Program Library

The last few years have tested the limits of our cities and built environments across the globe, leaving people and their communities with an urgent need for a return to vibrancy and experiences they can enjoy and remember together. Today, storytelling in design has become a top priority for clients and their stake holders, as well as our own aspirations as creators.

In his more than thirty years at Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob Weis created story-driven experiences in every Disney property around the world. In his keynote, Weis will share insights and visuals to demonstrate how the new global Gensler Entertainment practice is bringing storytelling to the forefront and strategy of new projects, engaging clients to think differently about how stories and experiences form valuable anchors in successful projects. His talk will demonstrate how creatives can use this magical tool to bring vibrancy to everyday places and spaces.

Bob Weis
Global Entertainment Leader, Gensler

Bob Weis leads Global Entertainment for Gensler. As former President of Walt Disney Imagineering, Bob brings more than 30 years of leadership creating, designing, and developing some of Disney’s most iconic projects around the globe. His experience in pioneering large-scale groundbreaking and story-driven experiences further expands Gensler’s ability to drive design innovation that meaningfully shapes the human experience.

In leading Entertainment at Gensler, Bob collaborates with the firm’s global leaders to envision and bring to life unique experiences for clients spanning across 33 practice areas, including entertainment, lifestyle, hospitality, retail, sports, mixed-use, cultural institutions, wellness, and workplace.

During his time at Disney, Bob led more than 200 major projects around the world with a capital value of more than $30 billion. From the U.S. to Shanghai, Tokyo to Paris, his design and innovation imprint has been indelibly left on theme parks, attractions and rides, resorts, and cruise ships. He has also consulted with major clients including Smithsonian, National Geographic, NASA, and the United States Navy, among others. Bob has been recognized with numerous industry accolades and awards and remains closely connected to his Disney roots.

Bob is the recipient of multiple honors from the Themed Entertainment Association, including Best New Theme Park for Shanghai Disney Resort and the Buzz Price Lifetime Achievement Award. He has been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from Cal Poly School of Environmental Design, where he graduated with a degree in Architecture.

British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist and designer Yinka Ilori is known for his dynamic public installations and color-forward aesthetic. Behind his progressive work lies a philosophy grounded in design’s power to tell stories of identity, culture, and purpose. In an intimate “fireside chat” style keynote, Ilori will discuss how he harnesses diverse mediums of design as a catalyst to tell stories, using creativity as a language to celebrate cultural identities, and the power of design to elevate the individual while unifying the masses. Ilori will also give insight into how these tenets can be incorporated into the modern workplace, examining it through the lens of his electrifying new collection for Momentum Textiles & Wallcovering.

Yinka Ilori
British-Nigerian Multi-Disciplinary Artist and Designer

Yinka Ilori is a London-based, British-Nigerian multi-disciplinary artist, designer, and entrepreneur whose bold visual language draws on his British-Nigerian heritage to convey new narratives through contemporary design. Drawing on Nigerian parables and verbal traditions, Ilori touches on a multitude of themes that resonate with a global audience. His work is underpinned by the belief that art and design should be accessible to all. Humorous, provocative, and playful, his projects demonstrate how design can bring together communities and have a positive impact on society, evoking a sense of joy and optimism. Often using the city as his canvas, he reimagines spaces to encourage a sense of community and invites audiences to engage and participate in his work and its surroundings. A graduate of London Metropolitan University’s BA in Furniture and Product Design, Ilori’s work has been showcased globally through solo and group exhibitions, public commissions, and set and exhibition design.

Photo credit: Lewis Khan

The world witnessed history, in 2019, as Ruth E. Carter became the first Black woman to win an Oscar for Costume Design. As she graced the Dolby stage in Los Angeles to a standing ovation, Ruth Carter affirmed her voice and devotion to retraining the eye to see beauty through costume design and the creation of Afrofuturism. Igniting a cultural renaissance, Carter’s decades long work in film proves that diversity in design and representation in story matters to audiences. In this keynote, one of the most sought-after costume designers on the globe, takes us on a journey, from concept to creation, to design the Afrofuture and shares how the art of storytelling translates in costume design and the building of worlds.

Ruth E. Carter
Two-Time Academy-Award Winning Costume Designer

Ruth E. Carter is an American film costume designer best known for turning the Black Panther superhero into an African King. Carter makes history as the first Black person to win the Academy Award for Costume Design and earns Marvel Studios their first Oscar recognition. For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Carter makes history, again, for her outstanding costume design work and becomes the first Black woman to win multiple Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win for the first film and its sequel.

