Jury Alumni

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  Dan Formosa, Ph.D

  Founder, ThinkActHuman

  2023 Commercial Equipment Jury Member

  Dan consults with companies worldwide on design and innovation. An early proponent of “design for all” (a.k.a. Inclusive Design), he also lectures internationally on research and the future of design. He is the recipient of numerous design awards and has appeared in several documentary films.
  Dan holds degrees in product design, ergonomics and biomechanics. He recently established ThinkActHuman, a consultancy named to reflect his goal, design for a better world. He also co-founded 4B Collective, focused on design and gender, and co-founded the Masters in Branding program at the School of Visual Arts in New York.
  In other work, he co-authored / co-illustrated the Baseball Field Guide, a bestselling book using principles of information design to explain the complex rules of baseball. He’s host of the successful YouTube series “Well Equipped,” produced by Epicurious for Condé Nast, critiquing in a less-than-serious way the usability of various odd kitchen gadgets.
  

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  Thom Fougere

  Founder, Thom Fougere Studio

  2018 Furniture & Lighting Jury Member

  Thom Fougere Studio was founded in the fall of 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada. The studio works within various fields of art and design, but with a focus on furniture and products for the home. All projects are characterized by careful research into materiality, history, aesthetics, and functionality. The studio offers full creative direction, furniture and interior design services.
  
  Thom Fougere (1987) studied architecture at the University of Manitoba before working in furniture and product design. In 2011, after his studies in Architecture, he was appointed Creative Director of Canadian furniture design house EQ3 at the age of 24. There he initiated a rebranding of the company including a transformation of the product line, graphic design, photography, interiors and the architectural design of stores. Thom Fougere continues to investigate how we live and interact with objects in our homes, creating pieces that are both subtle and archetypal in form. His works have been shown internationally at the design fairs in Milan, Stockholm, New York, and Toronto.

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  Robert Pugliese

  Director of Innovation Design, Thomas Jefferson University

  2023 Health & Wellness Jury Captain

  Robert S. Pugliese is Director of Innovation Design at Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health where he co-founded the Health Design Lab, a creative space built to merge design-studio ethos with science-oriented discipline to foster innovation in healthcare. As somebody who enjoys empowering people to be change-makers in healthcare, Rob leads programs that train learners to be health design thinkers and innovators. A Doctor of Pharmacy, Rob spent over ten years practicing and teaching Emergency Medicine. He believes that including both the patient and provider voice is vital to healthcare design. He brings these perspectives to his work through his experiences as a clinician and as a person/cyborg who relies on technology to manage his insulin-dependent diabetes. Rob has presented on the intersection of healthcare and design at national venues such as SXSW and Stanford MedX. During the pandemic, Rob has used his unique experience to lead public health response efforts in response to community needs for testing and vaccination. In his spare time, Rob produces a weekly podcast and enjoys spending time with his wife and three daughters.

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  Thomas Thwaites

  Founder, Thomas Thwaites Studio

  2016 Speculative Concept Jury Member

  Thomas Thwaites is a designer whose work examines the interaction of science, technology and culture in shaping our present society, and possible futures.
  
  His work has been acquired by the Victoria & Albert Museum for their permanent collection, and is exhibited frequently and internationally, including at the National Museum of China, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, the Science Museum (London), and the Zero 1 Biennial (California).
  
  Press includes features in national newspapers including the New York Times, Sued Detsche and The Financial Times. He has presented a four part television series, aired on Discovery Channel.
  
  His first book, The Toaster Project, published by Princeton Architectural Press, has now been translated in to Japanese and Korean editions. His second book, written about his Wellcome Trust funded project to take a holiday from being human by becoming a goat, will be published in May 2016.

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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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  Karina Totah

  Chief of Staff to the President & CMO, Thyme Care

  2021 Strategy & Research Jury Member

  Karina Totah works to achieve greater equity in our cities and our healthcare system. Currently, she is Chief of Staff at Thyme Care, a startup that guides cancer patients through the complex healthcare system by providing personalized support, quality resources & quick access to high-value care. Prior, she was head of strategy for New York City Public Housing, the largest residential landlord in North America. Karina also practices as an end-of-life doula through her company, Nevit (www.nevit.net).

