordable, simple actions to larger, more impactful investments—to enhance the health of their environments and themselves as occupants.

    Lauren Foisy, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Practice Lead, People + Places Advisory, AECOM
    Lauren is the New York Practice Leader for AECOM’s People + Places Advisory practice with 15 years of experience in interior design and workplace strategy. Working with a multidisciplinary team, Lauren’s work enables clients to understand and capitalize on the relationship between people and physical space. Through research, data analysis, and spatial concepts, she delivers measurable business benefits for clients to make informed decisions on their real estate portfolios.
    Lauren Foisy, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Oriana Merlo, NCIDQ, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador
    Practice Lead, People + Places Advisory, AECOM
    Oriana is a Practice Lead in AECOM’s Boston office with over 30 years of experience planning and programming spaces across sectors. Using concepts from organizational behavior and environmental psychology, Oriana plans spaces that promote streamlined workflows and thriving occupants. With prior experience in electrical engineering and IT, she brings a high-tech perspective to her designs and understands the unique challenges of technical spaces.
    Oriana Merlo, NCIDQ, LEED ID+C, WELL AP, Fitwel Ambassador
  • Experiential Lighting in Hospitality

    Hospitality Lighting

    Light has the power to transform an ordinary space into an extraordinary experience. Through manipulation of color, contrast, movement and time, it influences human behavior on psychological, physiological and emotional levels. Experiential lighting can transport people into another world, creating immersive experiences with distinctive moments that lead to strong emotional impressions, memories and connections. A crafted lighting experience can communicate any mood upon arrival, move people through a space, enhance sensory experiences, or invite guests to linger and order more drinks. Good experiential lighting may trigger a photo or social media post, but great lighting impacts a developer’s bottom line while helping people be more present in life. This session will examine lighting environments and strategies in hospitality design that elicit placemaking through experiential design.

    Addie Smith, CLD, Assoc. IALD, MIES, LEED ID+C
    Senior Lighting Designer, AE Design
    Addie is a passionate and award-winning lighting designer who strives to elevate the human experience with the subtle and transformative power of light. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) with a degree in Interior Design and has been a professional architectural lighting designer for over a decade in New York City and Chicago and serves as Senior Lighting Designer at AE Design in Denver. Addie’s aspirations are guided by her love of beautiful experiences, human connection, and place-making. With light, she hopes to enliven the built environment with drama, and inspire people to do, feel, and be better. Addie serves as the President of the Denver’s chapter of Women in Lighting Design (WILD), serves on the IES Technical Committee for Hospitality and Residential Lighting, is a Member of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and is a LEED ID+C Accredited Professional. She volunteers as an Interior Design Industry Mentor at SCAD and participates in Interior Design critiques at Colorado State University. Addie has presented at Neocon, AIA Colorado, Lightfair, Lightspec West, and Design Week Denver, and assisted with the Luxury Residential Lighting Controls Forum at Enlighten 2022.
    Addie Smith, CLD, Assoc. IALD, MIES, LEED ID+C
  • Healthcare Materials - Spec it Right!

    Healthcare

    Specifying healthcare furnishings and surface materials are connected to satisfaction, safety, and infection control. Not only are decisions aesthetically based, but human health based for healthcare space endusers. Understanding the performance needs and cleaning and disinfection requirements for various types of healthcare settings is key in providing a successful, sustainable solution to maintain healthy environments. Using a collaborative process is indicative of positive outcomes. The evaluation of sustainable materials includes specifying the correct product in the appropriate application to avoid premature product failure within healthcare settings, which can be costly – both in dollars and human impacts. Join us for a deep dive into real life examples, better understanding of cleaning and disinfection protocols, and the evaluation of multiple attributes in healthcare material specifications.

    Barbara A. Dellinger, MA, CHID, FIIDA, EDAC, MDCID
    Principal, Dellinger Consulting
    As a healthcare interior designer for 40 years, Barbara has provided planning and interior design for projects ranging from small clinics to 1M+ sq. ft., $1B military hospitals. Focusing on the patient experience, she uses Evidence-based design to view design through the patient’s eyes. Barbara recently retired from Adventist Healthcare (AHC) in Rockville, MD where she provided interior design for a variety of project types including acute care, (general med/surg and ICU), rehab, Imaging, CVRR), behavioral health, outpatient clinics and as well as schools for children with social and emotional issues, including Head Start. Prior to joining AHC, she was employed by HDR and lead interior design projects for the Corp of Engineers in Germany, South Korea, Puerto Rico and across the US, having helped implement the World Class Check list on many projects. Throughout her career, she has provided volunteer services to many organizations. She is Co-chair of the Center for Healthcare Design’s EDAC committee, and has been involved in many of the Center’s programs since it’s inception, assisting with writing Tool Kits, coaching for EDAC exam, and being on the EDAC Advisory Board. She is a founder of the American Academy of Healthcare Designers (AAHID) and currently serves on its Board, as director of the Research and Educatin Committee. She is a founder of the Durable Coated Fabric Task Group (DCF) and a Fellow in the International Institute of Interior Designer (IIDA).
    Barbara A. Dellinger, MA, CHID, FIIDA, EDAC, MDCID
    Jane Rohde, AIA, FIIDA, ASID, CHID, ACHA, LEED AP BD+C, GGA-EB, GGF
    Principal, JSR Associates, Inc.
    Jane M. Rohde, AIA, FIIDA, ASID, ACHA, CHID, LEED AP BD+C, GGA – EB, GGF Principal / JSR Associates, Inc. Founder / Live Together, Inc. Member / Durable Coated Fabrics Task Group - AAHID Jane Rohde’s areas of expertise include person-centered care model development, architecture and design for all ages, and sustainability and health and wellness operational approaches to integrated evidence based design and operations. Committee work includes the Durable Coated Fabrics Task Group, which is in support of testing and relevant specification of durable coated fabrics and related materials in healthcare settings. Jane received the first Changemaker Award for Environments for Aging from The Center for Health Design and the ASID Design for Humanity Award. She was recognized as an Honorary Alumni of Clemson University’s Architecture + Health program and honored as one of the top ten Women in Design demonstrating leadership in healthcare and senior living design. Jane received the Pioneer Award from the Facilities Guidelines Institute for her work on the completion and ongoing cycle updates to the Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities, was recognized as a Green Globes Fellow by the Green Building Initiative, and most recently recognized as an Impact Icon by ecomedes®.
    Jane Rohde, AIA, FIIDA, ASID, CHID, ACHA, LEED AP BD+C, GGA-EB, GGF
    Shari Solomon, Esq., CIEC
    President, CleanHealth Environmental
    Shari L. Solomon, Esq. is president of CleanHealth Environmental, LLC. CleanHealth provides infection prevention, industrial hygiene and OSHA training and consulting services geared toward facility personnel and vendors responsible for infection prevention, cleaning and disinfection, and facility operations and maintenance practices. Ms. Solomon possesses more than 20 years of environmental consulting and federal regulatory experience. An attorney by trade, combined with her experience in the industrial hygiene field with a focus on infection prevention, Shari holds a unique expertise and understanding of liability prevention techniques, offering clients practical and valuable risk management solutions.

    Prior to launching CleanHealth, Shari held the position as Director of Training with a full service industrial hygiene firm and was charged with the development and oversight of all training programs nationwide. Ms. Solomon’s has trained thousands of individuals, both here and abroad, spanning 19 years. Shari also conducts infection prevention services including policy and procedure program development, infection prevention evaluations, litigation support, and environmental quality assessments. Ms. Solomon is a Designated Trainer under the Certified Healthcare Environmental Services Technician Program (T-CHEST) from The Association for the Healthcare Environment (AHE) of the American Hospital Association as well as a member of Durable Coated Fabrics Task Force, affiliated with the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers (AAHID). Shari is a Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) through the ACAC and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida and a Juris Doctorate from The Catholic University of America.
    Shari Solomon, Esq., CIEC
  • How to Design for Identity and Why You Want To

    Design Skills DEI

    In her book "Design for Identity: How to Design Authentically for a Diverse World", Jessica Bantom explores the concept of human-centered design that taps into an understanding of identity: how people live, what’s important to them, and what informs their perspectives and experiences. The pivotal tool she presents to achieve this is the Design for Identity Blueprint, a practical framework that honors humanity, celebrates diversity, promotes equity and inclusion, and ensures that the design profession mirrors and keeps up with the realities of our evolving world.
    This session will explore:
    • Cultural competence and how it drives innovation
    • What it means to design for identity and how it shows up in the world
    • The roadmap: Introducing the Design for Identity Blueprint

    Jessica Bantom
    Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging/Interior Design Consultant, J Bantom Consulting
    Jessica Bantom is a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) practitioner and workplace strategist who helps develop customized strategies for organizations that bring about transformational change. A compelling speaker, certified facilitator, and coach, Bantom seeks to enable people and organizations to reach their full potential and actualize the values of inclusion and belonging no matter what position they hold. Jessica is also active in the interior design industry as an interior design and color consultant and as a DEIB champion committed to promoting meaningful change in the profession.