Carter pays tribute to the people of Africa through the costumes in Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. She fuses traditional and contemporary while incorporating technology to deliver fashion and function, creating Afrofuturistic pieces that empower the female form, honor ancient cultures, and invoke a deep sense of representation unlike any other costumes experienced on screen. For Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Carter transforms the groundbreaking Afrofuturistic Wakandan looks from the first film and introduces new superheroes and the underwater world of the Talokan into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

She was tasked with creating hundreds of costumes and multiple builds for superhero characters steeped in symbolism and storytelling from two civilizations that battle on land, in air, and underwater. Carter elevates the characters from the first film by adding more brilliance and depth of emotion and culture to the costumes and creates new wearable art with breathtaking pieces that honor post classic Mesoamerican Maya culture for the Indigenous futuristic Talokan. Over three decades in film, television, and theater, Carter has earned seventy credits and collaborated with prolific directors, including Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Coogler. Carter’s costumes based on real and imaginative characters provide an arc to the narratives of African Americans from Do The Right Thing, Malcolm X, What's Love Got To Do With It, Amistad, The Butler, Marshall, Selma, Dolemite Is My Name, Coming 2 America to Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Carter's outstanding costume design work has been honored with Academy Award nominations for Malcolm X (1993) and Amistad (1998) and an Emmy nomination for the miniseries reboot of Roots (2016). The impact of her career in filmmaking has been recognized with the Costume Designers Guild's Career Achievement Award (2019) and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (2021). She is also a member of the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Her costumes serve as an American treasure of history and culture and are on display in a traveling museum exhibition titled “Afrofuturism in Costume Design” and in her recent book “The Art of Ruth E. Carter” - a behind-the-scenes journey in creating the most iconic costumes in filmmaking.

Carter is beloved in her hometown of Springfield, Massachusetts and was given the key to the city for her achievements and service to the community (2021). She is a graduate of Hampton University, Virginia (HBCU) and most recently served as their commencement speaker and was given the distinction of honorary doctorate. She holds an additional honorary doctorate from Suffolk University, Massachusetts.

How is experiential design changing the face of design at large, and how will experience intersect and empower the future of design and designers? IIDA’s once-a-year live episode of our Collective Design series brings you top minds in design who approach experiential design through a variety of lenses, from neuroscience to hospitality to future forecasting — all in a thought-provoking, deep dive exploration of a topic that will shape not only our design work, but our lives. This roll-up-your-sleeves companion program to IIDA’s keynote will provide the ideas you need to embrace what’s next for design and your business.

IIDA Panel

Occupancy in downtown Chicago offices is hovering at just over 55%. Hybrid models of work—with employees working from home part time and at an office part time—seem to be here to stay. They also present challenges in designing offices. Come hear from designers, executives in the trenches and leasing agents who have a bird’s-eye view into making (or remaking) spaces that reflect the nature of work today. Find out what has worked—and what hasn’t—in encouraging employees to come back to the office. (Hint: It’s more complicated than installing a ping-pong table.)

Crain's Panel

Progressing from making public statements to enacting practical equity programs is essential in creating a more diverse environment. Novità Senior Vice President Joseph Cephas leads a panel of design leaders as they explore strategies that go beyond the rhetoric to make firms and the projects they produce more inclusive. With a focus on creating tangible, measurable results, the discussion will examine how diversity initiatives can lead to positive change.

Diversity in Practice Panel

From Dall-E to Midjourney to Sora, a new wave of generative AI tools have arrived to shake up design. Panelists spanning architecture to industrial design will unpack how they’re using gen AI in their practice today, and how they see it impacting the industry within the next few years.

Fast Company Panel

Join the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) and the Association of Contract Textiles (ACT) as they bring you this moderated discussion among industry textile and furniture trend-setters focusing on textiles’ influential role in furniture product design and performance. Topics will include textile design inspiration; innovations in materials, technology, and sustainability; application considerations and challenges; and incorporating client expectations into the development process.

BIFMA+ ACT Panel

The American Society of Interior Designers has catalogued the latest ways we live, work, play, learn and heal. Join us for a discussion of the latest trends impacting interior design. Hear from Khoi Vo, ASID CEO and leading industry designers, as they discuss the impact of these current trends on commercial design – the hybrid workplace and the desire to encourage connection, cross-specialty and the interconnectedness of sustainability and wellness, adaptive re-use and the repositioning of older buildings, and new strategies in digital marketing given AI algorithms.

