AIGA DEC Throughlines 2026 Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH | July 27-28, 2026
A throughline refers to the connections through and between segments of a design learning journey from early exposure to design, becoming a design student, working with and supporting students, transitioning to professional practice, mentoring designers, opportunities in leadership and creating intentional throughlines for others coming into the field. Across the lifespan of a designer, there are many aspects of influence through culture, beliefs and values that are integral in one’s development as a designer and lifelong learner.
Hosted for the first time at a community college, the 2026 AIGA Design Educators Conference, Throughlines, invites proposals that recognize the educators, staff, students, schools and organizations supporting early childhood to high school to college to adult learning who impact design learning journeys. We are pleased to announce that this gathering will be hosted in partnership with Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio.
Reneé is an Endowed Full Professor and Program Coordinator of the Communication Design program at the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. She is a graduate of the Graphic Design program at the University of Cincinnati in 2002 and received her Master’s from North Carolina State in 2008.
Reneé has been teaching typography, exhibition design, graphic design in the Communication Design program for the last fifteen years. Her students have won countless awards from Graphics, Graphic Design USA, and Creative Communication Awards Design competitions over the years.
Her research focuses on developing digital and physical tools that seek to address our society’s literacy problem. Currently, she is the co-lab leader of the trans-disciplinary Digital Futures Learning by Design Lab that conducts rigorous and robust research on all aspects of digital innovations to advance inclusive experiences in literacy and learning across the lifespan. Additionally, she has a company that sells her reading tool called See Words Reading®. Renee came up with See Words because a friend’s child who attributed his reading struggle to the letters’ layout on a page. Reneé, as a designer, felt that she could help with the problem. Renee is a Cincy Innovates winner and has been acknowledged as a Rising Tech star by ComSpark, awarded by the Business Courier Best Software of the Year, and the University of Cincinnati Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. Recently, a font her team has designed called SeeType just won an STA-100 award, and a SEGD Global Design Merit award. She has given a TEDx talk on Eradication Literacy Through the Power of a Font. Renee is also working in a collaborative research team awarded a grant from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders to develop a tool to help correct speech problems in children, and been named a winner in the Graphic Design USA Design competition for the poster she developed for the AIGA to promote voting.
Dr. Jacinda N. Walker
Dr. Jacinda N. Walker, M.F.A., HON. D.A. is renowned for her advocacy in design and diversity. As the founding director of designExplorr, a social impact business whose mission is to change the face of design, she has empowered over 10,000 young people nationwide to explore design careers. Her Experiential Learning Center (ELC), offers marginalized students a unique launchpad for their design careers. Equipped with diverse mentorship, cutting-edge technology, and real-world projects, the ELC helps aspiring creative students transition from the classroom into the workforce. As an advocate for young people, Jacinda proudly mentors several design students on portfolio presentations, professional development, and career planning. Her research on “Design Journeys” has been groundbreaking, offering practical solutions to increase diversity in the profession. With a passion for design, education, and mentorship, Dr. Walker is dedicated to creating a more inclusive and equitable future for design.
Location & Travel Info
Our Host Site: Sinclair Community College
Selected as the host site for AIGA DEC Throughlines 2026, Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio reflects a student-centered approach to design education grounded in access, care, and continuity. Founded in 1887, Sinclair is one of the nation’s oldest and largest community colleges and is widely recognized for innovation in teaching and community partnership. Guided by the college’s mission to find the need and endeavor to meet it, the NASAD-accredited Design Department supports learners across their design learning journey, from early exposure through professional practice. Hosting Throughlines marks the first time a community college has served as a conference site for AIGA DEC, underscoring Sinclair’s role in advancing accessible, practice-centered design education.
Your Trip to Dayton, Ohio
For attendees traveling from across the United States, Dayton is easy to reach, with direct flights into Dayton International Airport and simple highway access via I-75 and I-70. The city’s manageable scale, walkable downtown, and affordable cost make it an accessible and welcoming place to gather, reflect, and connect as a national community of design educators.
Conference Hotel Options
We’ve secured room blocks at several downtown hotels within walking distance of Sinclair and conference venues.
Rates are comparable across hotels and vary by date and room type.
Parking is not included in room rates and is paid separately.
Dayton Vitality Hotel
A primary conference hotel option with the largest room block available.
Located near the Levitt Pavilion and downtown green space.
Offers the widest range of room types, providing flexibility for shared rooms,
accessibility needs, and different travel preferences.
Dr. Kristina Lamour Sansone, Conference Co-Chair Lisa Maione, Conference Co-Chair Zack Tucker, DEC Co-Chair, Conference Site coordinator Katie Krcmarik, DEC Co-Chair, Peer-review coordinator Questions and inquiries, please contact: info@designeducators.aiga.org