    Bantom’s career is informed by her ongoing dedication to exploring the intersection of design and diversity. Jessica completed her master’s degree in Interior Design at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and obtained her bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she also completed a specialization in Design Thinking and Innovation from Darden Executive Education. At Georgetown University, Jessica received credentials as a Change Management Advanced Practitioner (CMAP), and she is certified as an Associate Diversity Coach through the Coach Diversity Institute in collaboration with the Howard University School of Business. She holds a certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

    In addition, Jessica is certified by Veritas Culture as a Culture Facilitator and Diversity & Belonging Facilitator, and is also a Certified Change Management Professional (CCMP) and Prosci Certified Change Practitioner.

    A proud member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Jessica is a long-time resident of the Washington DC area, although she will always call Philadelphia home.
    Jessica Bantom
  • Humanizing the Office – Office Densities Decoded

    Workplace Wellness

    The office is often considered a cost burden rather than an investment and opportunity for improving occupant wellbeing and performance. Original well-intended and well-designed open-plan concepts, such as Action Office I and Bürolandschaft, have been transformed over time into high-density offices with minimal separation and partitioning – in effect a Workplace Zoo. Dr Nigel Oseland presents his research on office densities that today accommodate basic human and psychological needs, fostering better wellbeing and performance. His proposed solution, the Landscaped Office, is a revised contemporary interpretation of those earlier open-plan concepts.

    Nigel Oseland
    Principal, Workplace Unlimited
    Dr Nigel Oseland is a workplace strategist, change manager, environmental psychologist, researcher, international speaker and published author with 11 years research and 24 years consulting experience. He draws on his psychology background and his own research to advise occupiers on how to redefine their workstyles and rethink their workplace to create working environments that enhance individual and organizational performance and deliver maximum value. Nigel’s consulting practice, Workplace Unlimited, specializes in strategic briefing and change management to help create workplaces that meet psychological needs and improve collaboration, creativity and concentration. He has advised corporate businesses, public sector bodies and educational institutions in the UK and worked with corporates throughout EMEA.
    Nigel Oseland
    Sally Augustin
    Principal, Design With Science
    Sally Augustin, PhD, is a practicing environmental psychologist and a principal at Design With Science. She has extensive experience integrating neuroscience-based insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and services that support desired cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes/experiences. Her client base is worldwide and includes individuals and organizations that produce and/or use design solutions (for example, design firms, manufacturers, service providers, trade organizations, design user groups).

    Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the editor of Research Design Connections, a monthly subscription newsletter with daily blog, that reports and synthesizes (in everyday language) the findings of recent and classic research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and the social sciences that are useful to designers.

    Dr. Augustin has appeared on mass-market national television and radio programs discussing how to use design to enhance lives. She speaks frequently to audiences in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Sally has been featured in publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as well as the online Harvard Business Review. She is the author of several books: Designology (2019, Mango), Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009), and The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012; Cindy Coleman, co-author).

    Sally Augustin earned a PhD in psychology at Claremont Graduate University, an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business (majors in finance, marketing, and management information systems), and a bachelor’s degree at Wellesley College (majors in economics and American studies).
    Sally Augustin
  • Hybrid Workspaces that Promote Optimal Worker Health and Wellbeing

    Workplace Wellness

    The pandemic accelerated transitions toward hybrid workplaces, the ability to work at different workplaces and locations during the week. Hybrid working is now seen by many organizations as the best way to combine the advantages of remote (home, third places) and corporate office-based work. However, as office workers now have much more flexibility in choosing both working time, activities, and preferred locations for both, they also have to make important decisions by themselves. Where can they best perform which activities, not only to optimize their productivity, but also to prevent health issues and to promote general wellbeing? This talk provides an overview of scientific research on the complex relationships between workplace design, worker health, and wellbeing, and on the reasoning behind post-pandemic individual workplace preferences.

    Sally Augustin
    Principal, Design With Science
    Sally Augustin, PhD, is a practicing environmental psychologist and a principal at Design With Science. She has extensive experience integrating neuroscience-based insights to develop recommendations for the design of places, objects, and services that support desired cognitive, emotional, and physical outcomes/experiences. Her client base is worldwide and includes individuals and organizations that produce and/or use design solutions (for example, design firms, manufacturers, service providers, trade organizations, design user groups).

    Sally, who is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, is also the editor of Research Design Connections, a monthly subscription newsletter with daily blog, that reports and synthesizes (in everyday language) the findings of recent and classic research in neuroscience, cognitive science, and the social sciences that are useful to designers.

    Dr. Augustin has appeared on mass-market national television and radio programs discussing how to use design to enhance lives. She speaks frequently to audiences in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Sally has been featured in publications such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal as well as the online Harvard Business Review. She is the author of several books: Designology (2019, Mango), Place Advantage: Applied Psychology for Interior Architecture (Wiley, 2009), and The Designer’s Guide to Doing Research: Applying Knowledge to Inform Design (Wiley, 2012; Cindy Coleman, co-author).

    Sally Augustin earned a PhD in psychology at Claremont Graduate University, an MBA at Northwestern University’s Kellogg Graduate School of Business (majors in finance, marketing, and management information systems), and a bachelor’s degree at Wellesley College (majors in economics and American studies).
    Sally Augustin
    Rianne Appel
    Associate Professor, Department of the Built Environment, Real Estate and Urban Development, Eindhoven University of Technology
    Rianne Appel is an Associate Professor in corporate real estate (CRE) and workplaces at the Department of the Built Environment of Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), in the Netherlands. In her research, she approaches CRE as an important strategic resource for (knowledge) organizations. She focuses on 2 lines of research: 1) how the different workplaces in the current hybrid workspace should be managed strategically (corporate offices, co-working offices, and home environments) and 2) how location, building and workspace design choices for these different hybrid work environment types add value to driving forces of their users (such as employee health and productivity, innovativeness of the organization, and flexibility). In order to carry out her scientific research, she relies on innovative methods of studying and measuring buildings and their usage. These include choice experiments, laddering interviews, experience sampling surveys, and sensor-based measurements.
    As Rianne believes that the only way to provide real evidence for the business case of workplace interventions is by getting involved in transdisciplinary research initiatives, she initiated and chairs the Transdisciplinary Workplace Research (TWR) network 5 years ago. She also started and co-edits the academic book series Transdisciplinary Workplace Research & Management, published by Routledge Taylor and Francis. Throughout the years, she has been involved with many interdisciplinary and international research projects alongside scientists, practitioners, and space users.
    Rianne Appel received her MSc in real estate management in 1999. Before she moved to academia in 2004, she worked as a consultant for Buck Consultants International and for the international consultancy and engineering group DHV, advising small and large organizations on a wide variety of CRE issues. She is the editor of the Journal of CRE, a member of the editorial board of several other journals and acts as reviewer for many different journals and proposals as well. She used to be a board member of the European Real Estate Society (ERES) and the Dutch Society for RE researchers (VOGON), and currently is a member of the board of the Center for Humans & Technology, and on the advisory board of Smart Workplace. She has presented her work at many different international scientific conferences and industry seminars and publishes in leading scientific real estate and workplace journals. Rianne also shares her work with practitioners by publishing in national and international real estate business magazines and participating in communities such as Corenet (global association for corporate real estate professionals) and CREME (Dutch association for CRE directors). She has won several 'best paper' awards at various conferences and for different journals.
    Rianne Appel
  • Interconnectedness: Towards Learning... and Working in 2050

    Education Workplace

    Jules Verne literature in the 1860’s predicted and inspired life and new technologies in the 20th Century. As we predict what learning could be like in 2050, we inspire ourselves by the concept of Interconnectedness, when Learning will be influenced by the crossroads of 6 Tenets: Self, Environment, Policy, Wellness, Technology and Uncertainty, but most importantly, the connections between each of them and the intertwined relationships that will occur among them. This session will explore the potential development of these Tenets, and how their progression and interconnectedness will lead the learning/working revolution. We will share results and insights from student focus groups to better understand their take on the future learning and working experiences emphasizing ideating, innovating, disrupting and the places where learning/work happens.

