Your Hosts
Dr. EunSook Kwon, Ph. D., IDSA
Chair and Professor, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design
EunSook Kwon Ph.D. is Professor and Chair of the School of Industrial Design at Georgia Institute of Technology. She was previously a Director of the Industrial Design Program at the University of Houston from 2003 to 2021. She established and developed the curriculum of the BS ID and MS ID program as the founding Director. She was recognized on Design Intelligence’s list of “Most Admired Educators” for two years for “her insight to nurture and grow the program with her vision and passion.” Kwon has published and lectured throughout the world about creative design thinking and design strategy development. She has been a consultant to numerous corporations, and she has developed educational programs for government agencies and universities. Her research covers a wide range of product types, including healthcare, household products, and wearable computing systems. She was the Director-General of Seoul Design Olympiad 2008, a comprehensive design event; two million visitors participated in the 21 days design exhibitions and festival.
Kwon holds a BFA in industrial design from Seoul National University, two master’s degrees in industrial design from Seoul National University (MFA) and the Ohio State University (MA), and Ph.D. in arts education from the Ohio State University. She served as an editorial board member of Design Issues, a juror for many international design competitions including Microsoft Next-Generation PC Design Competition, International Housewares Student Design Competition, Singapore Design Competition, and the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA).
Warren Ginn, FIDSA
Principal, GinnDesign
Warren Ginn is Principal of GinnDesign in Raleigh, NC. With over 30 years of experience in product development and design for manufacturing, his work includes products, devices, instruments and equipment for medical, industrial, commercial, analytical and scientific markets. He is also Assistant Professor of the Practice at the North Carolina State University College of Design where he is responsible for all Materials and Processes courses for the Industrial Design curriculum.
Throughout his career in product development, Warren has promoted materials and processes education within the design community. He has served on the IDSA board as Section VP, was Chair of the Materials and Processes Section for over 10 years, and found and is currently Chair of the IDSA RDU professional chapter. He was inducted into the IDSA Academy of Fellows in August 2012 and received IDSA's 20/2X Recognition in 2022. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Industrial Design from North Carolina State University.
Kevin Shankwiler, IDSA
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design
Kevin Shankwiler is a Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Program Coordinator in the School of Industrial Design at Georgia Institute of Technology. His research focuses on the use of parametric modeling and design, with a particular interest in product customization. Shankwiler holds both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Industrial Design from Georgia Tech. His professional experience includes roles as an Assistant Professor and Visiting Assistant Professor in the School of Industrial Design at Georgia Tech. Since January 2004, Shankwiler has also been the Principal and Industrial Designer at Shankwiler Design, LLC in Atlanta, Georgia.
Brian Roderman, FIDSA
President, Chief Innovation Officer, IN2 Innovation
Brian Roderman has over 30 years of experience in the design consultancy business, specializing in consumer electronics, consumer products, housewares, transportation, telecommunications, and B2B industries. He is a frequent speaker on design and innovation at global events and symposiums. An active member of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), Brian has served six terms on the IDSA National Board of Directors. He was honored as an IDSA Fellow and recognized as one of the 50 most notable designers in the last 50 years. As Partner and Chief Innovation Officer of IN2 Innovation, Brian leverages his expertise to help organizations achieve new levels of innovation, guiding them from inspiration to integration.
Speakers/Facilitators
Dr. Patricia Moore, Ph. D., FIDSA
President, MooreDesign Associates
Dr. Patricia Moore holds degrees in industrial design, psychology, gerontology, and advanced biomechanics. Named one of the 100 Most Important Women in America and among the 40 Most Socially Conscious Designers, she’s been widely honored for advancing Universal Design. Her many awards include the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, World Design Medal, and multiple honorary doctorates.
Nick Abbott
Education Program Manager, Keyshot
Nick is an Industrial Designer and the Education Program Manager at KeyShot, where he works to bridge the gap between design education and professional visualization practice. In this role, he develops initiatives that help students and educators strengthen their visualization skills and better communicate design ideas.
