Keynote & Featured Presentation

Design as an Attitude 

Presented by ASID 

Tuesday, June 10, 9-10 a.m. CDT
NeoCon Presentation Studio, FL 2 

Design is one of the most powerful forces in our lives, and the most exciting. Alice Rawsthorn, author of Design as an Attitude and cofounder of the Design Emergency podcast, will share her vision of design at NeoCon 2025 as an eclectic, open-ended agent of change that can help us all to live safely, fairly, and prosperously by developing ingenious solutions to the complex social, economic, and ecological challenges we face. She will also explore how the NeoCon community can benefit from this new concept of design at a time when we are becoming increasingly sophisticated in our expectations of the spaces where we work and play. 

Alice Rawsthorn, Author of Design as an Attitude and Co-Founder of Design Emergency podcast 

 
About the Presenter: 

Alice Rawsthorn is an award-winning design critic and author, whose books include Design as an Attitude, Hello World: Where Design Meets Life and Design Emergency: Building a Better Future, co-written with Paola Antonelli, senior curator of design at MoMA, New York. Alice’s weekly design column for The New York Times was syndicated worldwide for over a decade. In all her work, she champions design’s potential as a social, political and ecological tool. Born in Manchester and based in London, Alice is a founding member of the Writers for Liberty campaign for human rights and the global advisory council of the DemocracyNext research and action institute. She was chair of trustees at Chisenhale Gallery, Hepworth Wakefield and Michael Clark Company, and a trustee of Whitechapel Gallery and Arts Council England. Alice is a co-founder, with Paola, of the Design Emergency podcast, YouTube channel and research platform, which investigates design’s role in forging a fairer future. 

 

Co-Creating Spaces of Inclusivity and Connectivity with ASIDx10 Collective

Presented by ASID 

Tuesday, June 10, 4 - 5 p.m.
NeoCon Presentation Studio, FL 2 

Relevant topics such as inclusivity and connectivity are top of mind for interior designers and end users alike when creating spaces of consequence. What do these themes mean when put into action and practice through design? How can we co-create a new definition of design that encompasses these goals? 
 
Join us for an aspirational panel discussion with industry leaders from the ASIDx10 Collective. The collective is comprised of interior designers and industry partners that share insights about the A&D community through the lens of Live, Work, Learn, Play, and Heal. 

The collective has addressed this with the goal of moving towards a more holistic ecosystem and approach to design that includes mentorship, advocacy for users, well-being, emotive experiences in the built environment, and resilience. These concepts and more will be addressed in this engaging panel discussion amongst ASIDx10 Collective members and moderated by the collective’s co-chairs. 

PRESENTERS 

• Haley Nelson, NCIDQ, ASID, LEED AP, WELL AP 
  Design Director, IA 

• Suzanne Lefebvre, CID, IIDA, WELL AP 
  Associate Vice President, Senior Project Designer, CannonDesign 

• Jessica Collins, IIDA, NCIDQ, LEED GA, WELL AP 
  Senior Associate | Director of Design, Interiors, HOK 

• Faraz S. Shah 
  Brand Director, Turf Design 

• Joanne Duka-Ragadio 
  Senior Interior Designer, TETER 

MODERATORS 

• Teresa Humphrey, ASID Affiliate, LEED AP ID + C 
  Director Commercial Specifications, Wilsonart 

• Royce Epstein, ASID Affiliate, LEED AP 
  Senior Director of Design Insights, Mohawk Group 

 

Event Presentations

Rise Above: ASID Student Interview Workshop 

Monday, June 9, 1-2:30 p.m.
Floor 14, Suite 1447 

Interviews don’t have to be stressful. Sharpen your interview skills and gain insights from design leaders as they share their stories and valuable strategies for effective interview preparation and communication, important notes on body language, both in-person and virtual, and how to navigate challenging questions. Additionally, dive into engaging activities to practice your responses through dynamic role-playing exercises that simulate actual interview situations while receiving constructive feedback from instructors and peers to refine your communication and presentation style. This workshop will equip you with the strategies and confidence you need to shine in any interview setting. 