    Tomas Jimenez-Eliaeson, AIA, LEED BC, M.ARCH
    Design Partner, LITTLE
    Tomas Jimenez-Eliaeson is the Design Principal for the Charlotte Community Practice Group, and a Partner at Little, an industry leading architecture and design firm with more than 400 professionals in six locations across the USA and China. He leads a team of architects and designers dedicated to educational, cultural and civic projects including academic institutions, cultural facilities, performing arts centers, and libraries.
    Tomas is a member of the AIA, NCARB, A4LE, and is a LEED Accredited professional. Originally from Spain, Tomas received a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Houston and a Master Degree in Architectural Design from the University of Texas at Austin.
    Tomas is focused on projects that fuse typological redefinitions and environmentally conscious design with leading-edge technology and innovation. He is highly passionate about the future of education and has written about the Immersive Learningscape, an approach to the design of educational facilities that
    respond to 21st century skills, innovation and trans-disciplinary collaboration. He is also researching the
    relationship and connectivity between learning and workplace in the future, and the role of Neuroscience and Wellness in the design of the Learning Ecosystem. He has presented at various National and International conferences, including the AIA National Convention, NEOCON World’s Trade Fair, A4LE International Conference, Innovate Conference in Brazil, and ASB Unplugged in India.
    Tomas Jimenez-Eliaeson, AIA, LEED BC, M.ARCH
    Jim Thompson, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C
    National Design Partner, Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, Inc.
    Known as a design leader and caring educator, Jim Thompson has distinguished himself as a researcher, university lecturer, guest critic and mentor. He has addressed audiences at NeoCon World’s Trade Fair, NeoCon East, CoreNet and the National AIA conference. His perspective has been shared in industry publications like Contract, Interior Design Magazine, Building Interiors, Buildings and Architype Review; and his observations were featured in the book Future Office.

    Jim is a National Design Partner at Little (www.littleonline.com), an industry-leading architecture and design firm with more than 375 professionals in five locations across the nation. Jim is a LEED Accredited Professional and a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).
    Jim Thompson, AIA, IIDA, LEED AP BD+C
  • It's Not Easy Being Green (But Let's Do It Anyway); Building a Roadmap to Sustainable Furniture and Facility Practices

    Sustainability Facilities Management

    Let’s talk trash: did you know that 17 billion pounds of office furniture are sent to the landfill in the US each year? This is the equivalent of 1/3 of all cars sold in our country. Realizing this is a “we” problem not a “me” problem, a team of facility owners and managers have formed an alliance to find landfill alternatives. Come on the journey from mission conception to action, taught by leaders from the Kimiko Green network. Whether you're just getting started or already have established sustainability processes, this seminar highlights industry best practices for furniture decommissioning and shares how a small group of committed individuals are paving the way to a more sustainable future.

    Dianne Murata
    Founding Principal, kimiko designs
    Dianne Murata is the founding principal of kimiko designs, a design firm specializing in commercial furniture specification, planning and project management. A graduate of the University of Manitoba, Dianne has led kimiko as an industry innovator and visionary builder of exceptional teams since 1999. Her passions are rescuing dogs from the streets and keeping used office furniture out of the landfills.
    Dianne Murata
    Joanna Friesen Toler
    Vice President, Construction and Design Manager, Amegy Bank
    Joanna is the Space, Design & Construction Manager for Amegy Bank, overseeing 1.2 million square feet of office space in Texas and Utah. Prior to Amegy, she consulted on several large campus projects for clients of an interior architecture firm. Her passions include the efficient use of real estate and hanging out in rivers with her family and friends.
    Joanna Friesen Toler
  • Just Space: A Reflection of Evolving American Culture on the Design of Public Spaces

    Public Space DEI

    The objective of this presentation is to highlight a social justice approach to good design. Design is about people. In a rapidly changing world, design must capture the evolving values of society. This presentation will focus on the intersection of social movements and public space. Using the Public Restroom as an example, we will discuss the influence of race, sex, gender, family structure and inclusive design.

    Denise Rush, FASID, IIDA, IDEC
    Dean, School of Interior Architecture, Boston Architectural College
    Denise is Dean of the School of Interior Architecture, at Boston Architectural College (the BAC). In service to the college's mission, it is her duty to ensure that the schools' curriculum is at the intersection of professional practice and academia. Prior to the BAC, she was an adjunct professor of Interior Architecture in the Art + Design department of Columbia College Chicago. She was also formerly adjunct faculty at Harrington College of Design; the International Academy of Design & Technology; and the Illinois Institute of Art.

    Before going into private practice, Denise held an academic appointment as the Visiting Interior Designer at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; was a director at the international architecture and interiors firm of Perkins & Will in Chicago; a project manager at the international architectural firm SmithGroup in Detroit; and design resource director of WorkPlace Integrators in Detroit

    Denise holds a Master of Science in Nonprofit Management from Spertus Institute of Jewish Learning and Leadership in Chicago, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University."
    Denise Rush, FASID, IIDA, IDEC
    Laura R. Huang, Master of Science in Interior Architecture
    Student, Boston Architectural College
    Laura was studying Landscape Design when she went to college in China. While moving to Boston with her family, she chose Accounting as her major at that time. A year and half later, she decided to study interior architecture what she always has passion for and started the journey at BAC in 2018. She worked as a student assistant at Materials Library in School of Interior Architecture for two semesters, helped to produce a quick guide for students who are new to the interior industry. In December 2022, Laura graduated from the MSIA program of BAC.
    Laura R. Huang, Master of Science in Interior Architecture
    Sarah G. Redmore, NCIDQ
    Director of Undergraduate Interior Architecture, Boston Architectural College
    Sarah Gillen Redmore is the Director of Undergraduate Interior Architecture at Boston Architectural College. Her educational background is diverse, as she earned degrees in Interior design (BFA), psychology (BA) and business (MBA). Sarah's design career focused on corporate, healthcare and educational environments. She currently has 20 years of experience as a full-time design educator, and thoroughly enjoys sharing her knowledge with her students.
    Sarah G. Redmore, NCIDQ
  • Learning Lessons from the Hospitality Sector in the Return-to-Office Movement

    Workplace Hospitality

    Stonehill Taylor is a leading hospitality-focused architecture and interior design firm. Sara Duffy, Principal of the firm’s Interiors Division, leads projects from the design of the new Raffles Boston Back Bay opening this spring to the renovation of the public spaces of one of NYC’s oldest operating hotels, the Algonquin, to the guest room and public-space interior design of the iconic TWA Hotel at JFK Airport. These properties and others appeal to the identity of their clientele, inspiring a loyalty among their consumer base that defies expectations. Sara Duffy will expand on the design tips and tricks that cultivate brand loyalty among hotel-goers to convey how office designers can tap into that magic in their own work.

    Sara Duffy
    Principal, Stonehill Taylor
    With over twenty years of experience, Sara Duffy leads the Interiors Division as a Principal at Stonehill Taylor. She graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History and received her Associate of Applied Science in Interior Design from the Fashion Institute of Technology. Before joining Stonehill Taylor in 2008, Sara worked at MTV and later as a designer at Rockwell Group. In her various roles at Stonehill Taylor, she has contributed significantly to the design of numerous award-winning projects—from the renovation of iconic landmarks like the TWA Hotel to the creation of new destinations like the JW Marriott Nashville Downtown.

    Sara expertly oversees hotel and restaurant projects, although in her background she has designed everything from residential and entertainment complexes to retail centers. As a manager of designers, she guides her team to work with clients to craft an immersive and unique narrative for each project with a focus on thoughtful, contemporary interior design. Striving to create elegant, timeless and one-of-a-kind interiors, Sara leads her team of talented designers to shape welcoming and experiential environments for live, work, and play.

    Sara has worked with renowned hospitality developers such as the Sydell Group, Eleven Madison Park’s Chef Daniel Humm and Will Guidara, Marriott International, Turnberry Associates, GFI Capital, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, MCR Development, Host Hotels and Resorts, and Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
    Sara Duffy
  • Life After Carbon: How 6 Virtues Will Transform Your Approach to Sustainability

    Sustainability

    The act of building is destructive. It consumes massive amounts of resources, produces an overabundance of carbon emissions, and is filled with toxic substances. But if we change our mindsets around how we design, we can produce regenerative and restorative buildings that help undo these negative effects. In this brand new talk, we'll explore the 6 key mindsets you need to start designing truly living buildings for your clients. We'll look at how the virtues of: Abundance, Courage, Humanity, Patience, Authenticity, and Justice can allow you to rethink your approach to clients and projects. You'll learn how to shift your thinking about sustainability and your process. Think of this as a crash course in designing for the future, presented by a NeoCon alum and popular speaker.

    Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow, LFA, EcoDistricts AP
    Principal, Director of Sustainability, CannonDesign
    Eric Corey Freed is an award-winning architect, author, and global speaker. As Principal and Director of Sustainability for CannonDesign, he leads the healthcare, education, and commercial teams toward low-carbon, healthy, regenerative buildings for over 30 million square feet a year. For two decades, he was Founding Principal of organicARCHITECT, a visionary design leader in biophilic and regenerative design.

    His past roles include Vice President of the International Living Future Institute and Chief Community Officer of EcoDistricts, both nonprofits pushing innovative new paradigms for deep green buildings and communities. He serves on the board of Design Museum Everywhere, whose mission is to “bring the transformative power of design to all.”

    Eric is the author of 12 books, including "Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies” and "Circular Economy for Dummies." In 2012, he was named one of the 25 "Best Green Architecture Firms" in the US, and one of the "Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects." In 2017, he was named one of Build's American Architecture Top 25. He holds a prestigious LEED Fellow award from the US Green Building Council.
    Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow, LFA, EcoDistricts AP
  • Making Sustainability Accessible: Breaking Down Tools, Resources, and Certifications in Sustainable Design

    Sustainability

    One of the biggest challenges of understanding how to incorporate sustainability in the design process is knowing where to start—with so many eco-labels, certifications, databases, and tools available, it can be daunting to figure out how to break things down into manageable pieces. In this presentation, sustainability experts from Perkins & Will’s Dallas studio and Dyer Brown Associates, Inc.’s Boston office, along with Cradle to Cradle’s Built Environment Lead for North America & Australasia, will take the audience on a deep dive into the tools and resources available for architects and interior designers to understand many aspects of sustainability from a full building perspective down to specific material selections.

    Candon Murphy, LEED GA
    Sustainable Building Advisor, Perkins&Will
    A determined and enthusiastic design professional with a background in industrial design and interior architecture, Candon Murphy delivers innovative solutions across a variety of markets including healthcare and corporate interiors. She is currently a LEED® Green Associate™ professional pursuing additional certifications as a part of her full-time role as a sustainable building advisor and materials specialist for the Dallas office of Perkins & Will. Candon expands her sustainable influence beyond the firm, offering her expertise to her community and organizations that seek to improve sustainable design. Candon brings a well-rounded set of knowledge to her projects, with an explorative and research-based process that is engaging, thoughtful, and communicative.
    Candon Murphy, LEED GA
    Ren DeCherney, NCIDQ
    Built Environment Lead, North America & Australasia, Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute
    Ren is a licensed interior designer who helps designers and manufacturers translate their sustainability pledges into reality. Prior to joining the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, she worked in Portland as a designer, taking her firm PVC-free - the first firm in Portland to make such a commitment. She was the Director of Industry Transparency at Source, a digital materials platform, where she integrated sustainability filters into the platform. She then worked at the International Living Future Institute, overseeing the Declare and Living Product Challenge programs working with both designers and manufacturers to implement sustainability strategy into everyday practices.
    Ren DeCherney, NCIDQ
    Laurel Christensen, AIA, WELL AP
    Sustainable Design Leader, Dyer Brown Associates, Inc.
    Laurel Christensen, AIA, WELL AP is an Architect and Sustainable Design Leader at Dyer Brown, where she supports firm-wide and project-specific sustainability initiatives including adoption and implementation of the AIA Materials Pledge. Trained in Lean thinking with a passion for healthy materials, she consistently challenges her peers to consider the wide-ranging impacts of their design decisions. She also serves as Director of Outreach and Engagement for Mindful MATERIALS, where she focuses on building relationships with stakeholders across the built environment to expand adoption of the Common Materials Framework, enabling the proliferation of sustainable products choices throughout the industry.
    Laurel Christensen, AIA, WELL AP
  • On Artificial Intelligence and the Coming Transformation of Design: Reviewing the Disruptive Impact of AI on the Way we Design Products, Brands and Environments and Offering Implications for Designers

    Technology Design Skills

    Artificial Intelligence rapidly becomes mainstream demonstrating the capability to generate greater production efficiencies and at times, greater creative design outputs than what humans generate. From chair design to DALL·E 2 text-to-image illustrations, to Japanese garden architecture, the technology is increasingly more powerful and disruptive and is likely to morph the practice of design as we know it. This presentation will discuss the emergent cross-industry disruption driven by Artificial Intelligence, centering on creative cognitive technology applications in product, art, and experience design. It will deep-dive into data-driven color decisions of designers/architects to demonstrate the new design decision process, and close with implications to designers as they work to apply creative technology capabilities and use of data in their design practices.

    Anat Lechner
    Professor and Founder CEO, Stern School of Business, New York University, and Huedata Inc - The Color Intelligence Company
    Anat Lechner provides color data and analytics to designers, strategists and researchers to aid product, brand and environment design decisions. She is also a Professor of Business at the Stern School of Business, New York University where she focuses on disruptive innovation, and strategic change. A former Researcher at McKinsey & Co. Dr. Lechner has advised to global Fortune 100 firms in the Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, Energy, Food, Technology, design and Retail industries. She has numerous appearances in NYT, WSJ, Forbes, BBC, Time and other premier global media outlets. Anat holds an MBA and a PhD in Organization Management from Rutgers University, NJ.
    Anat Lechner
  • Pandemic Pivot in 4 Big Moves: Salesforce's Journey to Reimagine the Workplace (on an in-flight project!)

    Workplace

    Explore Salesforce’s journey to reimagine the workplace in four key moves. Based on a robust set of global design standards, a unique culture and years of pandemic-accelerated discoveries, learn how the company is adapting their spaces to align with the changing needs of employees today. The last three years provided an opportunity to develop their next generation workplace concept, Design 2.0, at Salesforce Tower Chicago with design partner, IA Interior Architects. In this dialogue between Salesforce’s Melanie Lowe and Pietro Silva, Design Principal at IA, we’ll dive into the unique challenges and solutions of embracing the new world of work and what’s next on the horizon.

    Pietro Silva, LEED AP
    Design Director, Principal, IA Interior Architects
    Pietro Silva is Principal and Design Director for IA Interior Architects. Pietro, who has focused on the balanced integration of architecture and interiors for more than 30 years, was educated in Italy at the “Politecnico di Milano” where he received his Master of Architecture and brings an international design perspective to his work. Pietro’s conceptual abilities and attention to detail have led to his involvement in a vast array of projects, including global headquarters and corporate offices interiors, financial institutions, hospitality projects, retail and restaurant design. His dynamic approach and his collaborative nature to bring teams together is evident in the success of projects for global companies such Salesforce, Google, Amazon, HPE, Mercedes-Benz and many others.
    Pietro Silva, LEED AP
    Melanie Lowe
    Director, Global Workplace Design, Salesforce
    Melanie Lowe is Director of Global Workplace Design for Salesforce's Real Estate and Workplace Services team and is tasked with bringing the company’s culture and values to life through its workspaces. Through an extensive portfolio of office and hospitality projects, Melanie is responsible for shaping the company's global design standards, which promote a consistent employee experience in the built environment at scale. These last few years, she has been focused on adapting a pre-pandemic design strategy into impactful solutions to meet the changing needs of Salesforce employees. Following many successful decades in marketing and technology, Melanie pivoted to a career in design as her lifelong passion. She is a native of Canada and currently resides in San Francisco after over a decade of living in Europe and Asia.
    Melanie Lowe
  • Restroom Revolution: A New Look at Accessibility and Inclusivity

    Facilities Management DEI

    It’s time to broaden the definition of accessibility to be inclusive of LGBTQ+ users. Building codes focus on wheelchair accessibility, but there is a needs gap between code and best practice that is truly inclusive to all. Restrooms have always been an important part of design – for individuals underserved even by well-designed facilities, tremendous stress can be created. Hospitality/Retail industries have long recognized the value of enhancing the restroom experience. It’s time to bring that strategy to the workplace. The concept of gender-equitable restrooms isn't new, so why isn't it standard? Using quantitative data that we uncovered through research, we explore common barriers of cost, space use, code, and user comfort; discovering the sweet spot for restroom design that maximizes benefits to all users.