Nick manages KeyShot’s global Student Ambassador Program, connecting design students from universities around the world and supporting them as they introduce rendering and visualization workflows within their schools and design communities.
He frequently gives talks and workshops at universities and conferences focused on visualization and rendering techniques, often highlighting the small details that elevate a 3D render from functional to compelling. Nick received his BS in Industrial Design from Arizona State University.
Alison Benz
Director, Industrial Design, The Coca-Cola Company
Alison Benz is Director, Industrial Design at The Coca‑Cola Company, where she leads design strategy and execution across Coca‑Cola’s global equipment portfolio. She oversees complex equipment initiatives, guiding designs from early concepts through commercialization, while working closely with engineering, supply chain, sustainability, and manufacturing partners. In this role, Alison manages strategic collaborations with manufacturers and external agencies, ensuring all equipment is following the brand VIS and is iconic to Coca-Cola.
She brings a diverse design background, with experience spanning innovation consultancies and global brands. Prior to joining Coca‑Cola, Alison developed new product concepts at Paradigm Innovation and Enventys Partners in North Carolina. She then spent several years at Garmin in Kansas City, where she designed watches, handheld devices, and other consumer electronics. Alison studied at the University of Kansas and continues to stay connected with the design community.
Michelle Berryman, FIDSA
Executive Director of Digital Customer Experience, Labcorp
Michelle Berryman is a lifelong problem-solver and award-winning designer who has built her career at the intersection of digital design, healthcare, and innovation. Currently the Executive Director of Digital Customer Experience at Labcorp, she has also led work across digital agencies, innovation firms, and global consulting. Her portfolio ranges from surgical robots and assistive interfaces to patient portals, medical devices, and consumer health platforms—shaping the future of care through thoughtful, human-centered design. Prior to joining Labcorp earlier this year, she brought her love of sports into play by leading the redesign of the LPGA’s website and app.
Trained as an industrial designer, Michelle is a Fellow of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), where she served as President and was named one of the 50 Most Influential Designers of the last 50 years. She has also held board roles with the World Design Organization (WDO), Interaction Design Association (IxDA), the Design Foundation, and the Georgia Tech Business Network, and has spoken and led workshops worldwide. Her design philosophy is rooted in the power of simplicity and the belief that joy in experiences is never accidental—authentic, meaningful interactions can and should inspire delight. She is a Fellow of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA), named one of the 50 Most Influential Designers of the last 50 years by the IDSA, and previously served as the organization's President.
Lew Epstein, IDSA
Founder / CEO, Lot21
Lew is the Founder / CEO of Lot21, a content platform and resource helping the design community decarbonize the world -- by advancing climate action across the built environment with the design disciplines that shape it. Lot21 is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan, open-source platform.
Lew's environmental advocacy began with the emergence of the forestry stewardship movement decades ago and has since expanded to encompass a broader range of carbon removal solutions focused on restoring our climate.
Before launching Lot21, Lew led various Steelcase global brands and forward-looking initiatives for over 25 years, during which he commercialized new concepts by bringing them from research through ideation and product development to market, earning 23 patents. Additionally, Lew is an active IDSA member, an International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) jurist from 2023 to 2024, and the 2026 chair-elect of IDSA's Circular Design Council. He is also a strategic advisor for eco-minded companies focused on regenerative design, healthier living, and certified green products.
Academic engagements include Parsons School of Design, World Design Organization, IDSA, Rice University Business School, Northwestern University Segal Design Institute, New York Institute of Technology, California College of the Arts, Columbia Business School, Harvard Business School, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and Tyler School of Art and Architecture.
Tim Fletcher, FIDSA
Design Thinking Facilitator & Owner, One BusinessDesign, LLC
Tim Fletcher is an experienced expert witness in design patent, utility patent and trade dress cases. Venues include Federal Court, The International Trade Commission and the PTAB.
