Fine Design Residential Furnishings Show at NeoCon 2026

Melissa Hanley, principal and architect, co-founded award-winning commercial architecture firm, Blitz, in 2009 at the age of 26. Since its founding, the firm has grown to three studios (San Francisco, Los Angeles and Denver) and has undertaken commercial, retail, and hospitality projects across the world. Well-known clients include Google, Instacart, Microsoft, Levi’s, Skype, Webcor Builders, and Parachute Home. Her firm has been responsible for the design and implementation of more than 300 projects totaling over 5.5 million square feet. Melissa’s work includes many international commissions, as her firm has transformed whole buildings, complex technology campuses, and multiple offices and restaurants throughout the US, Europe, Australia, and Asia. As an expert in commercial interior design with specific emphasis on workplace strategy, she regularly lectures at universities and contributes to technical and lifestyle publications such as Architect, Interior Design Magazine, Fast Company, Inc., SF Business Journal, Contract, Vanity Fair, GQ, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and the WSJ. Additionally she has been privileged to serve on several AIA and IIDA awards juries. Melissa has authored Blitz’s ‘Hacker’s Guide to the Post-Covid Workplace’ and has spoken on the subject of re-entry strategy on panels for IIDA National, San Francisco Business Time Leadership Trust, Steelcase, and several real estate brokerage and venture capital firms. She has been sheltering-in-place at her home in Sebastopol with her husband (and business partner), Seth, and two Frenchies, Beauregard and Bardot.

Ann is a Director at HLB Lighting Design, the largest independent lighting design firm in the world, with a rich 30-year career in commercial lighting that encompasses architectural lighting design, lighting system design, and LED luminaire development. As a Chicagoan, Ann has been part of collaborative lighting design teams responsible for many of the city’s most recognizable projects, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Millennium Park, the Harold Washington Library, Bally’s Casino, and the O’Hare Hilton. In 2002, she founded an LED based commercial lighting fixture company, earning multiple design patents and industry honors, including Best New Product of the Year, before returning to architectural lighting design to focus on the integration of light, architecture, and technology. Today, Ann leads HLB’s Chicago studio and is a recognized industry authority.

Claudia Barrett is a Designer in HLB Lighting Design’s Chicago studio, where her work bridges architectural rigor with a deeply artistic approach to light. With her experience in lighting design and a foundation in architecture, Claudia brings a hybrid perspective shaped by experience and curiosity. Her design sensibility is informed by early training in stage lighting, a passion for art, and an appreciation for daylight’s role in shaping architecture. Her project work spans hospitality, workplace environments, and large atrium spaces, including complex projects in the U.S. and abroad. An active member of the Illuminating Engineering Society and Women in Lighting Design–Chicago, Claudia is passionate about creating architectural environments that echo the human experience of natural environments through carefully considered electric light.

Brian is a San Francisco-based Strategy Director and Studio Director who draws upon his experience in design and research to develop workplace solutions for companies across the globe. With extensive experience in workplace design and a talent for conceptualizing and solving complex problems, he helps tackle projects with agility and creativity. Passionate about the intersection of design and future technologies, Brian develops conceptual drivers which inform a project’s design, resulting in spaces that are authentic, functional, and future-forward. Brian's a frequent speaker at design events and author of publications that guide workplace design and concepts from idea into reality.

An award-winning Design Director and global leader of Gensler’s Technology practice, Kelly uses her creative energy to provide tailored design solutions for some of Gensler’s most significant clients. Her ability to create transformative workplaces — rooted in a fundamental understanding of a company’s business — makes her a highly sought-after designer. By listening to her clients, their goals for a project, and observing their work processes, Kelly is able to thoughtfully translate this information into effective workplace solutions. Her strength lies in her ability to seamlessly infuse modern architectural technology with exquisite design, resulting in carefully detailed projects.

As an Experience Design Principal at Perkins&Will, Sarah Wicker leads a multidisciplinary team dedicated to transforming clients’ brand essence into meaningful, memorable experiences. A deeply strategic thinker, she believes that great design begins with understanding people, a philosophy informed by her master’s degree in psychology and more than 20 years of experience in brand strategy, trend forecasting, human-centered design, and applied research.

A Principal and Community Studio Leader at JLG Architects, Jennifer Burke Jackson advocates for empowered communities. Her 19-year portfolio, including the upcoming Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and the Heart River Women’s Transformational Center, embodies public-informed design emphasizing active well-being, inclusivity, sustainable integration, and future-ready resilience. Advancing inspired spaces by way of inspired people, Jennifer founded JLG’s Community Matters podcast in 2023, launching insightful discussions for impactful solutions catalyzed by the diverse perspective of regional leaders, nonprofits, and community members. Jennifer graduated from North Dakota State University with a Master of Architecture, Bachelor of Environmental Design, and Bachelor of Mass Communications.