    Jemma Radick, SEGD
    Design Director, IA Interior Architects
    Jemma works at the intersection of architecture, interior design, master planning and brand design – drawing from each discipline and adding a deep understanding of user psychology and human centered design. Approaching a project from all angles and perspectives like this results in one-of-a-kind environments that elevate the user experience. Over her career, she has had the opportunity to work with a variety of multi-disciplinary teams to bring holistic design solutions to branded environments both locally and around the world.
    Jemma Radick, SEGD
    Clark Pickett, LEED AP
    Design Director, IA Interior Architects
    A principal and design director at IA Interior Architects, Clark Pickett leads his office and the firm in interior design thinking, strategy, and thought leadership. Having worked locally and internationally, Clark specializes in a variety of project types including corporate commercial, healthcare, hospitality, and science and education. A conceptual and strategic thinker, he is known for leading the creation of environments that are functional, imaginative, and meaningful, where space, light, movement, materials, detail, and cultural relevance create holistic experiences.
    Clark Pickett, LEED AP
  • Return to Office Data and Its Impact on The Office, From Floor Plans to Furniture

    Workplace

    Return To Office has raised questions around how, when, and why we use space; data has answers. In this session, leaders across workplace design and building measurement will discuss ideal data sources for understanding how people use space –– i.e. what are the most reliable and accurate ways to understand objectively what employees need from workplaces today? They’ll reveal recent findings from nation-wide datasets on office use, and anecdotal insights from their work to shed light on shifting preferences among employees. Finally, they'll share how these patterns in use can impact guiding design philosophies within offices, and specific design elements. This presentation will give attendees a working playbook to consider as they evolve their own workplace to better reflect the needs and desires of employees.

    Julia Calabrese
    Global Design & Brand Manager, Ford Motor Company
    Julia Calabrese is the Global Interior Design Manager within Ford Motor Company's built environment studio. Her role couples crafting immersive brand experiences with the physical and psychological experiences of humans to deliver well crafted, highly functioning interior design and architecture. With a focus on employee and customer experience, her mission is to enable and inspire employees to drive Ford into the future of mobility.
    Julia Calabrese
    Nellie Hayat
    Workplace Transformation Leader, Density
    Nellie Hayat is the first Workplace Innovation Lead at Density and the host of the Beyond Work Conversations podcast. Previously, Nellie was Head of Workplace Transformation and during the pandemic, she became an independent advisor leading the future of work movement and worked with the most innovative companies to help design engaging, inspiring and inclusive employee and workplace experiences. Nellie is a thought leader and contributes regularly to industry-related events, conferences and podcasts.
    Nellie Hayat
    Janet Pogue McLaurin, FAIA, FIIDA, LEED® AP BD+C, LEED® AP ID+C
    Global Director Workplace Research, Principal, Gensler
    Janet Pogue McLaurin is a global leader of Gensler’s Work Sector practices and research initiatives. As the firm’s Global Director Workplace Research, which is one of the six centers of the Gensler Research Institute, she has been instrumental in leading Gensler’s global Workplace Surveys and Workplace Performance Index® (WPI) client tool, which measures space effectiveness and workplace experience on projects. She is active in developing workplace strategy and designing innovative workplace environments for a wide variety of clients, including Vanguard, GSA, Capital One, Gallup and The Coca-Cola Company. Janet has spent nearly four decades in Gensler’s Denver and Washington, D.C. offices. She is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and a registered architect, who has served on the Gensler’s Board of Directors for the past two years and currently serves on Gensler’s Practice Area Management Committee.
    Janet Pogue McLaurin, FAIA, FIIDA, LEED® AP BD+C, LEED® AP ID+C
  • Scaling Up Material Health

    Wellness Industry Directions Sustainability

    The impact of building materials on human and environmental health has received increased attention, and hundreds of design firms have pledged to support healthier materials. Ensuring healthier material selections requires complex decisions and collaborations. Acknowledging this challenge, how can the industry adopt meaningful material health goals across all projects? How can we build on the work others are doing? Material health leaders from 3 firms will discuss how they are pushing for higher standards with innovative strategies for the implementation of healthier materials on projects such as material tracking and other solutions, to scale up quickly.

    Christine R. Vandover, IIDA, LEED AP
    Principal / Senior Project Interior Designer, HOK
    As a Design Principal at HOK, Christine brings creative knowledge and critical thinking to her interior design work. Her projects are as much about beauty as they are about health and wellness— whether a workplace, hotel or hospital, an interior environment should bring happiness and inner calm. Her work has been awarded by AIA, IIDA, and Design & Health, and published in HCD, Interior Design and Metropolis magazines. In 2020 Christine started the development of HOK’s firmwide initiative to track embodied carbon, material health, and sustainable sourcing for all materials on all HOK interior projects.
    Christine R. Vandover, IIDA, LEED AP
    Mandy L. Miller, LEED GA
    Materials Specialist, Elkus Manfredi
    Elkus Mandrefi’s materials specialist, Mandy, is the gatekeeper of materials and products for the firm’s library and is a material health champion. Mandy’s curiosity and extensive knowledge of building products comes from years of managing materials, asking questions of manufactures, and developing expertise around products labels and certifications. Her approach to design: the quality of life in built spaces depends not only aesthetics and functionality, but informed and mindful product selections to create healthy environments. For Mandy, being a materials guru means always learning and researching about the materials that produce a product. She revels in raising her material health cheerleading pom-poms whenever given the opportunity to educate and increase the members of the sustainable design pusher’s tribe.
    Mandy L. Miller, LEED GA
    Madaline K. Hale, IIDA, LEED ID+C
    Interior Design Manager, HMFH Architects, Inc.
    Madaline designs interiors that elevate health, well-being and connection using space, light, color, and materials through a lens of sustainable design. Her human-centered approach to interior design reveals itself in client relationships as well as projects. In addition to educational environments, she has developed innovative, award-winning interiors in science, athletic, corporate, and healthcare settings. Madaline’s recent work involves a Pilot Program focused on Material Health and eliminating chemicals of concern for K-12 schools in Massachusetts. She shares her experience and design thinking with students as adjunct faculty and is involved with IIDA New England, and mindfulMaterials.
    Madaline K. Hale, IIDA, LEED ID+C
    Jane Hallinan, IIDA, LEED Green Associate, WELL AP
    Associate, Perkins Eastman
    Jane Hallinan is an interior designer at Perkins Eastman, where she has most recently focused on workplace assignments — designing spaces that improve collaboration and flexibility, support new ways of working, and incorporate sustainability. The scope of her work ranges from new construction to renovation and includes space programming, finish selection, the selection and specification of furnishings, and the coordination of various types of equipment. Her holistic approach to design ensures that all aspects of a project, from planning to materiality and furnishings, embody the character and essence of her client’s brand and mission. Jane is a strong voice across the firm for material health and sustainability.
    Jane Hallinan, IIDA, LEED Green Associate, WELL AP
  • The Emergence of AI in Design: A New Creative Superpower or Just Another Trend?

    Technology Industry Directions

    During this presentation, our presenters will help industry professionals fully understand and explore generative AI: what it is, isn’t, and its impact on the traditional design process. Attendees can expect to learn about the breadth of generative AI tools and how they empower and challenge creative industries to shed traditional roles and historical precedence and ultimately redefine what it means to be a designer/creator. Presenters will discuss real-world applications for generative AI as it relates to both process and product. On the flip side, we will discuss potential pitfalls, limitations, misconceptions, and pushback surrounding AI. We will address the elephant in the room: “Will it take our Jobs?”. And finally, we aim to discuss what’s next for AI in the architecture and design industry.