With over 33 years of experience in industrial design, he has worked in corporate, consulting and academic environments in the US as well as internationally. He has been working with manufactures and clients in Asia and Europe since 1989. He holds 14 design patents and 4 utility patents in the US and Europe. He was an Assistant Professor at the School of Design at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and also has taught design topics in several schools at Carnegie Mellon University.
Tim has been a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America since 1989. He has worked in several elected and appointed positions within the organization. In 2009 he was inducted into the IDSA Academy of Fellows, the highest honor bestowed by the organization.
Wesley Hare
Wes Hare Design
A multidisciplinary designer with over 10 years of experience at design agencies, Wes Hare has worked with a diverse range of clients across various industries, applying human-centered design principles and research methodologies to projects in product design, experience design, and product strategy. Self-described as a ‘professional brainstormer,’ Wes believes in the power of play within the design process and that the best designs arise from collaboration. He currently works as a design educator, partnering with James Madison University and North Carolina State University Industrial Design programs.
Rachel Jackson
Applications Solutions Consultant, TriMech
Rachel Jackson is an Applications Solutions Consultant with TriMech. Prior to coming to TriMech, she worked in the education space for 5 years in Engineering and Computer Science where she taught the principles of CAD modeling and 3D Printing. She strives to remain a life-long learner and share her knowledge of design within the 3DEXPERIENCE and SOLIDWORKS community.
Brian Leonard, IDSA
Vice President of Design, Lenovo
Brian Leonard is Vice President of the Design Innovation Team for Lenovo’s PC & Smart Devices business group. He leads global hardware and software design teams responsible for all consumer, commercial and SMB personal computing and smart device offerings, including the legendary ThinkPad, multimode Yoga, IdeaPad and Lenovo Legion gaming product lines. He is a veteran award-winning industrial designer with numerous patents, publications and museum exhibitions under his belt. Leonard previously spent 10 years at Dell where he successfully led design teams for XPS, Alienware, Latitude and ultimately the Next Generation design team focused on strategy. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in industrial design from North Carolina State University and is a passionate advocate for future generations of designers.
Mary Michaels, IDSA
Training Design Manager, IN2 Innovation
Mary is a skilled lead facilitator with a background in industrial design and UX/UI. She excels at breaking down complex topics into digestible, impactful lessons and identifying the most effective teaching methods for the audience. Mary also develops new course topics and creates visual content to support the curriculum. Leading classes with deep empathy, she ensures that each participant fully engages with the material. Her ability to seamlessly shift from micro details to the macro perspective ensures that every course aligns with overarching learning goals. Mary’s dedication to delivering high-quality, engaging training content drives continuous improvement for the organization and its clients, reflecting her passion for innovative and exceptional training. She received her Bachelor of Industrial Design from Auburn University.
Damian Mycroft
Sr. Design Manager, Industrial Design, Newell Brands
Damian grew up in London and studied at Chelsea School of Art before majoring in Industrial Design at Manchester Metropolitan University. His early career was in branding, packaging and consumer electronics agencies in London. He studied management and strategy and earned an MBA from Westminster University.
His first corporate role was with Philips Design in the Netherlands, pioneering wireless media and connectivity with the groundbreaking Pronto range of connected devices.At Nokia he helped move the lifestyle portfolio from niche to mainstream and set a new creative direction with Windows Phone. Moving to the USA with Hewlett Packard, he built a global team that delivered user relevance and excitement into the highly mature printing division.
At Coca-Cola in Atlanta, he led a UI, UX and ID team to deliver on the unique challenge of bringing one of the world’s best-loved brands to life through rugged, technically complex, consumer-compelling dispensers, coolers and appliances. He currently leads industrial Design for the Home category at Newell Brands, working on brands like Rubbermaid, Calphalon, Oster, Sunbeam and Crockpot.
