Jury Alumni

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  Jess Gartner

  CEO & Founder, Allovue

  2015 Design Education Initiative Jury Member

  Jess Gartner is the CEO & founder of Allovue, an education resource planning platform for K-12 schools and districts. Allovue helps education administrators connect spending to student outcomes. In the past, Jess has taught in numerous schools throughout the world including South Africa and Thailand. She received her M.A in teaching from John Hopkins University. She was featured as one of The Baltimore Sun's 2013 Women to Watch as a leader in education and Baltimore Magazine's 40 Under 40. In July 2012, she was a featured panelist alongside prominent education leaders at the Education Technology Innovation Summit in New York City. Her writing and photography has been published in Weekly, Changing, Skillcrush and Women 2.0.

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  Sarah Hemminger

  Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Thread

  2015 Design Education Initiative Jury Member

  Sarah Hemminger co-founded Thread with her husband Ryan Hemminger in 2004. She has eleven years of experience in nonprofit management and expertise in the development, expansion, and replication of innovative, paradigm shifting models of mentoring. Sarah has a deep understanding of the challenges that face students in successfully completing high school and accessing higher education, as well as the potential for students and volunteers to change not only their own lives but also create a positive and lasting impact on those around them. Sarah was awarded fellowships from Ashoka, Echoing Green Foundation, Open Society Institute, and the Albert Schweitzer Fellows Program, which support social entrepreneurs with innovative ideas. In 2010, Sarah received her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University for her work on the role of the cerebellum and the primary motor cortex on the time scales of consolidation of motor memory.

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  Becky Slogeris

  Associate Director, MICA Center for Social Design

  2015 Design Education Initiative Jury Member

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  John Thackara

  Director, The Doors of Perception

  2015 Design for Social Impact Jury Captain

  For thirty years, John Thackara has traveled the world in his search of stories about the practical steps taken by communities to realize a sustainable future. He writes about these stories online and in books; he uses them in talks for cities and business; he also organizes festivals and events that bring the subjects of these stories together.John is the author of a widely-read blog atdesignobserver.comand of the best-sellingIn the Bubble: Designing In A Complex World (MIT Press) û also translated into nine languages. As director ofdoorsofperception.com, John organizes conferences and festivals in which social innovators share knowledge.John is a Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art, in London, and a Fellow of The Young Foundation, the UK's social enterprise incubator. He sits on the advisory boards of the Pixelache Festival in Helsinki, the Future Perfect festival in Sweden, and Design Impact in India. He is also a member of the UK Parliament's Standing Commission on Design.Earlier, John edited the magazine Design for five years, and was later Modern Culture Editor of Harpers & Queen, and design correspondent of The Guardian. He then started a conference and exhibition company ,with offices in London and Tokyo, which created and organised events at the Pompidou Centre, Victoria & Albert Museum, Axis Gallery in Tokyo, and other venues. From 1989-1992, John was Director of Research at the Royal College of Art.Among John's 12 books are Design After Modernism: Beyond the Object (1987) andLost in Space: A Traveller's tale (1995). He has lectured in more than forty countries.

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  Babitha George

  Partner, Quicksand

  2015 Design for Social Impact Jury Member

  Babitha George is a Partner at Quicksand and leads multiple innovation projects within Quicksand. Her prior work in education in India prompted her to actively think about the role of design thinking in social impact contexts, leading her to steer several of Quicksand's social innovation projects, especially in the use of technology in education and vocational training contexts, to improve learning outcomes and create more engaging & transformational learning environments. She is a management graduate from IIM Ahmedabad, prior to which she studied English, Journalism & Psychology and with this background, Babitha believes strongly in the strength of multi-disciplinary approaches. Her core skills are in design strategy and research as it pertains to conceptualizing products and services that promote sustainability and quality of life, especially for low income communities.Babitha is one of the co-founders of the UnBox Festival. She is also on the Advisory Board of the Victor Papanek Foundation and was recently featured in the British Council's 'Blurring the Lines' exhibition in London, as one of sixteen people from around the world who are reinventing creative exploration and participation in their respective communities.