PRESENTERS 

• Margi Kaminski, ASID, RID, NCIDQ, EDAC, CLGB 
  Principal, Director Health Interiors, CannonDesign 

• Julia Calabrese, ASID, NCIDQ 
  Associate Director of Strategy and Design, IA Interior Architects 

• Marianne Starke, ASID, IIDA Associate 
  Senior Associate and Design Director, Gensler 

MODERATOR 

• Khoi Vo 
  CEO, ASID 

 

The Future 50: ASID Trends Imagined for Tomorrow 

Tuesday, June 10, 11 am
Location: NeoCon CEU Studio, FL 2 

Join ASID as we envision a future where design fosters sustainability, inclusivity, and health. In celebration of its 50th anniversary, ASID focuses on the next 50 years, exploring how design will respond to climate challenges, technological advances, and societal shifts. Experts will discuss key findings from the 2025 Trends Outlook report, emphasizing holistic approaches to creating healthier environments. The session will explore wellness-focused spaces, from hospitals to residential care, and the impact of design on patient outcomes and community health. Correspondingly, this session will dive into the Circular Economy, highlighting design's role in reducing waste, promoting material reuse, and enhancing accessibility. 

PRESENTERS 

• Dawn Haynie, Ph D., ASID Educator 
  Research Fellow 
  ASID 
   
• A.J. Paron 
  Design Futurist 
  SANDOW Design Group 
   
• Ruju Jasani, IIDA, ASID, NCIDQ 
  Founder 
  Jasani Studio 
   
• Jesus Llinares 
  CEO 
  Andreu World 
   
• Kristie Nicoloff, ASID, IIDA, RID, NCIDQ 
  Associate Principal and Senior Interior Designer 
  LS3P 

 

Brain Works in the Workplace: Decoding Neurodiversity 

Presented by BIFMA & ASID 

Tuesday, June 10, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. 
NeoCon Presentation Studio, FL 2 

Achieving neuroinclusion in the workplace requires an integrated corporate culture built upon intentional strategies covering design standards through operational policies. In this feature presentation, subject matter experts will draw upon their deep experience and research to share best practices in designing for a neuroinclusive environment and supporting a neurodivergent workforce. 

Attendees will gain insight on how creating a neuroinclusive environment celebrates various ways of thinking and the value this brings to a corporate culture. 

PRESENTERS 

• Kay Sargent, FASID, FIIDA, CID, LEED® AP, MCR.w, WELL AP 
  Senior Principal, Director of Thought Leadership, Interiors, HOK 
   
• Tara Cunningham 
  CEO, Beyond-Impact 
   
• Janet Roche, MDS, CAPS 
  CEO and Co-Founder, Trauma-informed Design Society 

MODERATOR 

• Tracy Brower, PhD, PhD, MM, MCR.w 
  Vice President of Workplace Insights, Steelcase 

 

Virtual Sessions

Behavior by Design: Can Design Make Us Better People? 

Beyond aesthetics, well designed environments impacts everyone and enables us to enjoy: Improved wellbeing, business and medical outcomes; reduced isolation loneliness and crime; safe neighborhoods and strong communities. Conversely, bad design can interfere with all of these. Data collected in & on spaces reveals correlations between spatial design and human behavior. Can designers tune design for desired human behavior? Should we? Who decides? This session will present projects and research that illustrate the outcome of spatial design on its occupants and the potential for design-orchestrated behavior. The session will invite audience members into discussion on the implications for the possible future of design. 

PRESENTERS 

• David Euscher, ASID, IIDA, NCIDQ, WELL 
  Vice President, Studio Design Director 
  Corgan 
   
• Elizabeth Von Lehe, NCIDQ, ASID 
  Interior Design Director 
  HDR
   
• Dawn Haynie, Ph D., ASID Educator 
  Research Fellow 
  ASID 

 

Digital Craftsmanship: Leveraging Tech for Bespoke Design 

Computational design and 3d modeling enables design teams to iteratively design and visualize complex forms and generate construction documents. Still, an information gap remains between design and construction, further complicated by imperfect site conditions. The resulting uncertainty can increase costs, timelines and material waste which may discourage project teams from pursuing bespoke design features. Case studies will showcase the range of collaborative digital tools available to design teams including 3D capture technology to BIM-integrated digital fabrication. "Digital craftsmanship" examples demonstrate the value brought to integrated project teams that ensure success through means accessible to design teams regardless of skills or resources. Designers will be inspired to engage with fabricators early in design to enhance creativity, proactively manage cost, optimize material usage and efficiency, enhance project delivery and confidently realize custom fabrications 

PRESENTERS 

• David Euscher, ASID, IIDA, NCIDQ, WELL 
  Vice President, Studio Design Director 
  Corgan
   
• Liz Cordill Aguilar, AIA, RID 
  Co-Founder 
  mak Studio