AIGA Welcomes Four Members to the Board of Directors

New York, NY-AIGA, the professional association for design, announces the appointment of new members to its Board of Directors. The new Board appointments are three-year terms effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.

The new Board members were elected by the entire AIGA membership and play a crucial role in determining the mission of AIGA, and ensuring the organization remains a relevant and contemporary association for the profession.

We are delighted to share the new AIGA Board Members who bring diverse perspectives and unique capabilities to the AIGA Board of Directors.

Meet the newly elected members of AIGA's Board of Directors:

• Kathryn Iklé, Head of UX & Marketing, Third Entity
• Omari Souza, Assistant Professor, University of North Texas
• Reggie Tidwell, Founding Partner, 40 Hearts (2nd term)
• Aylin Uysal, VP of Design, Oracle Cloud Applications

This year's board slate was recommended by the Board Nominating Committee, chaired by Dawn Robinson and supported by AIGA board members Victor Davila, Eileen Prado, Mihali Stavlas, Zay Steinfeld, and Ying Zhang.

Recent board appointee to a partial term ending June 30, 2027:

• Alberto Rigau, Creative Director, Editorial Revés

Board Members continuing their service:

• Lama Ajinah, Founder and Chief Strategist, Co-Designs
• Dawn Davidson (Secretary) President/Creative Director, ABI - Alpha Business Images (2nd term)
• Victor Davila, Associate Professor
• Rachel Elnar (President 2026-2028), Principal Engagement Manager, Creative Higher Education, Adobe; Executive Producer/ Cofounder, Together By Design
• Jennifer Ford (Vice President), Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
• Mihali Stavlas, CEO/Founder, Mellonaid
• Isaiah Steinfeld, Founder, Neue Alchemy (2nd term)
• Ying Zhang, Creative Director, Human Rights Foundation

AIGA's new President Council Chair, MaeLin Levine, also joins the board of directors ex-officio for a one year term through June 30, 2027.

Departing Members of the Board:

• Cesar Rivera (Outgoing AIGA President 2024-2026), Creative Executive, Advisor, Mentor
• Aleksey Fedorov, Director of Global Brand Marketing, Microsoft
• Eileen Prado, Operational and Financial Professional

"Boards are a little like potlucks: everyone shows up with something different, and somehow it works. This one ran on hard decisions, overtime calls, and more committee meetings than anyone signed up for... all in service of a design community that's worth the effort, said Rachel Elnar, AIGA's Board President. "I'm grateful to the outstanding board members rotating off for the years of bringing their best to the table, and excited to welcome a new group who are already showing up with something to add."

Media Contact

Michelle Koenigsknecht

AIGA

AIGA, the professional association for design, advances design as a professional craft, strategic advantage, and vital cultural force. As a community of design advocates, AIGA brings together practitioners, enthusiasts, and patrons to amplify the voice of design and creates the vision for a collective future. AIGA defines global standards and ethical practices, guides design education, inspires designers and the public, enhances professional development, and makes powerful tools and resources accessible to all.