ASID Panel

Designing a Better Chicago shines a light on our city’s extraordinary design legacy — the local talent, assets and community that have long supported civic good through design. Launched in 2020, this initiative showcases individuals and organizations, public art and programs across the city, inviting residents and visitors to consider the many ways design improves civic life. Join the new 2024 grant winners as they discuss their work, the impact they are making on Chicago, and lessons they have learned along the way.

DBC Panel

The winners of Formica’s Student Innovation Competition discuss their winning submissions, transitioning from student to working professional, and what Gen Z is looking for in the work environment.

Katie Sargent
Integrated Marketing Manager, Work Design Magazine

​​Katie Sargent is Work Design’s Integrated Marketing Manager. Katie’s interest in the A+D industry began with her first internship at IA Interior Architects. Since then she went on to have experience with Jones Lang LaSalle, Kimball Office and dealerships in the DC area. She received her degree in Business Management from Virginia Tech. She is located in NYC.

Every design has its own unique story; In order to give architecture a distinct voice today, a content-based communication strategy becomes a critical tool and a means to that end. Let's discuss why we should bring all voices to the table to set the course for a better, more inclusive and sustainable future.

Tanya Khanna
Founder, Epistle

Indian Architect and Curator, Tanya Khanna has committed herself to Democratising Architecture –– giving a global voice to design and to all those who practice, influence, or experience it. She is the founder of Epistle, the first and largest communications consultancy for architects and designers in South Asia. Through her work with more than 150 leading architects, design practitioners, real estate developers, artists and design brands, Tanya has been passionately advocating good design for over 16 years. Trained as an architect in India and London, Khanna brings with her an intrinsic understanding of what businesses in the design and AEC domain need to Be Known.

Let’s challenge the popular belief that multitasking is the key to productivity. Instead, we’ll introduce you to the concept of Monotasking to enhance your creativity, productivity, and wellness.

Libby Gillen
Vice President, Design Segment, Momentum Textiles and Wallcovering

Libby Gillen is a seasoned professional in the world of design, blending her early passion for fine arts with a comprehensive understanding of interior design. After graduating from Syracuse University with a degree in Interior Design, Libby worked at various design firms in the Boston and Chicago markets. Transitioning to the manufacturing side of the industry, Libby served as an account executive and eventually ascended to the role of Vice President of Architecture and Design. In this capacity, she leveraged her multifaceted expertise in design, marketing, and product knowledge to consult with Architecture and Design (A&D) clients, offering tailored solutions for every space.

Currently, Libby Gillen is the Vice President of A+D Engagement at Momentum Textiles and Wallcovering, where her unwavering commitment to sustainable and people-friendly design drives organizational initiatives. Her advocacy for health and wellness initiatives both within the Momentum organization and among its clientele underscores her dedication to creating spaces that prioritize well-being.

As an active member of professional organizations such as the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), Chief, National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), and Dignity in Design, Libby remains deeply invested in advancing her field through continued education and service. Her values and beliefs serve as guiding principles in her pursuit of excellence, making her a respected figure within the design community.

Have you discovered Intentional Based Working? Join to hear how IBW is creating demand in the workplace.

Is your space supporting the activities that are happening within the office? What if space design chose not to continue supporting the activities that don't add value to the organization and instead reinforced the ones that do? Stephen Smith will join us to tell us more about Intentional Based Working and how new space design concepts can drive demand in the new world of work and propel the businesses it supports.

Stephen Smith
VP of People Analytics, REWORC and Founder of The Fail Forward Project

Stephen Smith leads the people analytics, client solutions, and product development areas at Reworc. After working in both Human Resources and Corporate Real Estate in People Operations roles, Stephen has focused on driving workforce and workplace transformation by using data and information to leverage optimum work and work environments.

Stephen understands the connection between people, place, and performance and is a leader at connecting solutions to the evidence that supports it. Accordingly, Stephen is focused on high- performance and the evolution of work and teams in the organizations he serves. Stephen has enhanced survey and analytics experience, due to his fortune 100 experience and his Master’s in Industrial Organizational Psychology from Louisiana Tech University.

HOK's Olivia Danielson-Veed shares the latest research on sensory processing and neurodiversity. Learn more about why Neuro-Inclusion affects everyone and how to integrate it into your design process.

