Celebrating the Next Generation of Design Talent at the 27th Annual PAVE Gala
- PAVE Global
- Dec 17, 2025
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 7
On Thursday, December 11, 2025, the PAVE Global community gathered at Guastavino’s in New York City for the 27th Annual PAVE Gala. Beneath the venue’s iconic tiled vaults, industry leaders, educators, students, and supporters came together for a night focused on design, connection, and the next generation of talent shaping our industry.
The program was emceed by Frank DiLella, Emmy Award-winning host of On Stage on Spectrum News NY1. He opened the evening by drawing a clear line between theater and retail design. For both storytelling and experience guide how people move through space and how they feel while doing it. It was a fitting way to kick off the night.
PAVE Global President Joe Baer and Vice President of Events Rebekah Sigfrids welcomed guests and reflected on a year of growth. Over the past year, PAVE has reached students and educators at more than 400 schools across 50 countries, providing over $160,000 in support. Through scholarships, student aid, mentorship, and educational experiences, PAVE continues to connect education and industry in meaningful ways. Those efforts showed up again and again throughout the evening.
The awards program opened with the Inspired by Design: PAVE Student Visionary Award, presented by PAVE’s Executive Director, Dash Nagel, and Project Coordinator, Nikki Naar. Introduced in 2023, the award recognizes students whose work shows clear thinking, originality, and a strong point of view on how people experience design. This year’s Student Visionaries were Leilianni Hubbard of Kean University, Phoebe Nguyen of Illinois State University, and Shambhavi Sanjay of the New York School of Interior Design. Each received a $10,000 prize package to support their next steps.
PAVE Global's Dash Nagel and Nikki Naar are pictured with 2025 PAVE Student Visionaries Leilianni Hubbard (left image), Phoebe Nguyen (center image), and Shambhavi Sanjay (right image).
As the night progressed, additional student scholarships and experiences underscored the strength of PAVE’s industry partnerships. Barb Pohner, President and Partner at Knovo, presented the inaugural Knovo Technology in Design Innovation Scholarship to Christie Chirinos of Virginia Commonwealth University. Christie was recognized for her thoughtful use of accessible digital tools to support preservation, documentation, and early design decision-making.
Marty McCauley, Creative Director at ChangeUp, followed by presenting the ChangeUp Scholarship + Experience to Ken Park of the Fashion Institute of Technology. Ken’s work stood out for its clear approach to brand storytelling through space, balancing creativity with practical, real-world application.
The program continued with the Bish Creative Point-of-Purchase Scholarship + Experience. Jerry Fox, President of Bish Creative and Immediate Past President of PAVE Global, recognized Emmy Saltzman of Appalachian State University for her strong approach to in-store experience design. Her work showed a clear understanding of how materiality, lighting, and layout shape the retail experience.
Later in the evening, Deborah Toffoli, Managing Director of euro a go go, and Mardi Najafi, Chief Creative Officer at SDI Design and Creative Director of euro a go go, presented the euro a go go Retail Design Experience Award 2026 to Jenny Bae Huggon of Sheridan College. Jenny was recognized for her research-driven work and her focus on how atmosphere and sensory design influence how people feel in physical retail spaces.
Following dinner, the focus shifted to professional excellence in retail design. The VMSD Excellence in Visual Merchandising in New York Awards were presented by Carly Hagedon, Managing Editor of VMSD, and Eric Feigenbaum, PAVE Global Founding Member and VMSD New York Editor. This year’s honorees included Printemps, Longchamp, and Brooks Brothers, each recognized for creating thoughtful, engaging retail environments.
The PAVE + VMSD Window Awards of New York, presented by Travelstead, followed. Nick Travelstead, President of Travelstead, and Carly Hagedon recognized standout holiday windows across New York City. House of Dior received the Specialty Store award, with The LEGO Store at Rockefeller Center named runner-up. Bergdorf Goodman was named the Department Store winner, with Saks Fifth Avenue recognized as runner-up.
PAVE + VMSD Window Awards of New York, presented by Travelstead, winners Bergdorf Goodman, department store category, and House of Dior, specialty store category.
Emerging professional talent took center stage with the 18th Annual PAVE Rising Star Award, proudly sponsored by ASI | Architectural Systems, Inc. Presented by Andrew Cooper, President, and Michael O’Connor, Vice President of ASI, the award honors young professionals making an impact in the industry. Finalists Olivia Van Deusen of ChangeUp and Jacob Tyler of Arcadis were recognized alongside this year’s Rising Star, Catherine Keywan of Bergmeyer.
The PAVE Educator of the Year Award followed. Presented by Cindi Kato, Principal at Arcadis and Emeritus PAVE President, alongside award sponsor Lauren Chipman, CEO and Principal of Chipman Design Architecture and PAVE Board Member, the award honored Professor Elgin Cleckley. An Associate Professor of Architecture, Undergraduate Program Director, and Director of _mpathic Design at the University of Virginia, Elgin was recognized for his dedication to design education, leadership, and mentorship.
The evening wrapped with the PAVE Student Design Competition, sponsored by The Hershey Company. For the 2025 challenge, students were asked to design a store-within-a-store snacking destination inside a traditional grocery store. The goal was to create a fun, immersive experience that highlighted Hershey’s family of brands using technology, sensory design, dynamic lighting, and small moments of interaction.
The final award of the night was presented by Tiffany Pieja, Senior Manager of Permanent Merchandising, and Steve Calhoun, Senior Manager of Retail Design and Experience at The Hershey Company, with support from Anne Farniok, PAVE Global Board Member and Educator at the University of Minnesota. Student honorees Emmy Saltzman of Appalachian State University, Makayla Hall of Fanshawe College, and Natalie Opdebeeck of Fanshawe College were recognized for their creative responses to the challenge.
Guests were invited to support PAVE’s mission through the evening’s fundraising effort, boosted by a generous donation match from Bunzl Retail Services. Thanks to the support of sponsors, table hosts, and attendees, PAVE exceeded its $30,000 fundraising goal for the night.
The 27th Annual PAVE Gala closed with an after-party hosted by IA. It was a strong finish to a night that brought the PAVE community together around design, education, and what comes next.
A sincere thank you to everyone who joined us to support and celebrate the next generation of design talent at the PAVE Gala.
Please note that this is a small sampling of the event photos from our photographer; full albums will be shared as soon as they are available.
THANK YOU TO OUR PROUD 2025 PAVE GALA SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS!
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