Noah Posner
Research Scientist and Lab Manager, Interactive Product Design Lab, Georgia Tech School of Industrial Design
Noah Posner is a research scientist with the Institute for People and Technology and lab manager of the Interactive Product Design Lab (IPDL) in the School of Industrial Design. His focus is on creating interactive experiences that leverage physical interaction. He holds degrees in Industrial Design, Mechanical Engineering and an M.S. in Human Computer Interaction. His research involves creating rich physical interactions, designing and fabricating interactive devices using CAD and Rapid prototyping technologies, and developing educational tools for STEAM leaning that focus on utilizing hands on learning with intentionally designed artifacts. He also teaches courses in Physical Prototyping for Human Computer Interaction.
He holds a B.S. in Industrial Design and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, as well as an M.S. in Human-Computer Interaction.
Per Magnus Skold, IDSA
Senior Designer, TriMech Design Solutions
Per Magnus is an industrial designer and creative leader with over 20 years of experience shaping products, teams, and strategies that connect people to meaningful experiences. His work spans industries including aerospace, consumer electronics, outdoor gear, and lifestyle goods, unified by a belief that great design is not just about what we make, but why we make it.
As a mentor and advocate for human-centered innovation, he believes in design as both a craft and a form of leadership: one that builds culture, shapes vision, and transforms ideas into outcomes people trust and love. Per Magnus' goal is to help teams align around purpose, elevate the role of design in business, and continue pushing the boundaries of what design can achieve.
Jeff Smith, IDSA
Technical Solutions Executive, Autodesk
Jeff Smith is an Industrial Designer and Technical Solutions Executive at Autodesk, where he partners with high-level enterprise business account (EBA) customers to connect strategy, design, and technology—helping organizations translate complex challenges into innovative, manufacturable solutions. With more than 20 years of experience in product design and development, Jeff has led consulting engagements across consumer, medical, fitness, and industrial sectors, and is credited on multiple U.S. patents. Jeff has also been adjunct faculty at RIT, Iowa State, and the Art Institute of Ft Lauderdale.
Dr. Yuanqing (Ching) Tian, Ph. D., IDSA
Assistant Professor, North Carolina State University
Yuanqing Tian is an Assistant Professor of Industrial Design at North Carolina State University, Yuanqing was a researcher at the Body Scan Lab within the School of Industrial Design at Georgia Tech, where she completed both her Master’s and Doctoral degrees. Her research primarily focuses on the design of custom-fit wearable products, utilizing parametric design methods, 3D scanning technologies and digital fabrication tools.
Her current research explores broader human-centered design opportunities through the applications of emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, anthropometrics and ergonomics. Her areas of interest include wearable design innovation, health and wellness, and mass customization, driven by a commitment to advancing diversity and inclusion in design and design education.
She received her bachelor of Engineering, Industrial, and Product Design from Xi'an Jiaotong University and her Master of Industrial Design and PhD from Georgia Institute of Technology School of Industrial Design.
Corey Vaughn
Director of Design, Kickr Design
Corey Vaughan has worked as an industrial designer for over 15 years. His career has spanned working with brands and artists in the music industry, home furnishings, consumer electronics, and medical devices. Currently, he fulfills the role of design director at Kickr Design, where he is also a managing partner. Kickr provides design consulting to many different industries and serves as a partner in the process of new product development. Corey graduated with a degree in Industrial Design from Savannah College of Art and Design in 2010.
Angela Yeh, IDSA
Founder, CEO, Chief Talent Strategist, Yeh Ideology
Angela Yeh is a talent strategist and founder of Yeh IDeology, where she works with multidisciplinary professionals and organizations to better recognize, develop, and position exceptional talent. With more than 25 years of experience across recruitment, career strategy, and leadership development, Angela has guided professionals through pivotal career transitions while advising companies on how to identify and cultivate the leaders they need to grow. Her work often sits at the intersection of design, innovation, and business, helping individuals translate their expertise into greater impact while helping organizations more clearly recognize the full potential of the talent within their teams.