    Matthew LoPresto, AIA, NCARB, RID
    Design Director, IA Interior Architects
    Matthew is an award-winning designer and licensed architect with over 15 years of experience. He brings a holistic mindset that aligns design with both end-user and business needs. As the Design Director for IA’s Philadelphia office, Matthew has established a local studio design culture of curiosity and draws on the passion and character that makes the city unique. With experience in digital fabrication and experiential design and an in-depth understanding of materiality and construction, he has created user-centric designs for companies like Vanguard, Google, Perkins Coie, and Chubb.
    Matthew LoPresto, AIA, NCARB, RID
    Michael Villegas
    Senior Designer, IA Interior Architects
    Michael Villegas is a Senior Designer at IA Interior Architects with 13 years of industry practice as an architect and designer. Michael has a specialty in experiential design and is continuously evolving new technologies in the generative artificial intelligence and extended reality realm. He merges ground-up buildings, exterior facades, lobbies, landscapes, and experiential design into measurable successes across workplace strategy and multi-sensory branding. Michael is passionate about unifying big-picture concepts with finely crafted details using refined, high-quality aesthetics.
    Michael Villegas
    Brian Nelson
    Product Designer, Tome
    Brian Nelson is a product designer at Tome, the AI-powered storytelling format for unlocking your best work and ideas. Tome is trusted by millions of storytellers around the world, from founders and executives, to students, creatives, and go-to-market teams. At Tome, Brian prototypes novel ideas and interactions that help shape Tome’s innovative new format. Brian fuses the power of generative AI with intuitive, conversational interfaces to create magical creator experiences that help anyone tell a compelling story. Prior to joining Tome, Brian spent four years building Messenger and Instagram Direct, focused on the core experience, design systems, and artificial intelligence features. Brian studied International Relations at Stanford and Human Computer Interaction at Carnegie Mellon. A New York-native, Brian lives in San Francisco.
    Brian Nelson
  • The Era of Immersive Experiences: Implications for Work and Learning Environments

    Technology Workplace

    From bulky desktop computers, to slimmed-down laptops, to pocket-sized devices, the evolution of computing has continuously shifted the way we work and learn. Now, immersive experiences and the metaverse have entered the conversation. We are entering a new era of computing in which virtual experiences are more spatialized and braided with the physical world. So, how will immersive experiences and the metaverse impact the built environment? This session will share key drivers and tensions impacting future immersive experiences scenarios. Participants will learn how work and learning experiences are shifting and how to reimagine work and learning environments. Attendees will gain a deeper understanding of how physical space could evolve with the next phase of computing and to help inform their future choice making and strategies.

    Andrew Kim
    Director, WorkSpace Futures, Steelcase
    Andrew Kim is Director, North America of Workspace Futures for Steelcase Inc. Andrew is responsible for applying human-centered design methods to support new market strategies and product development efforts. His curiosity and passion revolve around the intersection of social behaviors, the built environment and technology. His research activities include exploring creative spaces, learning environments, and immersive experiences.

    Andrew has collaborated with the MIT Media Lab, Virginia Tech Institute for Creativity, Arts and Technology, and the University of Melbourne, Learning Environments Applied Research Network. He has spoken at IFMA’s Global Workplace Evolutionaries Group, Healthcare Design, Learning Environments for Tomorrow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and the Aspen Undergraduate Consortium.

    Andrew has more than twenty years of experience developing products and services. Prior to joining Steelcase, he served as a strategist and user experience lead for technology companies. He holds a Master of Design in human-centered design from the Institute of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology, where his graduate research was focused on innovation planning and product prototyping. He earned an AB degree from Dartmouth College.
    Andrew Kim
    Paul Noll
    Principal Researcher, WorkSpace Futures, Steelcase
    Paul Noll is a Principal Researcher in the WorkSpace Futures group at Steelcase Inc., the global leader in the office furniture industry. Steelcase delivers a better work experience to its customers by providing products, services and insights into the ways people work. Its portfolio includes architecture, furniture, and technology products.

    Paul joined Steelcase in 1995, starting in the Facilities Group before moving to WorkSpace Futures Environments in 2000. Since moving to Research in 2007, Paul has been responsible for providing understandings of how technology can and will impact work wherever it takes place. This includes leading and participating in strategy discussions, translational research initiatives, and designing and building prototypes and experiential demonstrations. These responsibilities require Paul to provide insight on technology applications, engineering specifications, development cycles, and general technology trends and horizons.

    Paul has researched and explored a wide variety of topics for Steelcase, helping create a strong research network of experts across many different fields. He has led and participated in many diverse projects and assignments such as immersive experiences (AR/VR/XR), HCI technologies and applications, AI explorations, cognitive augmentation, sensing initiatives, 3D printing, and knowledge management. He is currently credited with 18 patents.

    Paul has worked in the architectural and construction fields, holds an MS in Engineering Management (WMU), a BS in Math/Physics (St Joseph’s), and resides in Grand Rapids, MI
    Paul Noll
    Don Abraham
    Senior Partner, Consulting Division, Kantar
    Don Abraham leads Kantar’s Foresight, Brand and Innovation consulting work, where he oversees the overall direction and growth of the practice, as well as leads select client engagements. Don is also the NA sponsor of the Sustainable Transformation Practice and has led the development of Kantar’s thought leadership on COVID, inflation, and key topics ranging from the metaverse to GenZ.

    Prior to joining Kantar, Don has held senior leadership roles in a range of strategy and innovation consultancies. He is a 20-year consulting veteran from agency and think tanks and began his career as an new product development consultant before joining E&Y. His experience also includes management posts at Innovaro, Ipsos Strategy3 and board positions at multiple non-profits.

    A frequently featured speaker and commentator on trends and new business innovation, Don has won multiple awards for his client work, and delivered keynotes at international conferences.

    Don graduated from Franklin & Marshall College with a B.A. in Political Science and lives in the Greater New York region with his wife, twin 15-year-old children and their dog Riley.
    Don Abraham
  • The Living Building Challenge Embodied in a Corporate Headquarters: Becoming “The House Up on The Hill” – A Case Study

    Sustainability

    Floating atop an exposed rock ledge in Norwalk, CT sits HMTX Industries’ new 24,000-sq-ft World Headquarters – known as “The House Up On The Hill”. The building focuses on art, technology, and industry-leading solutions in flooring design, all while pursuing the Living Building Challenge (LBC). This session will provide a case study exploring the five-year journey to create this landmark testament to regenerative design: the vision for an expansive and inspirational space that integrates design, innovation, creativity, and community in a biophilic environment. It will explore the deft planning and complex project execution that brought the building to life petal by petal. The roadmap will demonstrate how applying the LBC can tangibly reflect corporate values while leading to a more ecologically conscious and regenerative future.

    Jason F. McLennan, AIA, LEED Fellow
    Principal, Chief Sustainability Officer, Perkins&Will
    Considered one of the most influential individuals in the architecture and green building movement today, Jason F. McLennan’s work has made a strong impact on the shape and direction of the entire design industry in the United States, Canada and beyond. Jason is a much sought-after designer, presenter, and consultant on a wide variety of green building and sustainability topics around the world. He is a winner of the Buckminster Fuller Prize, considered the highest award for socially responsible design in the world, an Ashoka Fellow, and has been named one of Yes! Magazine’s Breakthrough 15 individuals helping to reshape the world. Recently McLennan was named ‘World Changer’ by Green Biz magazine. In 2016 he won the ENR Award of Excellence, one of the highest awards in the construction industry and only one of two architects to have won it in its 60-year history. McLennan focuses all his time on creating innovative, breakthrough designs and solutions that transform the built environment.
    Jason F. McLennan, AIA, LEED Fellow
    Harlan Stone
    CEO, HMTX Industries
    Harlan Stone is CEO of HMTX Industries LLC, a $900 billion global leader in the flooring industry providing innovative solutions for businesses and homeowners, setting standards for high performing, biophilically designed products. Its manufacturing processes, workplaces, global outreach, and product ingredients reflect a dedication to the environment and all aspects of human well-being, social justice, equity. HMTX’s family of companies has published 25+ Declare labels and 35+ Health Product Declarations that cover over 50 product lines, achieving a level of transparency rarely seen in the industry. HMTX became the first manufacturer in the world to achieve Just 2.0 label.
    Harlan Stone
    Rick Taylor
    Sr. Director of Community Engagement, HMTX Industries
    Rick Taylor is the Sr. Director of Community Engagement of HMTX Industries. His career with HMTX has spanned over two decades in Sales and Retail Store Support, Customer Service, Product Development, Technical Support, and recently Director of Training in 2022 & 2023, when HMTX received its first two Training APEX Awards. He is currently a member of the HMTX Leadership Academy, Organization Development, and Impact Teams. In his current role, he works with business leaders and nonprofit organizations in the local community to help advance HMTX’s commitment to Environmental and Social Justice strategies.
    Rick Taylor
  • The Other "F Word" in Design Practice

    Design Skills Technology

    Fabrication is no longer a term isolated to technical innovators in the design and construction industries – it is a ubiquitous component of academia and rapidly gaining traction in contemporary practice. This session proposes where and how design practices acquire this knowledge base is neither standardized nor immediately accessible. Architecture and interior design have always been about the creative manipulation of data in fabricating the built environment. At this point in history, access to the design knowledge, technological acumen, and skilled services do not drive design innovation, they are necessities for professional survival. Drawing upon examples and voices and case studies from academia, practice, fabricators, this session delves into the opportunities open to design practice as it increasingly adopts a file to factory paradigm.