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  Nishma Pandit

  Director & Principal Designer, Ticket Design

  2015 Packaging Jury Captain

  Nishma is a co-founder and Director at Ticket Design, a design and innovation consulting firm involved in product, packaging and UX design. Under her leadership Ticket Design has established itself as a respected design consulting firm, with a wide variety of award winning products launched in the Indian as well as International markets. Some of the awards that Ticket Design has won under her vision are Red Dot Product Design Award in 2013, CII award for UX design 2013 and Silver award at US Appliance Design.During her tenure at Ticket Design, she has been the force of converting ideas into reality. With a robust background in design and years of hands-on design realization she brings her extensive knowledge of product development to the projects. Her project management experience has helped her team to get to the root of a problem and look at meaningful creative solutions. Nishma has helped to create award winning solutions in the medical, packaging, consumer, appliances and telecommunication domain. She is an alumnus of NID (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad), Asia's premier design school. Nishma, started her career as an industrial designer with Tata Johnson Controls in which she designed passenger car seating. Nishma went on to design several products for Bluestar, Whirlpool, Siemens, Honeywell as well as other companies.

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  Janet Lieberman-Lu

  Founder, TINKR

  2022 Personal Accessory Jury Captain

  Janet Lieberman-Lu has more than a decade of experience bringing products to market. As an MIT-educated mechanical engineer and entrepreneur, she's worked on everything from dustpans to 3D printers to bathmats. As the co-founder of Dame Products, she's been a key figure in originating the sextech industry, growing the company into an industry leader while managing the design, engineering, and manufacturing of their products. Her current project, TINKR, is still pre-launch.

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  Frank Tjepkema

  Founder, Tjep

  2022 Built Environment Jury Captain

  Frank Tjepkema (born 1970) is a Dutch designer based in Amsterdam. He started his award-winning design agency Tjep. in 2001 and works in a broad variety of disciplines including sculpture, architecture, interior design, product design and jewellery. He has provoked audiences worldwide through his art and exhibition pieces, such as the Bronze Age Furniture, Recession Chair, Bling Bling and Oogst. Frank is an early collaborator of Droog and his work is part of the permanent collection of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Cooper Hewitt in New-York. Recently Tjep. has delivered a variety of major sculptural projects in public space such as Zwerm in Eindhoven and Air Cells in Amsterdam.

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  Frank Tjepkema

  Founder and owner, Tjep.

  2022 Built Environment Jury Captain

  Frank Tjepkema (born 1970) is a Dutch designer based in Amsterdam. He started his award-winning design agency Tjep. in 2001 and works in a broad variety of disciplines including sculpture, architecture, interior design, product design and jewellery.

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  J Milligan

  Executive Producer, Toca Boca

  2016 Open Design Jury Member

  J Milligan is the Executive Producer at Toca Boca, a play studio that makes digital toys for kids. He is spearheading the company’s new video division dedicated to exploring the new kids TV and video landscape. Before joining Toca Boca, Milligan served as creative director of the content innovation lab and digital media group at Sesame Workshop.

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  Pepin Gelardi

  Co-Founder, Tomorrow Lab

  2023 Commercial Equipment Jury Member

  Pepin Gelardi works at the intersection of purpose and possibility, exploring the role of entrepreneurship and technology in solving future-facing problems. He has cultivated a skill set deep in idea development, user insights, concept visualization, form development, hardware prototyping, mechanism design and manufacturing.
  As a teenager, Pepin developed products for his family’s injection molding business. He holds a BSME from Columbia University, New York and a Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Industrial Design from Scuola Politecnica di Design, Milan, Italy.
  
  He Co-founded Tomorrow Lab® in 2010 and leads the Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering teams to invent and develop new, impactful hardware products. Prior to Tomorrow Lab®, he developed new CPG ideas, products, and brands at Fahrenheit 212 and Procter & Gamble.
  