As JLG Architects’ Interior Design Leader, Karen Mutschelknaus emphasizes a thoughtful design process led by intuitive function and people-centric spaces that acknowledge the needs of both users and owners. With 28 years of experience, she believes in the consistent application of the fundamentals, engaging specialized training in the fusion of fabrics, colors, textures, patterns, and biophilia to deliver intelligent design solutions. Karen graduated from South Dakota State University, where she majored in Interior Design before earning her 2006 NCIDQ certification from the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications.

A North Dakota native and Sustainability Manager at JLG Architects, Chayna Claeys brings two decades of expertise interweaving architecture and sustainability. Chayna is a collaborative leader who empowers teams to achieve high-performance project goals, certifications, and sustainable company operations. Heading the sustainability team for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, she advocates for market transformation that supports a healthy future. Chayna earned her Bachelor of Architecture and Bachelor of Environmental Design from North Dakota State University. She is active with USGBC, Living Future, and is a co-chair of the AIA Minnesota Committee on the Environment (COTE).

Haley Patrick is an Interior Designer II at JLG Architects with a BFA in Interior Design from South Dakota State University. A member of SDID and IIDA, Haley brings a background in graphic design—and figure skating—to her work, specializing in the choreography of people through space, integrating sustainable finishes that work together for visual unity and comfort. Her approach galvanizes indoor/outdoor connections utilizing biophilic design principles and native materials, color palettes, and textures. A deep dive into material ingredients for TRPL transformed her approach to material selection, reinforcing the impact of thoughtful, responsible design.

Rex Miller will be a featured speaker at the Higher Ed Facilities Forum, the community for facilities leaders at the nation’s top colleges and universities.

As a leader, artist, and cyclist, Connor is part of a deep bench of talent at Perkins Eastman. A design director for workplace practice and member of the international workplace leadership team, Connor believes the process through which a project culminates is an art in itself. His process utilizes research and data to engage users, making more opportunities to create alongside clients. With an eye for social responsibility, he connects spaces with their communities by commissioning local artists and sourcing local materials. His 20 years of experience have led to impactful spaces for workplace, healthcare, residential, education, and retail clients.

Rupert is a technology advisor with 16 years of experience at Google, where he helped customers boost their revenue by integrating AI into their business value chain. Clients included Sephora, Red Bull, Frasers Group, Alexander McQueen, and Zaha Hadid Architects. As an early adopter of generative AI he's been interviewed by Vogue and the New York Times, and his creative work has appeared online and in print.

Rebecca Milne is the Director of Design Strategy at Perkins Eastman. Her background in neuropsychology and architecture informs her research and design, which focuses on the connection between architecture and the human experience. Her strategic approach applies design thinking through a human-centric lens to find innovative solutions that build resilience, create value, and maximize growth. As a published researcher and designer, Rebecca has pioneered several studies examining collaboration and individualization in workplace, healthcare, and education environments. Her research and guidance helps teams create meaningful spaces for people to live, work, heal, and play.

Erik Lucken has spent thirty years in the design industry working from a deceptively simple conviction: research is the engine of great design. As a Strategy Leader at Gensler, he translates rigorous inquiry into actionable solutions—closing the gap between physical environments and the business performance and workplace cultures they're meant to support. Since joining Gensler in 2006, Erik has focused his work on the 'how' and 'why' of modern work. One thread has defined much of his research: workforce demographics—a variable that shapes workplace needs profoundly. By decoding what workers at every career stage actually need from the spaces around them, he has developed research-based insights that move workplace design from intuition to intention. A longtime Gensler thought leader and frequent speaker, Erik doesn't just describe where the workplace is headed. He gives people the strategic clarity to do something about it.

Leah Bauer, ASID, IIDA, IFMA, NCIDQ, is the Global Director of Design and Sustainability at Workday and the Senior Project Director on location in Dublin Ireland. Leah is an architectural design leader who has played an integral role in a wide variety of commercial projects including workplace strategy, corporate, research and lab planning, hospitality and healthcare. Leah excels at connecting great design vision and budget to deliver world-class solutions. In her current role, she is leading the design direction for Workday’s global portfolio, introducing diverse and equitable solutions for her workmates, and spearheading sustainability certifications on all Workday sites. Leah is involved with many organizations, including IFMA (International Facility Management Association), as the Hospitality Council Vice President as well as with ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) as the Northern California Chapter Past President. A champion of life-long learning, Leah shares her knowledge through mentoring, guest lecturing, writing and presenting. She has a unique approach to her designs and delivering successful award-winning projects.