    Vincent Hui, B.E.S., C.U.T., M.Arch, M.B.A., LEED AP, MRAIC, Assoc. AIA
    Associate Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University Department of Architectural Science
    Vincent Hui teaches studio, structures, and digital tools at Toronto Metropolitan University's Department of Architectural Science as well as researching computer aided design, building information modeling, parametric design, advanced simulation, and rapid prototyping. As the head of the university's Architectural Design Lab, [R]ed[U]x Lab, Vincent has overseen the design, fabrication, and exhibition of innovative design work around the world.
    Vincent Hui, B.E.S., C.U.T., M.Arch, M.B.A., LEED AP, MRAIC, Assoc. AIA
    Eric Bury, B.Arch, B.ES
    Director of Project Development, Eventscape
    Architecturally trained, Eric is skilled in providing unique solutions for uncommon challenges using both 2D and 3D digital tools in a variety of media. Prior to joining Eventscape, an award-winning architectural fabricator, he was a Senior Associate, Designer and Project Manager with Philip Beesley Architect, an interdisciplinary experimental architecture and design firm specializing in the creation of large scale immersive responsive, kinetic environments. In his range of roles in a variety of industries (including architecture, engineering, graphic design, and interactive art), Eric developed a passion for communicating ideas and creating work for diverse audiences. From conception to implementation, focusing on the overall vision as well as the detail, Eric is able to guide Eventscape’s clients in the best and most cost-effective solution for their projects including guidance on material suitability, fabrication processes, architectural integration, and installation sequencing.
    Eric Bury, B.Arch, B.ES
    John D. Cerone, AIA
    Principal, SHoP Architects
    John is a principal at SHoP Architects, where he directs dedicated initiatives for model-based delivery and offsite manufacturing. He is internationally recognized as an innovator in the exploration of future technologies for design and construction, and his work in Design for Manufacturing & Assembly processes, and CAD/CAM integration, has defined the success of many SHoP projects, including the Barclays Center, Nassau Coliseum, and the Botswana Innovation Hub. John was instrumental in the creation and launch of Assembly OSM, applying automotive and aerospace manufacturing processes to transform capabilities in the practice of architecture, engineering and construction, and he leads both SHoP and Assembly OSM, in collaboration with Dassault Systèmes, as part of a transdisciplinary group that includes key companies from the automotive, aerospace and marine industries. John received a Master of Architecture from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Architecture from Miami University.
    John D. Cerone, AIA
  • The Value-Add of Storytelling with Objects & Artwork to Enrich a Sense of Place

    Design Skills

    Learn how storytelling can innovate the design process and add value to any project. For an immersive user experience, custom features bring an artful and authentic sense of place. Collaborations with vendors and inhouse creativity offer infinite possibilities for design, often with cost benefits. Attendees will see examples of objects and artwork from a range of projects and how they engage to make spaces more memorable.

    Dwayne MacEwen, AIA, NCARB
    Principal and Creative Director, DMAC Architecture & Interiors/Creative Lab
    Dwayne MacEwen is the founder and creative director of both Creative Lab as well as DMAC Architecture & Interiors, a Chicago design studio specializing in architecture, interiors, furniture and special projects. Currently celebrating its 28th anniversary, the firm’s work spans a wide range of typologies and scales—from hotels, health clubs, airport lounges, restaurants, casinos, sportsbooks, spas and even an automotive country club. The firm's diverse portfolio also includes custom products, fixtures, and client branding. In the past three years alone, MacEwen has led the studio’s projects covering over 1,000,000 square feet of commercial space across the country and Canada.

    The son of a builder from Prince Edward Island, Canada, MacEwen comes to architecture through construction. MacEwen’s pragmatic preparation for his career in architecture remains important in the structural and functional integrity of his designs. He consistently seeks and responds to opportunities for design innovation that are not confined by style. Instead, Dwayne uses architecture as a medium to curate placemaking through discovery and storytelling for uniquely memorable experiences.
    Dwayne MacEwen, AIA, NCARB
    Kavitha Marudadu, AIA, LEED AP
    Associate Principal, DMAC Architecture & Interiors
    Kavitha Marudadu is Associate Principal at DMAC Architecture & Interiors, a Chicago design studio specializing in architecture, interiors, furniture and special projects. Her work spans a wide range of typologies and scales including: hotels, health clubs, airport lounges, restaurants, spas and residential. An accomplished architect of more than 20 years, Marudadu provides firm-wide leadership while managing many of the hospitality and commercial works as well as taking an active role in design.

    Marudadu recently spearheaded the new design brand standards for American Airlines Flagship lounges. The first Admirals Club based on the new brand narrative just opened at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Prior to her work with American Airlines, Kavitha led the award-winning 250,000 square-foot expansion of Midtown Athletic Club’s flagship in Chicago, including a full-scale rebrand and 55-room boutique hotel addition.
    Kavitha Marudadu, AIA, LEED AP
  • Two Attorneys Walk into an Office...

    Workplace

    The workplace is experiencing a degree of change like we have never seen before. How do organizations, who are experiencing formalized, flexible working for the first time keep up, respond, and continue to support their employees and firm goals? Professional Services firms have typically required employees to be in the office five days a week and often rewarded employees with more square footage. This presentation will explore how this is shifting and how flexible working schedules can affect physical space. It will also discuss some ways to usher employees through this change and how the agile office can provide more resiliency to organizations while giving employees a place to connect at a time when many feel further apart.

    Kristin Cerutti, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP
    Design Leader, NELSON Worldwide
    Kristin is a licensed, commercial interior designer with 18 years of experience leading the design effort on everything from corporate office headquarters and building repositioning projects to salons and fitness centers across the country. As a design and thought leader with NELSON Worldwide, Kristin focuses on designing spaces for all, is part of the DEI Council, and co-leads the Legal Workplace Practice. Making other people's lives better is what drives her, and her passions lie with being an adviser to and advocate for others. She says, “When we design for those who need us most, it benefits everyone in the process.” Outside of work, Kristin can be found volunteering for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, spending time in nature, visiting the newest vegan restaurants, and traveling the world: she’s been to all seven continents.
    Kristin Cerutti, NCIDQ, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP
  • Understanding Faculty Perspectives in Designing Classroom Environments

    Education

    There are many ways to approach the design of evolving education environments. The ultimate challenge lies in how new spaces will be adopted and leveraged to support student performance and wellbeing. While stakeholder buy-in is a significant factor in scaling more flexible, mobile settings, getting people to believe in the affordances of the built environment is a key gateway to opportunities for growth that support crafting high-quality learning experiences. This session will provide a checklist of considerations and prompts to address common barriers to change as educators reimagine their role and practice. It will also highlight best practices with internal thought leaders so that there is a clearly articulated set of design drivers to guide the design process and collaboratively navigate how spaces are zoned.

    Marisa Sergnese, MEd
    Principal Consultant, Education Learning Spaces, Steelcase Learning
    A passionate education and design thinking professional with several years of experience and a demonstrated history in planning, implementing, and navigating active learning environments for education institutions committed to transitioning from traditional teaching practices to more innovative, learner-centered environments . Extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of teaching and learning, space design, consulting (design, delivery, facilitation), learning needs analysis, skill development and peer mentoring.
    Marisa Sergnese, MEd
  • Understanding Trauma-Informed Design — and its Relevance in the Design Industry

    Public Space Wellness

    The goal of trauma-informed design is to create physical spaces that promote safety, well-being, and healing by incorporating the principles of trauma-informed care into design. The presentation will primarily address the significance of trauma-informed design, why it is important for wellness-focused built environments, how to participate in the process, as well as engage stakeholders in the design process. Speakers from the design and nonprofit sectors will discuss the significance of this underutilized phrase in the design industry, as well as its impact on end users. The audience will learn what it means to create purpose-built shelters and facilities that empower lives, as well as project budgeting and implementation, stakeholder integration, and the role of the design team throughout the process.