  After hours, Pepin teaches workshops in design, creates costumes and toys with his twin children, and creates site-specific art with his wife Teresa.
  

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  James Pryor

  Creative Director, Touch

  2024 Home & Living Jury Member

  James Pryor is the co-founder and creative director of Touch, an agency that stands at the forefront of sustainable innovation in packaging and product design. His agency collaborates with renowned FMCG brands like Mondelez, PepsiCo, Colgate Palmolive and Nestle, pioneering future-proof solutions for brand growth. James leads Touch's design and innovation team, managing everything from conceptual exploration to design for manufacture. He frequently liaises with clients, presenting Touch's latest works and proposals.
  Under James's guidance, Touch has achieved significant milestones, including the award-winning Carlsberg Export redesign and the creation of Häagen-Dazs' Loop reusable packaging system. His commitment to sustainability has led to the elimination of thousands of tonnes of packaging waste and enhanced the recyclability and reusability of numerous products. James's innovative contributions are also evidenced by his numerous patents for major clients.
  A passionate advocate for sustainable design, James is a regular speaker at global industry events and has contributed to the European Packaging Design Agency Boost Book. He holds a master’s in consumer product design from Coventry University and has a rich background in design and innovation, having worked with agencies like Impact, 1HQ and 3T.
  Beyond his professional life, James enjoys travel, movies, reading, and photography. He is also an avid guitarist and musician. His greatest joy comes from spending time in the High Wycombe with his wife, Rachel, and their two children, Madeline and Michael.

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  Tariq Dixon

  Co-founder, TRNK NYC

  2021 Furniture & Lighting Jury Captain

  Tariq Dixon founded TRNK in 2013 as a destination for fellow design enthusiasts seeking rarefied products in a more approachable setting. A creative strategist and product designer, he’s motivated by the role designed environments play in shaping our interactions, memories, and experiences. His work has been featured in NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, and New York Magazine, to name a few. Tariq is originally from Baltimore, a graduate of Harvard College, and has called New York City home for more than ten years.

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  Ethan Imboden

  Venture Partner and Business Activist, Tuesday Capital & Standard Deviation

  2023 Sustainability Jury Member

  Ethan Imboden is a sustainability-focused designer, founder, and investor, working closely with the entrepreneurs and leaders building our next economy.
  Until earlier this year, Ethan served as VP Design & Global Head of Ventures at frog. He joined in 2013 to found the firm’s Venture Design practice, and its investment arm, frogVentures. Frog’s venture practice drives both strategic growth initiatives with VC-backed startup founders, as well as ground-up corporate venture building for some of the world’s largest multinationals. In 2017, Ethan also took on executive leadership of frog’s Sustainability practice, often pursuing strong synergies with the venture toolset. Prior to frog, Ethan founded, scaled, and exited a VC-backed global D2C product company in San Francisco, across the bay from his hometown of Berkeley. Today, he lives in the French Alps outside Geneva with his wife and two children, with whom he speaks fluent franglais.
  

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  Sahar Madanat

  Founder & Creative Director, Twelve Degrees

  2024 Lifestyle Accessories Jury Member

  Sahar Madanat is a Jordanian designer and the founder of Twelve Degrees Design. She is considered as one of the most acclaimed and awarded industrial designers in the Middle East. Having dedicated more than 20 years to the field she has been at the forefront earning recognition for her work showcased in numerous exhibitions around the world. Sahar’s curious nature has led her to approach design with a mindset focused on exploration and discovery.
  
  Her design work spans from healthcare, to wearable tech, lighting, bath and tableware as well as new concept furniture. She has worked with brands such as Nokia, OXO, Stelton and RAK ceramics. Sahar is also a design advocate at heart, she is passionate about supporting emerging talent and fostering design thinking. She actively delivers engaging talks, mentorship programs, workshops, and engages in community and governmental initiatives that leverage the transformative power of design.