SEGD Announces the 2026 Achievement Award Honorees and Celebrates Its Newest Fellows

November 4, 2026

Kristin Bennani

November 2026 Recognizing outstanding contributions to experiential design through leadership, education, mentorship, innovation, and community impact.

WASHINGTON, DC — November 4, 2026 — SEGD (the Society for Experiential Graphic Design) proudly announces the recipients of the 2026 SEGD Achievement Awards, recognizing individuals and organizations whose leadership, service, and commitment have made a lasting impact on the field of experiential design.

The awards were presented on October 24 during the 2026 SEGD Conference Experience Kansas City, alongside the induction of the 2026 Class of SEGD Fellows, the organization’s highest individual honor. The annual celebration was presented in partnership with Pentagram.

From advancing inclusive design education and championing emerging professionals to transforming public environments and strengthening regional design communities, this year’s honorees demonstrate the many ways leadership and collaboration move the profession forward.

2026 SEGD Achievement Awards

The SEGD Achievement Awards recognize outstanding contributions to experiential design through professional service, visionary client leadership, education, and community engagement.

SEGD Distinguished Member Award

Hannah Anderson | Senior Designer, Kolar Design

Hannah Anderson is recognized for her exceptional volunteer leadership and enduring commitment to strengthening the SEGD community.

A former SEGD Board member and Cincinnati Chapter Co-Chair, Anderson has been instrumental in developing SEGD’s Emerging Experience Professionals (EXP) program, creating opportunities for mentorship, professional development, and meaningful connections between emerging designers and established practitioners.

Her dedication to supporting the next generation reflects a simple but powerful belief: professional growth begins with showing up, building relationships, and helping others find their place in the design community.

Read More | 2026 Distinguished Member

SEGD Insight Award

Port of Portland

The Port of Portland is recognized for visionary client leadership in demonstrating the transformative power of experiential design through the redevelopment of Portland International Airport (PDX).

The airport’s ambitious transformation doubled its capacity while improving passenger flow and accessibility, strengthening regional identity and seismic resilience, and reducing energy consumption through sustainable innovations.

By collaborating closely with local architects, designers, makers, engineers, and wayfinding specialists, the Port has created an airport environment that reflects the character of the Pacific Northwest while setting a new standard for inclusive, place-based design at a major transportation hub.

[Read More | 2026 Insight Award]

SEGD Educator Award

Debra Satterfield | Professor of Design, California State University, Long Beach

Debra Satterfield is celebrated for her contributions to design education, research, and social inclusion, and for her dedication to preparing designers to create meaningful change.

Her teaching and research span accessibility, neurodiversity, behavioral change, and design for social justice. Through DESIGN CARES, an initiative supporting student workshops, community outreach, a micro-food pantry, and a design materials exchange, Satterfield has expanded the role of design education in supporting student success and community well-being.

As a member of SEGD’s academic advisory board, she continues to champion the importance of inclusive, socially responsible design practice.

Read More | 2026 Educator Award

SEGD Chapter Chair Award

SEGD Cincinnati Chapter | Suzanne Hopkins, Mikayla McMellan, and Mike Ruehlman

The SEGD Cincinnati Chapter is recognized for building a vibrant and inclusive regional design community through thoughtful programming, meaningful partnerships, and sustained volunteer leadership.

Led by Suzanne Hopkins, Mikayla McMellan, and Mike Ruehlman, the chapter has strengthened connections between professional and emerging designers, including through its active Student Chapter at the University of Cincinnati’s DAAP program.

Through collaborations on Cincinnati Design Week and the Cincinnati Design Awards, along with portfolio reviews, project tours, workshops, and networking opportunities, the chapter has expanded awareness of experiential design and created valuable pathways for professional engagement.

Read More | 2026 Chapter Chair Award

Celebrating the 2026 SEGD Fellows

The Achievement Awards celebration also honored the induction of four distinguished practitioners into the 2026 Class of SEGD Fellows, recognizing their exceptional careers and lasting contributions to experiential design.

Established in 1987, the SEGD Fellow designation is the organization’s highest individual honor, celebrating professional excellence, innovation, and leadership that have profoundly influenced the field.

Jonathan Jackson | WSDIA (WeShouldDoItAll)

Co-founder and Creative Director of WSDIA, Jonathan Jackson is recognized for his multidisciplinary approach to design, spanning typography, identity, exhibitions, and spatial environments. His work includes projects for Nike, the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, and the Tekαkαpimək Contact Station at Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, developed in collaboration with the Wabanaki Nations. His practice reflects a deep commitment to cultural understanding, collaboration, and mentorship.

Donna Lawrence | Donna Lawrence Productions

A pioneer in cinematic, place-based storytelling, Donna Lawrence has spent more than four decades transforming how audiences experience history, science, and culture. From the groundbreaking immersive presentation at the Kentucky Derby Museum to the National Constitution Center’s theatrical production Freedom Rising, her work has helped define the possibilities of immersive storytelling in museums and cultural environments.

Despina Macris and Mark Ross | Dotdash

Founders of the internationally recognized Australian wayfinding consultancy Dotdash, Despina Macris and Mark Ross have spent nearly four decades advancing wayfinding as a human-centered design discipline. Their work across healthcare, transportation, cultural institutions, and public environments has elevated the importance of accessibility, empathy, and cultural understanding in helping people navigate and connect with place.

Read each Fellow’s full interview in the 2026 SEGD Awards Annual to hear, in their own words, the experiences, collaborations, and convictions that have shaped their careers.

Honoring Excellence Across the SEGD Community

Together, the 2026 Achievement Award recipients and Fellows reflect the extraordinary breadth of experiential design and the individuals and organizations whose contributions continue to shape its future.

Their work demonstrates that the impact of design extends far beyond individual projects. It lives in the communities we build, the knowledge we share, the environments we create, and the opportunities we open for others.

SEGD congratulates all 2026 honorees and extends its gratitude for their leadership, generosity, and enduring contributions to the global design community.

Special thanks to Michael Gericke and Pentagram, Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 Fellow and Achievement Awards, for their generous support of this annual celebration. SEGD also recognizes the late Massimo Vignelli, FSEGD, for designing the Fellow and Achievement Awards, and DCL for its continued craftsmanship in fabricating the awards each year.

Explore the 2026 SEGD Awards Annual

The 2026 SEGD Awards Annual celebrates the year’s Fellows, Achievement Award honorees, and Global Design Awards winners in one place. Explore in-depth interviews, award-winning projects, and the stories behind the work that is shaping experiential design today.

Who Inspires You? Nominate for the 2027 SEGD Achievement Awards

Every honoree began with a nomination from someone who saw their impact firsthand. Do you know a mentor who opened doors, an educator who is changing how design is taught, a client who champions great design, or a volunteer who makes the SEGD community stronger?

Help us recognize the people and organizations moving our field forward. Nominations for the 2027 SEGD Achievement Awards, including the SEGD Fellow designation, will open soon.

About SEGD

SEGD (the Society for Experiential Graphic Design) is a global multidisciplinary community of designers, strategists, fabricators, educators, and visionaries who create experiences connecting people to place. Through education, events, research, and recognition programs, SEGD advances the practice of experiential and environmental graphic design worldwide.