Anniversary event highlights alumni success, student innovation and the future of design
Appalachian State University's Department of Applied Design will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its Industrial Design program with a two-day event on March 27–28, 2026, bringing together alumni, students, faculty and industry leaders to reflect on the program's growth and explore the future of design.
Hosted in Katherine Harper Hall, the celebration will feature open studios, alumni panel discussions, student portfolio, reviews and a reception honoring the program's alumni community. The event highlights the program's role in preparing students for careers in product design, furniture design, manufacturing, sustainability and emerging technologies.
Over the past two decades, Appalachian State's Industrial Design program has grown into a vibrant community of designers whose work spans industries and global markets. Through studio-based learning, hands-on prototyping and partnerships with industry, students develop the creative, technical and collaborative skills needed to bring innovative ideas from concept to production.
photo by Kyla Willoughby
"Industrial design sits at the intersection of creativity, engineering and human experience," said Sheryl Oring, chair of Appalachian State's Department of Applied Design. "For twenty years, this program has prepared students to think expansively about the role design plays in everyday life, from the furniture we use to the products and systems that shape our environments. Our alumni are making meaningful contributions across industries, and this anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate their achievements while strengthening the connections that support our students today."
The celebration begins Friday, March 27, from 4–7 p.m., with an open studios event that invites visitors into the program's working design studios to see student projects and prototypes in progress.
On Saturday, March 28, alumni will participate in panel discussions exploring career paths and emerging trends in design.
The "Career Trajectory Alumni Panel" will feature graduates working across the furniture and product development industries, including Andy Bratton, who recently joined Autodesk's Construction AI team; Kasia Sweeny, Upholstery Product Development Manager at Century Furniture; Jack McKay, a design engineer at BDI; and Drew Peeler, a senior packaging engineer and designer at Altria.
A second panel, "The Future of Design," will examine emerging directions in design and innovation. Participants include Brian Harris, Jason Palermo, Andee Burton and Spencer Price, whose careers span research and development, sustainability, global manufacturing, and product design. (full bios below)
In addition to alumni panels, the event will include student portfolio reviews, providing Industrial Design students with feedback from alumni and industry professionals. The program will also host presentations of the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Student Merit Awards, sponsored by IDSA National.The winner will go on to represent App State at the regional conference next month.
The celebration concludes with an alumni reception at the McKinney Alumni Center, bringing together graduates, faculty, and invited guests to celebrate the program's milestone and strengthen connections between current students and the broader design community.
"This anniversary is about recognizing the people who have helped build this program over the past twenty years," said Michael Rall, assistant chair of Applied Design, Industrial Design professor, alumni and event organizer. "Our alumni are working across a remarkable range of industries, and bringing them back to campus creates meaningful opportunities for mentorship, networking, and inspiration for our current students."
photo by Kyla Willoughby
The Industrial Design program is part of Appalachian State University's Department of Applied Design in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, which offers nationally accredited undergraduate programs in industrial design, interior design, and apparel design and merchandising. Together, these programs serve nearly 500 students and emphasize hands-on design education, industry collaboration, and real-world problem solving.
Alumni interested in attending may register here.
Future of Design Alumni Panel Discussion Bios
Andee Burton, Brian Harris, Jason Palermo, Spencer Price
Andee Burton currently serves as Director of Product & Sourcing Sustainability at Caleres and on the Board of the Footwear Innovation Foundation. After graduating in 2012, she built her career in the footwear industry, developing expertise in design, materials, manufacturing, and global supply chains, later expanding into regulatory compliance and sustainable product strategy after working in Vietnam. Today, she leads global Responsible Business programs across 13 brands and 1 retailer at Caleres, converting regulatory and ESG complexity into smart design, sourcing, and operational strategies that drive measurable impact.
