2026 EDmarket NexGen Rising Stars

Making a Difference: Tyler is helping move education beyond traditional classroom layouts toward evidence-based, flexible learning environments that support diverse student and teaching needs. He guides school leaders through the transition to modern spaces, from quiet zones for neurodivergent students to collaborative, technology-enabled environments. His impact is reflected in stronger educator engagement and improved student experiences within the spaces he helps create.

Making a Difference: Katelyn has dedicated her career to transforming educational environments, completing more than 37 K–12 projects with a focus on making high-performance design accessible to every community. She champions smart, cost-effective solutions that support students, faculty, and staff while advancing the profession through mentorship and service at the University of Oklahoma. As a WELL AP and Fitwel Ambassador, she is helping prepare the next generation of designers to create healthier, safer, and more effective learning environments.

Making a Difference: Rookie is making a global impact by creating JuiceBot, an innovative tool designed to help children communicate across languages and dialects in the classroom. Through JuiceBot’s engaging soundpacks and character-based experience, Rookie aims to reduce screen time while encouraging imagination, connection, and more inclusive learning environments for children everywhere.

Making a Difference: Sierra is helping shift the education industry from simply buying furniture to intentionally designing for human potential. She partners with districts to create flexible, inclusive, and durable learning environments that support collaboration, focus, technology integration, and evolving teaching practices. As a consultant deeply invested in her community, Sierra helps schools maximize their resources while creating future-ready spaces where students and educators can thrive.

Making a Difference: Megan is a commercial interior designer dedicated to creating PK–12 environments where space and furniture actively support learning. She prioritizes student safety, health, well-being, and flexibility while designing spaces that inspire creativity, connection, and a sense of belonging. Her work elevates the everyday experience of students and educators by creating environments that nurture curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.

Making a Difference: Maya brings a public health and research perspective to school design, challenging the industry to ask why we design schools the way we do and how we know they work. As a designer and researcher, she champions sustainable, healthy, and biophilic environments while generating evidence about how design impacts student well-being and belonging. Her research is helping demonstrate that thoughtful school design is not a luxury, but an investment in better outcomes for students and communities.

Making a Difference: Lynne builds trusted, long-term relationships with educators and school leaders to create learning environments grounded in collaboration and real-world needs. Through listening, observation, and initiatives like Demco’s Adopt-a-School partnership, she helps schools connect instructional goals to practical solutions that support engagement, belonging, regulation, and teacher effectiveness. Her work is ultimately focused on helping educators and students feel supported, confident, and successful.

Making a Difference: Marie has spent her career advancing educational environments that are deeply rooted in pedagogy, place, and culture. Her work champions equitable access to high-quality early childhood education, demonstrating that thoughtful, child-centered design can create inspiring, healthy learning environments even within challenging budgets. Through her research and practice, she advocates for spaces that support holistic development and help children become engaged citizens and stewards of their communities.

Making a Difference: Katrina has spent eight years partnering with K–12 schools across Oregon and Washington to create learning environments that support student success, wellness, inclusion, and engagement. She works closely with districts, architects, and facility teams to develop thoughtful, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions that reflect each community’s unique needs. For Katrina, making a difference means building trusted relationships and helping create schools where students can learn, teachers can thrive, and communities can feel proud.

Making a Difference: Katie advances thought leadership in education design, helping communities respond to challenges such as changing enrollment, aging facilities, evolving career pathways, and student wellness. Through award-winning projects and strategic planning, she champions whole-child, inclusive, and innovative learning environments—particularly in CTE and STEAM—that connect students to real-world opportunities and prepare students for the future. Through national speaking engagements, she also helps shape broader conversations about adaptive reuse, wellness, and career-connected learning.

Making a Difference: Monica helps school districts create flexible, collaborative, and student-centered learning environments that support evolving instructional needs. As a Regional Vice President at Indeco, she partners with educators, designers, and project teams to move beyond furniture sales and develop spaces that enhance engagement, accessibility, and school culture. Through mentorship and team collaboration, Monica also works to elevate the customer experience and the quality of educational space planning.

Making a Difference: Christopher brings a personal and professional commitment to creating learning environments that are practical, inclusive, and responsive to diverse student needs. As an architect and team leader, he translates the needs of students, educators, and communities into flexible, safe, and future-ready spaces, using AR and VR to make design more accessible and collaborative. Through mentorship and leadership, Christopher is also helping develop stronger teams and the next generation of architects.

Making a Difference: Taylor advances education by aligning pedagogy, space, and technology to create engaging, equitable, and future-ready learning environments. Through collaboration with educators, students, administrators, and industry partners, Taylor translates research and educational goals into practical solutions that support modern teaching and learning. Taylor’s work helps drive adoption of innovative spaces, increase engagement, and prepare students for evolving academic and career pathways.

Making a Difference: Samantha makes a meaningful impact by designing educational environments that support learning, engagement, well-being, accessibility, and connection. As a licensed Architect and Interior Designer, she balances long-term vision with student and community needs to create adaptable spaces that serve future generations. Through her leadership on the Sam Houston State University Interior Design Advisory Board, she also mentors emerging designers and helps bridge the gap between education and professional practice.

Making a Difference: Melissa’s greatest impact comes from being a connector and sharing stories that demonstrate what is possible in education. Through her work across multiple states, she connects districts and communities around successful strategies—from flexible learning environments that reduce behavior incidents to initiatives that support summer learning and student well-being. By sharing these stories and fostering cross-district collaboration, Melissa helps break down silos, accelerate innovation, and amplify positive impact across the industry.

Making a Difference: Rhiana uses B2B marketing and thought leadership to advocate for learning environments that support student engagement, emotional regulation, collaboration, and teacher well-being. Through educator research, surveys, and solution-based storytelling, she translates real-world needs into actionable insights for education leaders and decision-makers. Her work is helping shift the industry from product-focused messaging toward meaningful conversations about how environments can help students and educators thrive.

Making a Difference: Heli has dedicated nearly a decade to creating K–12 environments that advance student success, wellness, equity, and community impact. Through her design work and presentations on equity in school design, she advocates for inclusive, flexible, and student-centered spaces that foster belonging and engagement. Her work across Georgia demonstrates how thoughtful design can become a catalyst for healthier schools, stronger communities, and greater opportunity for students.

Making a Difference: Nathan believes young people are capable of far more when education systems trust learners, center their voices, and design around purpose. Through founding Exploration High School, advancing global innovation with HundrED, and creating professional learning experiences at Fielding International, he helps educators embrace new possibilities for teaching and learning. As a storyteller and advocate, Nathan is committed to uplifting others and shaping a more human-centered future for education.

Making a Difference: Erika believes learning environments play a powerful role in shaping students’ confidence, curiosity, and ability to connect. She designs inclusive, flexible spaces that honor diverse learning needs while empowering students with choice and ownership. Through collaboration and education, Erika helps designers, educators, and partners understand how intentional design can extend beyond installation to create lasting impact for students.

Making a Difference: Hailey believes beauty and intention are inseparable in creating meaningful educational environments. She champions student, teacher, and family voices through hands-on engagement, while advancing trauma-informed and evidence-based design through research, national presentations, and professional collaboration. As a WELL Accredited Professional, she translates well-being, dignity, and empowerment into measurable design strategies that positively impact students’ daily experiences.