Graphic Design Category

Tom Futrell, Associate Professor, Louisiana Tech University

Associate Professor Tom Futrell received his master's degree from the University of Washington in 2008. Prior to joining the design faculty at Louisiana Tech University in 2013, Tom was an Associate Creative Director at Peter Mayer in New Orleans focusing on brand development and cross-channel communication campaigns. Tom has worked with a wide range of clients including French Market Coffee, Wrangler, Louisiana Economic Development, Centurylink, New Orleans Tourism, Intel Labs, Louisiana Fish Fry, Globalstar, Seattle Arts & Lectures, EASi, Vixen Vodka and Marucci Sports. His work has been recognized by Graphis, GDUSA, ARCADE, LogoLounge, UnderConsideration, the American Institute of Graphic Arts, the American Institute of Architects and the American Advertising Federation. He has been an adjunct instructor at Loyola University of New Orleans and served as Development & Community Outreach co-chair for AIGA New Orleans. Currently, Tom runs his own design practice, open saturday and is a creative consultant for Agency Pure. He lives with wife Leslea, son Hudson and puppy Archie in the beautiful village of Choudrant, LA.

Lilia LaGesse, Founder + Lead Strategist, Heard Creative Co.

Lilia LaGesse is an award-winning designer and strategist specializing in the nonprofit, advocacy, and education sectors. She is passionate about making content more easily accessible and understandable through bold, exciting designs that not only educate but inspire, and she thrives at the intersection of creativity, accessibility, and strategy. Her experience working in entrepreneurial, agency, and in-house roles allows her to collaboratively navigate complex problems and come up with strategic solutions that empower organizations for future growth. A friendly Midwesterner at heart, she approaches every project—whether helping clients create accessible publications to art directing national PR campaigns—with a warm smile and thoughtful questions. Lilia holds a BS in Communication Studies and Art Theory & Practice from Northwestern University and a MA in Integrated Design from the University of Baltimore. She is certified in accessibility core competencies (CPACC) from the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP).

Rose Newton, UX Design Manager, Google

Rose is a published, award-winning designer who, in her current role, serves as a UX Design Manager at Google. Prior to this role, she was a Senior Design Leader and contributed to the creative direction and user experience quality of the IBM Cloud. Prior to her time in tech, she spent 14 years as a design educator, specializing in typography and foundational design. Rose is active in the Design community both at a local and national level. She serves on the advisory board for AIGA Austin, the advisory board for Diversify by Design as well as the Inclusion leadership pillar for Women@AUS at Google.

Felix Sanchez, Creative Director, felix made this, llc.

Felix has been working in communications for nearly three decades with an emphasis in visual communications and branding in the higher ed space. He has an MFA in graphic design from the University of Iowa, been a designer for the University of Iowa Museum of Art, a professor of design at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, creative director at CAMPUSPEAK, and most recently, creative director and assistant VP for Communications at Colorado College.

Ana Tobin, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, George Mason University

Ana Tobin is a multimedia designer and educator. She received her B.F.A. in graphic design and her B.S. in advertising from Boston University and her M.F.A. in Graphic Design from Maryland Institute College of Art. Her work focuses primarily on experiential graphic design with accessibility at its core. She has a special focus on neurodivergent accessibility. Prior to graduate school, she worked for a non-profit, at a print and web design firm, and at an environmental and exhibition design firm. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at George Mason University and a freelance designer.

Victor Davila, Associate Professor, University of Central Florida

Victor Davila is an Associate Professor at the University of Central Florida's School of Visual Arts and Design teaching illustration and design. Besides teaching, he has worked on everything from character designs and storyboards for animation, to editorial illustrations, interactive games, and children's books.

Dian Holton, Senior Deputy Art Director, AARP

Dian Holton is the NYT bestseller art director of Do The Work! and senior deputy art director at AARP where she oversees creative for TheGirlfriend.com, Sistersletter.com and The Ethel. She routinely contributes art direction and design to AARP The Magazine and specifically cover stories and entertainment related. Her background includes book design, branding, retail installation, styling and footwear design. Her passions include education, philanthropy, fashion and pop culture.

Ashley Taylor, Lecturer, University of Central Florida

Ashley Taylor is a Lecturer in Printmaking and Design at the University of Central Florida. She has taught courses in drawing, design, printmaking, and book arts. Before teaching, she was a professional printer and designer for Flying Horse Editions. She is a practicing artist and freelance designer. The majority of freelance is for the American Outlaws, the official supporter group of the United States National Team. Ashley Taylor is an Adobe Educator and serves as Mentorship Director for the executive board of AIGA Orlando.

Armando Veve, Illustrator/Artist, Armando Veve Studio

Over the last decade, Armando has created drawings for publications including The New Yorker, National Geographic, The Atlantic, and Scientific American that dissect and explore subjects from fragile ecosystems and genetically-modified foods to pop cultural icons and flying cars. He has also collaborated with studios across the globe including puzzle and games creator Art of Play and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim, and with authors and publishing houses on illustrated book projects from middle grade fantasy to adult non-fiction. In 2021, he completed work on his first permanent public art installation commissioned by MTA Arts & Design. His drawings have been recognized by American illustration, Communication Arts, Spectrum, and awarded six gold medals by the Society of Illustrators in NY. He was named an ADC Young Gun by the The One Club for Creativity and selected to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. In addition to his studio projects, he enjoys teaching drawing at the University of Arts in Philadelphia.

Justin Wong, Designer and Art Director, Justin Wong Design

Justin Wong is an art director, designer, and typographer from New York City. He developed a multidisciplinary background at the School of Visual Arts, where he received his BFA with Honors in Advertising and Design. His work spans the fields of art direction, branding, and creative strategy. Passionate about building purposeful brands and making people smile, Justin strives to craft insight-backed and provocative work, bringing fresh perspectives and strong, rationale-driven design to every project. His work helps corporations, startups, and individuals define impactful brand experiences. Justin's work has been internationally exhibited and recognized by the One Club for Creativity, the Type Directors Club, Print Magazine, Time Out, Graphis, NBC, D&AD, and Communication Arts, among others. Recent clients include Hennessy, the NBA, Facebook, General Electric, Ray-Ban, Meta Reality Labs, and Google Android.

Jemma Dilag, Residential Creative Project Manager, CoStar Group, Homes.com

Jemma Dilag is a fine art photographer and poet, using images and text to tell stories of gender and ethnic identities, mental health, and relationships. After receiving their BFA in Photography at the Tyler School of Art, Jemma started their career as a Photo Editor and Creative Consultant at Wonderful Machine, where they have helped photographers grow their portfolio and build their brand and business. Today, Jemma is the Residential Creative Project Manager for Homes.com, overseeing the workflow and production of written content, photo, and video for the brand’s upcoming product launch. With their experience and knowledge of the industry, Jemma aims to help young and POC creatives achieve a career in the creative industry.

Reggie Tidwell, Graphic Designer/Photographer, Curve Theory

Reggie Tidwell, Owner, Curve Theory Reggie Tidwell is an award-winning, multi-disciplinary graphic designer and content creator. He received his BFA in Graphic Design in 1997 from Maryville University in St. Louis. With his dedication to education he created the multimedia class at Washington University as part of the college’s Visual Communications curriculum. Reggie is a community builder and is a believer in community service. He moved to Asheville, NC in 2003 and is helping advance the area’s creative community through service on several key Boards and committees. Reggie is the founding president of AIGA Asheville. He has dedicated his career to helping small and large businesses and organizations effectively connect with their audiences.