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  Dr. Mathilda Tham

  Design Professor, Linnaeus University

  2015 Design for Social Impact Jury Member

  Dr Mathilda Tham's work sits in a positive, activist space between design, futures studies and sustainability. Her research explores how design can intervene at the level of paradigms to support futures of sustainability. She uses design research as activism by staging and facilitating participatory and interdisciplinary workshops for critical and creative envisioning. Mathilda's current research themes include metadesign, post-growth fashion, peace, and gender.As Professor in Design, Linnaeus University, Sweden, she leads the development of a new research platform Curious Design Change. She is a member of the board of Mistra (The Foundation for Strategic Environmental Research, Sweden). Mathilda Tham is a metadesign researcher, co-convenor of MA Design Futures and Metadesign, and PhD supervisor at Goldsmiths, University of London. Mathilda's latest publication Routledge Handbook for Sustainability and Fashion, co-edited with Kate Fletcher, is now out.

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  Gill Wildman

  Co-Founder and Director, Plot Studio

  2015 Design for Social Impact Jury Member

  Gill has pioneered the use of design in strategy and innovation for 20 years. She was educated as a designer at Manchester Metropolitan University; has an MA in Design Innovation and Strategy from Brunel University; and recently held Carnegie Mellon School of Design's Nierenberg Chair for 2 years.Her early career was as a researcher and developer of public services in play, youth and social action contexts. This used a people-centered practice of connecting local needs, networks and agencies called the community development approach.She created the design strategy agency Plot in 2004 after four years as a Design Manager at the UK Design Council. Plot has provided innovation labs, workshops and consultancy for a wide variety of public, private and third sector clients at different stages of their lifecycle.Right now, Gill's attention is focused on Upstarter the nomadic design-led incubator she has founded. It's mission is to stimulate embryonic enterprises using strategic design thinking, innovation and design methods. The Upstarter programme is active with partners in London, Bristol and Barcelona, and helps bring a mix of social, commercial and creative industry startups to life.

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  Paul Cocksedge

  Founder, Paul Cocksedge Studio

  2015 Furniture & Lighting Jury Captain

  Paul Cocksedge studied under Ron Arad during his MA in Product Design at the Royal College of Art, and was introduced to Issey Miyake and Ingo Maurer, both of whom staged early exhibitions of his work. Maurer went so far as to give Paul a show within his own show at Milan Design Week 2003, introducing his lights 'Styrene', 'NeON' and an early work that was to be developed into 'Life 01' with FLOS. Paul has since gone on to become one of Britain's leading designers, founding Paul Cocksedge Studio with business partner Joana Pinho in 2004. The Studio's catalogue includes an imaginative range of design products, architectural projects, sculptures and lighting, all infused with the sense of simplicity, joy and wonder that has come to characterise Paul Cocksedge's work.

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  David Harvey

  Wine Importer, Raeburn Fine Wines

  2015 Furniture & Lighting Jury Member

  David Harvey is a wine importer with Raeburn Fine Wines, and a writer. He works with elite nature-centric wine producers of West Europe, and gets involved with closures, packaging, marketing, buying and sales. He contributes to The World of Fine Wine, the award winning publication, and has recently written an entry for The Oxford Companion to Wine (2015 edition).
  He judged at the IWC (International Wine Challenge), the world'd largest wine competition, from 2002-2004 as panel head and super-juror.
  In 2004, while working for Frank Cornelissen on Mt. Etna, he created the name 'orange wine' for the renaissance of white grapes processed like red grapes in the cellar, which has since stuck and become the international standard.
  His favourite objects include his black Parker 51s, prototypes of Paul Cocksedge's Bookmark and Ideas Tray, a Cannondale Killer V and Klein Attitude, a Herve Pennequin corkscrew by Le Thiers, a Santoku knife by Sakai Takayuki. Etc.
  David studied writing at Harvard Summer School, wine at the WSET, and photography at Filton College.

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  Luke Pearson

  Founding Partner, PearsonLloyd

  2015 Furniture & Lighting Jury Member

  Luke Pearson is an industrial designer and founding partner (with Tom Lloyd) of the London design studio PearsonLloyd. The studio works in environments that have demanding spatial, ergonomic and social needs, such as healthcare, aviation, workplace and cities. Recent projects include work for Joseph Joseph, Department of Health, Lufthansa, City of Bath, Intercontinental Hotels, Bene, and Poltrona Frau. The studio believes in the power of design to transform the way in which people use and experience public spaces and services, and to deliver products that are both efficient and beautiful. Luke was awarded the distinction of Royal Designer for Industry by The Royal Society of Arts in 2008, and in 2012 Luke and Tom were named in the top 50 designers 'Shaping the Future' by Fast-Co Magazine in New York. Luke trained in Industrial Design at Central St Martins, (BA Hons 1991) before completing a Master's Degree MA (RCA) in Furniture Design at the Royal College of Art in 1993. He worked with Ross Lovegrove in London before joining Tom to found PearsonLloyd in 1997.