    Jennifer Sobecki
    CEO, Designs for Dignity
    Jennifer Sobecki serves as Chief Executive Officer of Designs for Dignity. Over the past 18 years, she has worked with the Board of Directors and staff to grow the organization and empower lives through design. Together, we have transformed 260+ facilities, 1.5 million SF of space, deployed $18 million+ in material donations and impacted the lives of 785,000+ through our mission.
    Jennifer Sobecki
    Gail Wozniak, LEED AP
    Associate, Solomon Cordwell Buenz
    Gail brings her broad-based knowledge to conceptual design and space planning to FF&E specification, with expertise in space planning, construction documents, and the selection of design products, materials, and finishes. She works directly with clients to coordinate and assist with product presentations. Gail’s acute attention to detail and analytical sensibility provide the continuity required to deliver successful projects. Gail is an active design volunteer with Designs for Dignity bringing her expertise to their projects from a trauma informed lens. She also serves on their Associate Board.
    Gail Wozniak, LEED AP
    Nicholas Roarike Moriarty
    Principal Interior Design Consultant, NMI, LLC
    Nicholas Moriarty Interiors (NMI, LLC.) is a multi-disciplinary, full-service/turnkey interior design firm, focused on full scale interior renovation and design projects. Our work is differentiated by our forward-thinking and client-focused approach to design. Whether we partner on space planning, kitchen design or furniture selection, our process is efficient and meticulous. We pride ourselves on leading with transparency—and spectacular industry ties—to deliver a white-glove experience and a beautifully luxurious end result with no hidden steps.

    Inspired by our passion for a variety of design styles, NMI’s work is recognizable for its depth of texture, personality, and warmth. No two clients we work with look the same — we’ve partnered with national celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, doctors, lawyers, artists, and everyone in between — and the same can be said for their final spaces. We firmly believe that your space should look like your own, we are simply partners in helping to elevate it with our signature eclectic, contemporary and modern style.
    Educated at the University of Northern Iowa (BA Marketing) and Harrington College of Design (AA Interior Design), I pull from modernist designs to inspire the unique, eclectic, contemporary interiors I conjure for each client. I am particularly inspired by the art and design of iconic figures such as Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius and the Bauhaus Movement, and artists like Andy Warhol, Anselm Kiefer, Gerhard Richter, and Jasper Johns.
    Nicholas Roarike Moriarty
  • Walk the ESG Talk: Integrating ESG Strategies into Workplaces Through Design

    Workplace Sustainability

    Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies are top of mind for many clients as they design and build new office space. Physical expressions of these strategies are necessary when designing for a more environmentally and socially conscious workforce, which differs from the standard business model of seeking profit no matter the cost. In today's post-pandemic ethos, both shareholders and employees want to see businesses take strides in making the world a better place. We advise our clients to be aware of their organization's corporate values and look for partnerships that strengthen them. These choices can make the well-being of employees throughout the workday a priority. Through a series of case studies, we will demonstrate how to tangibly express ESG and create a unique workplace experience.

    Suzette Subance-Ferrier, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Managing Executive, TPG Architecture
    Suzette joined TPG in 2012 and has 20 years of experience as a designer and professional. As a Studio Creative Director, she has been responsible for the successful design and completion of some of TPG’s most prestigious projects, and she was recently named Contract Magazine’s 2017 Designer of the Year. Suzette specializes in workspaces that combine sophisticated design sensibility with practical business strategy and application. As a result of her diverse project experience, she is able to articulate and meet project goals, budgets, and schedules, no matter what the project requires.
    Suzette Subance-Ferrier, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED AP
    Samantha McCormack, RA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, IIDA
    Managing Executive, TPG Architecture
    Samantha has over 15 years of industry experience, and has spent the past 10 years at TPG. A registered architect by trade, Samantha appreciates the fast-paced world of being a designer and developing lasting client relationships. Samantha is an integral leader in all pre-design decisions, and views planning and real estate strategy to be the foundation for any successful project. Additionally, she leads TPG’s wellness and sustainable initiatives and has served as a LEED administrator and global sustainability resource for over 25 LEED-certified projects totaling over 1 million square feet.
    Samantha McCormack, RA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, IIDA
  • Why Diversity

    DEI Industry Directions

    As in many industries, diversity, equity and inclusion has been a major topic of discussion in architecture, design and construction. DEI experts Michael Bowman and Ron Baldwin are at the table, leading discussions in this industry on creating impactful DEI programs and initiatives; sharing their insight on strategies to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive industry where people from all walks of life can reach their potential. Michael and Ronald plan to utilize their DEI experience to present and discuss a number of topical issues such as unconscious bias, aligning DEI goals with corporate mission, vision and values, capacity building for diverse business in design and construction arena, and creating best in class DEI programs on both the people and procurement areas of business.

    Michael Bowman, Pennsylvania Bar Association; EMSDC
    Principal, Rittenhouse LTD
    Michael A. Bowman is the Principal of Rittenhouse LTD (“Rittenhouse”), a diversity focused consultancy and a law firm focused on general counsel services, real estate, and employment. Mr. Bowman, has extensive experience in equal employment opportunity matters, diversity strategy and procurement strategy, and regularly consults and advises companies large and small on the creation and development of proactive and impactful EEO and diversity policies. In his law practice, Mr. Bowman often acts as outside general counsel to medium sized companies with no in-house legal infrastructure.

    Michael A. Bowman is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, where he was a National Merit Commended Scholar. After a stint as a public-school teacher in New York City, Mr. Bowman earned both a law degree and Master’s Degree in Public Affairs and Administration from the University of Wisconsin Law School and the La Follette Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. While at Wisconsin, Mr. Bowman was an Advanced Opportunity Fellow both at La Follette and the Law School.
    Michael Bowman, Pennsylvania Bar Association; EMSDC
    Ron Baldwin, Certified Purchasing Manager, Institute for Supply Management
    Director of Supplier Management and Diversity, AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies
    My passion is creating and executing highly effective Diversity Supplier programs. Since the early 2000’s, I have been creating and implementing programs targeted at increasing diverse suppliers at the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies. Initially my efforts were within my overall duties in a particular department or area, but in 2010, I stepped into a much higher profile role as Director, Supplier Management, and Diversity.

    I developed and rolled out a fully formed plan in 8 states across multiple Lines of Business which drove diversity spend from 3% of total spend in 2010 to an expected 16% in 2016. Executive management values my ability to set up internal training and awareness programs, institute diversity and governance councils, open community doors, and act as spokesperson to promote corporate brand awareness.

    DIVERSITY PROGRAM CREATION: Conceive, establish, grow, and lead Diversity Supplier efforts; develop and execute company-wide plans, define metrics, and measure successes across LOB’s and departments.

    TEAM LEADERSHIP: Build teams of direct and indirect reports and diversity champions, set up regional councils, and coordinate activities; coach team members to implement efforts in their respective regions.

    COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Personally represent company to multiple state, regional, and city official and community groups; initiate, support, and oversee team efforts to engage community organizations, such as Minority Supplier Development Councils, Minority Business Development Agencies, and other community advocates.
    Ron Baldwin, Certified Purchasing Manager, Institute for Supply Management

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General Info & Educational Topics


NeoCon CEU Sessions are:

Fee: Sessions, both onsite and virtual, are $35 each or $30 each when 5 or more sessions are purchased.
Length: 60 minutes
Accredited: 1 CEU for Designers and 1 LU for Architects

Educational Topics:

DEI
Design Skills
Education
Facilities Management
Healthcare
Hospitality
Industry Directions
Lighting
Public Space
Sustainability
Technology
Urban Planning
Wellness
Workplace

CEU Info:

All CEU Sessions, onsite and virtual, have been approved for continuing education credit with IDCEC for interior designers and AIA for architects. To receive credit for the virtual sessions, participants must remain on the webinar for up to 60 minutes and complete and submit the 10-question quiz provided. Below are the various certifications for industry experts.

Interior Designers
Merchandise Mart Properties, Inc. (MMPI) is an “AIA Registered Provider.” Each of the NeoCon one-hour webinars have been approved by AIA and result in 1 Learning Unit (LU). Some webinars will meet Health, Safety and Welfare guidelines and can be identified by the [HSW] acronym in the seminar description.

LEED Professionals
NeoCon CEU Sessions under the Sustainability Education Topic may qualify for GBCI Hours towards the LEED Credential Maintenance Program. Proof of Attendance/Certifications will be provided upon request.

Healthcare Designers
NeoCon CEU Sessions under the Healthcare Educational Topic have been approved under consideration for 1 EDAC CEU credit each from the Center for Health Design. The EDAC CEU form for credit will be available upon request.