Olivia Danielson-Veed
Associate | Senior Project Interior Designer, HOK

Olivia Danielson-Veed, a Senior Project Interior Designer at HOK’s Chicago studio, is a visionary in corporate and commercial design, specializing in workplace and amenity spaces. With a passion for crafting interior ecosystems that foster collaboration and cater to the neurodiverse, she integrates natural materials and sustainable practices to enhance user experiences. Olivia's unique expertise spans the furniture industry, guiding clients through selection and procurement processes with seamless communication. A seasoned speaker, she has shared insights on "Designing for Neurodiversity" and "Biophilic Design" at prestigious events like AIA Chicago and Chicago Build. Olivia's recent co-authorship of 'Gathering Spaces' underscores her commitment to creating culturally impactful environments that nurture fellowship and fulfillment.

What is Occupational Therapy, and why is it an essential expertise in an inclusive design team? Occupational Therapist Francisco Lasta, talks about the distinct value that OT practitioners can bring to the table for teams seeking to elevate their designs. He sheds light on the barriers to collaboration between OTs and designers and explore potential solutions for fostering a more impactful partnership.

Francisco Lasta
Inclusive Design / Marketing Strategy, Muller2

With over a decade of experience working with individuals of diverse disabilities across different age groups and socio-economic backgrounds, Francisco Lasta's expertise in human-centered design, task analysis, accessibility, and UX provides him with a uniquely empathetic and functional perspective when it comes to architecture and design. As an Occupational Therapist leading the Inclusive Design team at the architecture firm M2, he is passionate about helping designers create inclusive and accessible spaces and products. He has served as a speaker during the global conference “In Pursuit of Equity: A Symposium to Re-envision the Center for Universal Design” and presented about the “Intersection of Occupational Therapy and Architecture” during the 2024 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference and Expo. Francisco is also a Second City-trained improv enthusiast and performs with his improv group in comedy theaters around Chicago.

Fail! Fail! Fail! It’s the magic of moving forward. Failure fosters growth and agility in our personal development. However, too often we see an inequality in how failure is perceived amongst design careers. Let’s break the cycle! Designers and workplace strategists share their stories of understanding and embracing their failures while pivoting towards success.

Benefits of Failing Presenters

Andrea Alaownis is an interior designer with the Jacobs Boston office. She has concentrated on commercial projects at Jacobs through all phases of planning, design, and construction since graduating Radford University in 2007. As a WELL Accredited professional, she participated in assisting the Jacobs Boston office to achieve WELL V1 Gold, Fitwel 3 Stars, and LEED V4 Gold certifications and continues to educate the design community and clients on wellness through design.

She currently resides in Rhode Island and leads a group of extremely talented interior designers, architects, and lab planners in the Boston, Massachusetts office.

Jovana Abu-Ali is diversely trained Interior Designer, Licensed Architect and Design Leader with 15 years of international experience.

Based out of Boston Jacobs office, Jovana has worked on a range of projects at a variety of scales, contexts, and types. Her most recent design work focuses on Workplace Design, Workplace Strategy, New Ways of Working, and Life Science.

Born and raised in Belgrade- Serbia, Jovana moved to the USA to join Interior design industry in 2007. After completion of her second Master’s degree, she has had an opportunity to work and serve different market sectors - ranging in project sizes and team structures. She quickly gained valuable experience by pushing the boundaries of the profession and developing both as a diverse designer and skilled team leader.

In addition to NCARB and USGBC LEED AP Certifications, Jovana is Registered Architect, and a full AIA member since 2013. She is a proud mom of a brilliant 8-year-old boy; fluent in English and Serbian, and enjoys ballet practice, healthy food styling and travel.

AI is integrating into our digital life faster than imagined. Design firm Ware Malcomb discusses key AI tools and the newest usages.

AI 2.0 - What You Need to Know! Presenters

Mark Schwamel, FAIA is Director of Ware Malcomb’s downtown Chicago office. In his role, Schwamel is responsible for leading the downtown Chicago office and overseeing the growth of the Interiors Studio in the region.

Schwamel brings more than 20 years of experience to Ware Malcomb, with proven capabilities and expertise in workplace, mixed-use, retail, urban design and multifamily projects. He has led all aspects of design, workplace strategy and business development for the interiors groups he has managed. Prior to Ware Malcomb, he held multiple leadership roles at international design firms.

Moderated by Matthew Negron.

Matthew Negron, president of Dauphin Americas, has over a decade of experience in the furniture industry, with expertise in product design, engineering, sales, marketing, and executive leadership. As the youngest president of a contract furniture company, he has successfully navigated the challenges posed by the pandemic and a recession-based economy, positioning the company for future growth. He remains actively engaged with industry associations and has received recognition for his leadership. Poised to become president of IIDA’s Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware chapter, Matthew also works with students as an adjunct professor of industrial design at Kean University.