In partnership with the IIDA Foundation, Kimball International established the Makers of a Better Future fund. This award supports IIDA members who are integrating the spirit of foresight into design and fostering innovative solutions for tomorrow's challenges. It recognizes those committed to advancing technology, sustainability, or social evolution through visionary design practices.
The program honors two winners annually, each receiving a $2,500 cash prize along with round-trip airfare and hotel accommodations in Chicago during Fulton Market Design Days. The winners are celebrated in person at Kimball International’s Chicago showroom and at the IIDA Annual Meeting.
The 2026 winners of the Makers of a Better Future Fund are Mitchell Brooks and Lauren Cole.
Mitchell Brooks
IIDA, CDF, RID
Mitchell Brooks is the Principal and Founder of Lawrence Licensed Interior Design Inc., a Calgary-based interior design studio focused on hospitality, workplace, and future-focused interior environments. With over 18 years of industry experience, Mitchell is passionate about exploring how spaces can better adapt to the changing ways people live, work, travel, and connect.
He and his team have recently been working with a client on a development model for prefabricated hospitality interiors and adaptive reuse, particularly in the area of office-to-hotel conversions. He is interested in how thoughtful planning, emerging technologies, and new construction methods and materials can help create spaces that are more flexible, sustainable, and responsive over time while also improving the guest experience.
Mitchell believes interior design should do more than create beautiful spaces. His work is grounded in the idea that design can help buildings remain relevant and useful long into the future as adaptable and evolving assets. Completing the International Interior Design Association Certified Design Futurist program further strengthened his interest in strategic foresight and future-focused thinking and has encouraged his team to continue exploring new approaches within the design industry.
“I am incredibly honored to receive this award and grateful to the IIDA and Kimball International for recognizing the future-focused work my team and I have been developing in prefabricated hospitality interiors and adaptive reuse.”
Lauren Cole
IIDA, CDF
Lauren is the System Director of Design Strategy for Providence St. Joseph Health. She brings deep expertise in healthcare-focused design, grounded in both academic achievement and practical experience. She holds two BFAs in design and a Master of Science in Interior Design with a concentration in Environmental Psychology. During her graduate studies, she focused her research on the impact of COVID-19 on perceptions of safety within the clinical workplace.
A passionate advocate for evidence-based design, Lauren believes that the best outcomes are driven by data, science, and alignment with business objectives. Her career includes leading the Planning and Design team for Providence Health’s Central Division before advancing to her current role as System Director of Design Strategy. In this position, she develops spaces that reflect the organization’s mission and meet the needs of both caregivers and patients. Her current work includes leading the creation of a virtual design platform for internal and external teams, redefining system-wide design guidelines, and managing architectural product partnerships. She is passionate about advancing design research and has two studies currently underway, “Design for Belonging” and “Clinical Workplace Design.”
“Designers have not just an opportunity, but a responsibility, to shape better futures. I am deeply honored to be recognized by the industry for my contributions to this effort.”
About Kimball International
Kimball International is a leading commercial furnishings company with deep expertise in the Workplace, Health, and Hospitality markets. We combine our bold entrepreneurial spirit, a history of craftsmanship, and today’s design-driven thinking alongside a commitment to our culture of caring and lasting connections with our customers, employees, and communities. Since 1950, our brands have seized opportunities to customize solutions into personalized experiences, turning ordinary spaces into meaningful places. Our family of brands includes Kimball, National, Etc., Interwoven, David Edward, Kimball Hospitality, and D'Style. Kimball International, based in Jasper, Indiana, is a business unit of HNI Corporation.
For additional information contact:
Abby Troutman
Communications Manager