Session content and speakers subject to change at any time.

Jonathan Ayala
Jonathan Ayala
Co-Founder & Principal
Your Lighting Brand & The Lighting Exchange
The Dynamic Evolution of The Lighting Agency Today

As a co-founder of a highly innovative marketing, technology, and communications companies dedicated to the lighting industry, Jonathan has pioneered unique solutions and platforms for communications, sales solutions, and education, including The Lighting Exchange, Exergent, The Continuing Architect, and Architectural SSL magazine. Before YLB, he was Director of Design Technology at Ohdee Dohdee and Vice President at Lighting Unlimited. Jonathan has a BA in Visual Communications and Graphic Design from Ohio Dominican University.
Elif Ayalp
Elif Ayalp
Senior Lighting Designer
Arup
Lighting the Built Environment at Night: Two Perspectives

Elif grew up in Istanbul and first learned about lighting design as a teenager while studying with Carlotta de Bevilacqua. She has been on the Arup lighting design team since 2016. Before Arup she was a lighting designer at LumiCom Aydınlatma in Istanbul, and lighting and industrial designer at Planlux in Istanbul. She studied industrial design at the Politechnico di Milano.
Renee Borg
Renee Borg
Principal
sixteen5hundred
The Dynamic Evolution of The Lighting Agency Today

As principal for the Bay Area lighting agency 16500, Renee heads a team of over 50 professionals who bring a unusually diverse range of experience and technical knowledge to their projects. On the forefront of emerging service offerings and project management expertise in lighting and integrated controls, 16500 has built a reputation for innovation, consistency and an extraordinary level of customer service. Before 16500, She held several positions at Acuity Brands, including VP Customer Engagement, Regional VP Los Angeles, and Director of Sales Western Region. Renee holds a B.A. from the University of Colorado Boulder College of Engineering & Applied Science.
Chris Bright
Chris Bright
Senior Designer
Lighting Design Alliance
An important member of Lighting Design Alliance’s team, Chris credits his education at Penn State University, training and experience on the job, and his involvement in professional organizations like the Illuminating Engineering Society, specifically with the Emerging Professionals in both his local LA section and with the North American Committee.  His experience working overseas on has developed his ability solve problems find solutions in the field, and work with seamlessly with ownership, architects, engineers, and contractors. Chris has a Bachelor and Master of Architectural Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.
Teal Brogden
Teal Brogden
Senior Principal, President
HLB Lighting
Experiencing the Daylight Dynamic

Teal joined the HLB Lighting Design's San Francisco office in 1991 and spearheaded the opening of the Los Angeles office in 1994. Her work has been featured in Architectural Lighting Magazine, Architect, and Interior Design. Teal continues to bring people together who are passionate about architecture, art, and light to learn and grow by guest lecturing and teaching at architectural and academic venues at home and abroad. Her vast portfolio of projects is fueled by her love of travel and culture which have developed in her a deep understanding of the impact that light can bring to any experience. She has been expanding her experience with projects including performing arts venues, museums, transportation centers, hotels, corporate offices, mixed-use developments, universities, lab/research facilities, landscapes, and facades.
Robert Davis
Robert Davis
Chief Lighting Research Engineer
PNNL
Career Paths in Lighting and Design

Bob’s PNNL responsibilities include serving as Technical Director of the Solid-State Lighting program and leading several human factors research efforts. He has been a faculty member in architecture at RPI’s Lighting Research Center and in engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. His experience includes working in engineering and marketing at a lamp manufacturer and leading the product development and engineering teams at a luminaire manufacturer. He has degrees in Architectural Engineering and a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology and is a Fellow of the Illuminating Engineering Society. Bob is a recipient of the Illuminating Engineering Society’s Presidential Award, the John and Mercedes Peebles Innovation in Education Award, and the New York State Governor’s Award for Energy Excellence. He is Co-Director of the Rocky Mountain Lighting Academy at the University of Colorado, where he has an appointment as an adjoint faculty member in architectural engineering, and he holds a joint appointment as Affiliate Professor in architectural engineering at the Pennsylvania State University. He holds a BS and MS in Architectural Engineering, Penn State University; PhD in Cognitive Psychology, University of Colorado; and is a Fellow, Illuminating Engineering Society.
Wendy Davis
Wendy Davis
Senior Research Analyst
Guidehouse
Permanent Chaos, Wishful Thinking and Real Opportunities: The Lighting Industry Today

Wendy leads Guidehouse Insights’ Lighting Efficiency research service. Her research focuses on the lighting and intelligent building controls markets, with expertise in lighting technologies, lighting measurements and standards, the influence of policy on the lighting industry, and lighting quality. Before Guidehouse, Wendy was an associate professor in lighting at the University of Sydney, where she led a professional graduate program in illumination design and a research laboratory investigating novel architectural applications of new and emerging lighting technologies. She also worked as a scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to support the development and commercialization of solid-state lighting for illumination applications. Wendy has a BA in psychology and physiology from the University of Minnesota and an MS and PhD in vision science from the University of California, Berkeley.
Janelle Drouet
Janelle Drouet
West Coast Lighting Leader, Senior Associate
Mazzetti Lighting Design Studio
Balance, Wellness, and Delight: A Design Conversation

An international lighting design professional and lighting leader, Janelle focuses on creating expressive, sustainable and award-winning concepts in light and has contributed to the success of a broad spectrum of project types and scales. Before her position at Mazetti, she was Associate Principal and Lighting Group Leader at Arup in San Francisco; Principal of J Drouet Design Studio; Director of Lighting Design at Lightswitch, San Francisco; and Founder & Director of Lighting Design at Harris Consulting Engineers (HCE Architectural Lighting Design Group).
Judith Heerwagen
Judith Heerwagen
Research Psychologist
US General Services Administration
Healthy Buildings and the Future of Work: An Illustrated Conversation
IEQ, Real Estate Asset Value, Health and Productivity

Ms. Heerwagen is a psychologist whose work focuses on the behavioral, psychosocial, and health impacts of building design and operations. Before GSA she was a senior scientist at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and also had her own consulting business for 10 years. She has written widely on occupant experience in buildings, the human factors of sustainability, and the links between human health and the natural environment. She is co-editor of Biophilic Design: The Theory, Science and Practice of Bringing Buildings to Life which won the 2008 Publishers Award for best book in architecture and urban planning. She received the 2014 Design for Humanity Award from the American Society of Interior Designers.