Phil Holcombe
BFA, Rhode Island School of Design
Program Director of Industrial Design, University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Phil Holcombe is a designer and educator deeply curious about the relationship between design and learning. He gained experience in industry, working for a variety of design agencies, and in higher education, where he served as Program Director tasked with developing a new undergraduate degree program.
In 2010, Phil founded what would become Form & Faculty, an interdisciplinary firm that designs human-centered learning solutions for the problems and purposes of the present. He continues to be deeply invested in many aspects of projects from concepting to execution.
Phil has worked with universities, schools, and museums around the world to design physical environments, communications, and learning experiences. Some of his recent projects include work with University of Pennsylvania, The Franklin Institute, the Institute of Design at Stanford, Columbia University, EwingCole, Parkhill, Smith & Cooper, and The Center for Architecture + Design. Phil’s design consultancy, PlusUs, was instrumental in the redesign of Perkiomen Valley Middle School East’s Library. In 2012, PlusUs earned Certified B-Corporation status, meeting the highest standards of verified social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.
Phil has played a meaningful role in shaping the storytelling and communications efforts of a Philadelphia-area high school, where he serves as a Trustee and Chair of the Communications Committee.
Phil holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design.
Doris Wells-Papanek
Doris Wells-Papanek, MEd, IDSA | Design Learning Network
Doris Wells-Papanek collaborates with educators, practitioners and learners to design and research learning experiences. She has coached educators and learners of all ages, authored multiple papers and presented at national and international conferences.
Wells-Papanek is the founder and director of the Design Learning Network, which fosters the K-12 design learning process through individual members as well as international partners and organizations. Anchored in an action research, human-centered and sustainable approach, the aim of the network’s efforts is to mindfully enhance educational experiences for all educators and students involved.
For more than twenty years, Wells-Papanek worked for and collaborated with companies such as Xerox, Apple, Lotus, Hewlett-Packard, Siemens, Philips and Intuit, designing interfaces, managing creative groups and leading technical teams.
Wells-Papanek holds a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction design with a focus on action research from National Louis University and a bachelor’s degree in product and environmental design from the Kansas City Art Institute and School of Design.
Martin Rayala, PhD
Dr. Martin Rayala brings national-level thought leadership, curriculum and instruction, and design education expertise. He is the former State Art, Media and Design Education Supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Dr. Rayala has taught at all levels; from elementary through teacher preparation at the university level.
Dr. Rayala served on the Education Committee of the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum and for the Getty Institute for Arts Education. He currently serves on a task force writing national standards for media arts for the National Coalition for Core Arts Standards (NCCAS) and standards for Art Facilities Design for the National Art Education Association.
He is an editor for the Journal of Media Literacy, a columnist for School Arts Magazine, and co-wrote a chapter in the anthology, Creativity and Design in Technology and Engineering Education. Dr. Martin Rayala earned a BS and MS from the University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in Art Education from the University of Oregon.
Scott Warner, EdD, IDSA
Professor in the Department of Applied Engineering, Safety & Technology
Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Scott Warner has degrees in technology education from Millersville University (B.S.Ed., 1985), Ball State University (M.A.Ed., 1988), and West Virginia University (Ed.D., 2000). His professional resume includes teaching experiences at the middle school, high school, and university levels. In his current position at Millersville University he is also the program coordinator for the M.S. in Technology & Innovation. Scott has been advocating design-based approaches to education throughout his career. His active memberships in the International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) and the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) have provided him with professional forums to advance the cause of design-based education. He has authored, or co-authored more than 20 articles in various professional journals and has written four chapters in educational anthologies. He has also given over 40 presentations to educators at state, regional, and international conferences. These articles, book chapters, and presentations have focused on design and creativity in technology education. He has been at Millersville University since 2004. As a teacher educator he prepares young people to move beyond standardized education and become designerly teachers.
Innovation Lab 