2023 SEGD Global Design Awards Jury
Read Time: 5 minutes
The SEGD Global Design Awards have set the standard of excellence for experiential design since 1987 and brings together a jury of talented and inspiring thought leaders to recognize and promote excellence in contemporary experiential design.
Each year, SEGD recognizes the best-of-the-best in Experiential Design with projects spanning a wide range of topics, disciplines, and verticals within the following categories:
- Branded Environments (new this year)
- Digital Experiences
- Exhibition
- Placemaking
- Public Installation
- Strategy/Research/Planning
- Wayfinding
SEGD is proud to announce the esteemed jury members who will select the 2023 GDA winners. The multi-disciplinary jury will evaluate projects based on their effectiveness in connecting people to place, creating unique and memorable user experiences while solving design challenges.
Chairing the 2023 jury will be Genell Hoechstetter, 2023 SEGD Board Member, 2022 SEGD GDA jury member, and keynote speaker for 2021 SEGD Conference Experience Philadelphia. Hoechstetter is Senior Creative Director at Meow Wolf, Santa Fe, NM. Meow Wolf is an arts production company that creates immersive, multimedia experiences that transport audiences of all ages into fantastic realms. From studying many languages, cultures and working abroad, she has made it her life’s mission to continually rediscover the commonalities of what inspires us as humans and transcends all barriers. Hoechstetter’s background paired with her expertise in design offers a depth in experience making her uniquely qualified to lead the Award’s jury.
In addition to Hoechstetter, the 2023 SEGD Global Design Awards jury includes eight other internationally acclaimed designers who will review and help select the Global Design Award winners in March 2023.
Robin Abad Ocubillo
Director, San Francisco Shared Spaces (San Francisco, CA)
Robin Abad Ocubillo, is the Director of Shared Spaces San Francisco, a program helping communities leverage the public realm for economic recovery, civic and psychological well being. Abad Ocubillo developed research methods and metrics for human-use evaluation of public spaces, manages the City’s Public Space – Public Life Program, and is co-author of the Global Public Life Data Protocol. He is also producer and curator with the San Francisco Urban Film Festival. Robin Abad Ocubillo was a featured speaker at SEGD 2022 Conference Experience Portland.
Co-founder and Lead Designer, Design Studio H2E (Riga, Latvia)
SEGD Riga Chapter Chair
Inguna Elere is Co-founder and Lead Designer of H2E, a design studio focused on graphic, object and spatial design for exhibitions, museums and venues. Elere is a Professor at the Design Department of the Art Academy of Latvia, and holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Environmental Art from the Art Academy of Latvia. Elere is a Chapter Chair for SEGD Riga and is a multiple winner of the SEGD Global Design Awards, including the highest award, Best of Show in 2022.
Lynn Kiang
Co-Founder and Partner, Dome (New York, NY)
Lynn Kiang is co-founder and partner of Dome, an experience design studio in New York City. Kiang is a multi-disciplinary designer and creative director in experience design, graphic design and built environments, and member of SEGD. As an educator, Kiang is Director of the MPS Communication Design program and Assistant Professor at Parsons School of Design at the New School. Dome Collective is a multiple winner of the SEGD Global Design Awards, including the 2021 Sylvia Harris Award for “Seat at the Table” on gender inequality in the U.S.
Head of Design, Magic Leap (Atlanta, GA)
Joel Krieger is the Head of Design for Magic Leap solutions, exploring the frontiers of augmented reality, spatial computing, and remote collaboration; and focused on amplifying human ability via wearable technology. Joel is co-founder and executive producer of Outside In, a podcast about the inner and outer work of transformative design. Krieger is an SEGD member and SEGD Global Design Award recipient.
Amy Lukas
Partner, Infinite Scale (Salt Lake City, UT)
SEGD President 2012-2013, SEGD Board Member 2007-2016, 2018 SEGD Distinguished Member
Amy Lukas is the co-founder of Infinite Scale Design Group, a strategic design studio that creates brand experiences in environments and events. Lukas was the design project manager in the award-winning Look of the Games department for the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Lukas provides the foundation for each project as the organizational leader and strategic thinker for Infinite Scale’s clients. Lukas is an SEGD Past President, SEGD Global Design Award recipient and the 2018 SEGD Distinguished Member.
Kyle Richter
Principal, RSM Design (San Clemente, CA)
Kyle Richter is a Principal at RSM Design, a multi-disciplinary team that designs meaningful connections between people and places, and enhances the guest experience. As a Principal for the studio, Kyle Richter helps design and direct many of RSM Design’s large scale projects, including mixed-use, retail, universities, entertainment venues and parks. Richter is an SEGD Member and an SEGD Global Design Award recipient.
Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, George Mason University (Fairfax, VA)
Ana Tobin is an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at George Mason University, freelance designer, and member of SEGD. Prior to academia, Tobin was a designer at HealyKohler Design, where she focused on environmental design and museum exhibit design. Tobin holds an MFA in Graphic Design from Maryland Institute College. Tobin’s student project, Neuro Divergent, was selected as a 2022 Global Design Award recipient.
Technical Program Manager, Universal Creative (Orlando, FL)
Matt Usi is a Technical Program Manager at Universal Creative, a division of COMCAST/NBCUniversal responsible for designing, developing, engineering and producing themed entertainment for NBCUniversal Parks & Resorts. Matt is an initial and current member of the Advanced Technology and Interactives/ Research and Development (ATI/R&D) team overseeing Technical Program delivery for upcoming products, attractions, and immersive experiences.
The 2023 Entry Portal for SEGD’s Global Design Awards is open for entries. Submit your bespoke experience design projects for consideration. Benefits for projects selected as award winners include:
- Winning projects are promoted online, in the press, across social media, and in feature stories.
- Winning projects are published in the SEGD Awards Annual, becoming benchmarks and references for members, prospective clients, and students across the globe.
- Award-winning firms become more competitive in recruiting top talent.
- The title “Award-winning” elevates your professional résumé and your future leadership prospects.
- SEGD Awards are the #1 most visited content on SEGD.org, earning over 100k page views each year.
- Your SEGD Bio and Firm Listing get a boost with award-winning projects tagged to it.
To enter your project in the 2023 Global Design Awards, click here. Interested in re-submitting a project? Email Jennette@segd.org.