Brian Harris has focused his career on research, concept design, and emerging technologies. He has worked with brands like GoPro, Milwaukee Tool, and MillerCoors to shape new hardware, software, and experiences. Over the past seven years he has directed R&D and AI transformation strategy at Vue.ai, partnering with global brands including Luxottica, PVH, and lululemon. Brian, who graduated with the class of 2011, lives in Atlanta with his wife, three cats, and 200,000 bees.
Jason Palermo (class of 2018) is a multidisciplinary designer working across digital and physical products. He previously produced dozens of housewares at a boutique NYC design agency and led design at an immersive virtual e-commerce startup serving high-profile luxury brands. Now based in Asheville, he freelances with select tech companies while building Penance, a brand of everyday goods made entirely from natural materials and manufactured in the USA.
Spencer Price leads the ancillary development team at Haworth with a particular focus on occasional seating, serving as a bridge between visionary designers and the realities of commercial production. He collaborates with global talents like Patricia Urquiola and Don Chadwick to translate bold concepts into market-ready products, while also reintroducing iconic SOM designs by Nicos Zographos, Lydia DePolo, Jane Graham, Gordon Bunshaft, Davis Allen, and Richard Irving. As a 2010 graduate, his work connects design heritage with the needs of today's workplaces.
photo by Kyla Willoughby
Career Trajectory Alumni Panel Discussion Bios
Andy Bratton, Jack McKay, Drew Peeler, Kasia Sweeny
Andy Bratton graduated from the Appalachian State University Industrial Design program in 2016 and is currently working as a Senior User Experience Designer at Autodesk. After graduation, he worked for Sealed Air as a CAD Designer and later as an Associate Industrial Designer for packaging equipment and advanced packaging solutions, focusing on inflatables and cardboard suspensions. In 2019, he completed the Springboard bootcamp to add UX to his skillset and joined CapTech consulting’s Customer Experience team. At CapTech, Andy spent 4 years conducting research, designing interfaces, testing prototypes, and analyzing user experience strategy for 16 client across 10+ industries. In 2024, he joined Autodesk to work on Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC)’s Alloy design system where he was responsible for a large component library used by 40+ teams. In January 2026, Andy left that role to join Autodesk’s Construction AI team where he is working to design cutting-edge interfaces for ACC’s purpose-built AI tools for architecture and construction professionals.
Jack McKay is a design engineer at BDI, where he works at the intersection of industrial design and mechanical engineering. He develops contemporary furniture from concept through production using CAD modeling, prototyping, and collaboration with international manufacturing partners. Jack graduated from Appalachian State University in 2017 and began his career building custom furniture with designer-makers before moving into large-scale product development.
Drew Peeler (class of 2007) is a senior packaging engineer and designer with over 15 years of experience delivering innovative packaging solutions across consumer goods, beverage, and reduced risk product portfolios. Currently at Altria, he leads packaging execution from concept through implementation, specializing in structural design, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration. His background blends industrial design, engineering, and creative problem-solving to drive product performance, manufacturability, and operational efficiency.
Kasia Sweeny graduated from Appalachian State University with a B.S. in Industrial Design, concentrating in furniture design in 2017. She works at Century Furniture, where she has spent the past eight years in upholstery product development and currently serves as Upholstery Product Development Manager. In this role, she leads the development of new upholstered furniture from concept through production, working closely with design, engineering, and manufacturing teams to bring products to market.
photo by Kyla Willoughby
About the Department of Applied Design
One of seven departments housed in the College of Fine and Applied Arts, the Department of Applied Design at Appalachian State University fosters excellence in design education, design research, and professional placement. The department balances theoretical and pragmatic approaches while exploring an awareness of impact through design decisions on the global community. Faculty focus on a holistic approach to creative problem-solving by integrating sustainability and ethical responsibility in teaching and practice. The department offers bachelor's degrees in apparel design and merchandising, industrial design, and interior design.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University's College of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences, and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,500 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
As the premier public undergraduate institution in the Southeast, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The Appalachian Experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and to embrace diversity and difference. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Appalachian is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System. Appalachian enrolls nearly 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio, and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
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