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  Claire Thomas

  Campaigner, Design for 99

  2015 Furniture & Lighting Jury Member

  Claire is interested in the social value of design, and runs the new campaign Designfor99.org. She brings her experience of working with internationally acclaimed designers, architects and cultural organizations, advising communications strategy, running high level media campaigns and lobbying for government policy to support the design, technology and manufacturing industries.Clients and projects include - Design Museum London, Ron Arad Architects, Venice Biennale commissions by John Pawson and Zaha Hadid for Swarovski, Formafantasma for Established & Sons, Serpentine Pavilion designed by Peter Zumthor, London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Bloomberg's contemporary art commission and the young creatives programme at the Roundhouse, Rolex Awards for Enterprise, Design Ventura sponsored by Deutsche Bank, and PR at Dyson including the James Dyson Awards. The brilliance of the inventors, artists, scientists and makers she met along the way inspired the creation of a campaigns agency that champions ingenious solutions to social, environmental and civic challenges.

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  Jill Nussbaum

  Executive Director of Product and Interaction Design, The Barbarian Group

  2015 Interaction Jury Captain

  Jill works with clients to develop long-term product experiences that explore emerging technologies and manages the Interaction Design team at the Barbarian Group. Previously she was an Executive Creative Director at R/GA, and a key player behind the design of the Nike+ platform. In her role, she oversaw the evolution of the platform to include Nike+ Fuelband, Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training.Jill is an active member of the New York design community and enjoys teaching, public speaking, writing, and advising young designers and tech start-ups. She currently teaches in the Interaction Design MFA program at SVA, and is a contributing writer for PSFK. She frequently guest lectures at conferences and learning institutions like Fast Company, SxSW, AIGA/NY, IxDA and General Assembly.

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  Carla Echevarria

  Vice President and Head of Creative, MakerBot

  2015 Interaction Jury Member

  Carla Echevarria is an award-winning creative director with a design background and a decade of experience in digital product development and advertising.She leads the creative team at MakerBot, overseeing user experience design, visual design and copywriting. Her team is responsible for how users experience MakerBot across all channels: brand identity, website and digital properties, online and print advertising, social media, events, promotions, packaging design, print collateral, MakerBot Retail Stores, and third-party retail. Before joining MakerBot, Carla led creative teams at the Facebook Creative Shop, Google Creative Lab and R/GA.She is also on the faculty of the undergraduate Graphic Design and Advertising department of the School of Visual Arts.Her work has won awards at the Cannes Lions, One Show, D&AD, Art Director's Club and the Webbys, and has been published in the AIGA Design 365, Creativity Review, Creativity Magazine and Communication Arts. She has spoken at various industry events, including SXSW Interactive, AIGA events and the FindSpark Creative Conference. She also serves on the board of directors for the New York chapter of the AIGA.

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  Matt Jones

  Interaction Design Director, Google Creative Lab

  2015 Interaction Jury Member

  Matt Jones is an interaction design director at Google Creative Lab in New York. He has been designing digital products and services since 1995.Creative director for the launch of BBC News Online, he co-founded and designed Dopplr.com in 2007, a service for frequent travelers since bought by Nokia. Between 2003 and 2005, he worked at Nokia on areas as diverse as tangible and physical interfaces and the human experience of play.Between 2009 and 2012 he was a principal at BERG, a design and invention company in London that has had projects exhibited in MoMA and products featured in Financial Times, Fast Company, Wired and Marvel Comics.He studied architecture and wrote for ten years about interaction design here:http://www.magicalnihilism.com, and now teaches a design interactions course at the Royal College of Art.

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  Ian Spalter

  UX Lead and Manager, YouTube

  2015 Interaction Jury Member

  Ian Spalter is a UX lead & Manager at Youtube

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  Jennifer Turliuk

  CEO, MakerKids

  2015 Open Design Jury Captain

  Jennifer Turliuk is CEO of MakerKids, a maker learning company that operates one of the only maker spaces for kids in the world. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Wired, Fast Company, Forbes, a Harvard case study and more. Jennifer keynoted the first MakerCon in Europe and has also spoken at various Maker Faire, MakerCon and TEDx events. She attended the Graduate Studies Program at Singularity University at NASA and business school at Queen's University. In her spare time, Jennifer does marketing and strategy consulting. She also enjoys dancing, kiteboarding, playwriting and DJing. Follow her on Twitter: @jenniferturliuk.