Introducing the Make:able 2026 Judging Panel

27th April 2026 • News

Across every submission, our judges will be looking beyond the final outcome. They will recognise thoughtful design processes, meaningful user insights, and creative use of tools and technologies to develop solutions that genuinely improve people’s lives.

As we move closer to the submission deadline (15th May 2026), here’s a quick overview of what happens next:

• 15th May to 31st May 2026: Team PrintLab will review all submissions and shortlist 3 to 6 finalists per award category across each age group. Finalists will be announced via email and across our social channels on 31st May.
• 1st June to 30th June 2026: Judges will independently review the shortlisted entries through a secure platform, voting on the designs that best meet the criteria for their assigned category.
• 1st July 2026: Final scores will be tallied, and winners for each category and age group will be announced, followed by prize distribution.

Now, let’s take a look at the panel of judges for Make:able 2026!

 

Best Showcase of Empathy

 

 

• Andy Lin – Rehabilitation Engineer at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
• Allyson Tong – Occupational Therapist at Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center
• Ian Matty – Director of Mountain Lakes Public Library Makerspace
• Delaney Locher – Senior Inclusive Designer at Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab
• Sarah Heinzen – Senior Product Designer at Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab
• Ben Davisson – Statewide Visually Impaired & Deafblind Specialist
• Will Baker – Assistive Technologist for Leonard Cheshire

 

Best Creative Idea

 

 

• Phil Holton – Senior Qualification Manager at Pearson
• Noam Platt – Founder of MakeGood
• Loreto Dumitrescu – Co-Founder of Zero Day Camp
• Trudi Barrow – Design Education Advisor at CLEAPSS
• Becky Wynne – STEM Teacher at Maryville Middle School
• Amber Hudson – Educational Services VP at 1st Maker Space
• Stacey Kosch – Director of Professional Learning at Bluum

 

Best Use of Autodesk Software

 

 

• Ed Charlwood – Autodesk Authorized Learning Partner and Curriculum Lead at United Learning
• Guillermo Melantoni – Head of Tinkercad
• Oliver Briggs – Director at EduCAD
• Ben Brasch – Strategic Partnership Manager at Autodesk
• Kellyanne Mahoney – Youth Programs Manager at Autodesk
• Jessy Ellenberger – Community Manager at Autodesk
• Allie Katz – Creative Technologist

 

Best Showcase of Customisation

 

 

• Tyler Fentie – Accessible Gaming Lead at Makers Making Change
• Maayan Keren – Senior Director, North America at TOM
• Michelle Levy – Director, Global Design Strategy at TOM
• Bill Siever – Teaching Professor at Washington University in St. Louis
• Paula de Santos Dorrego – Research Technician at CITIC
• Brennen Johnston – Assistive Technology Support Technician at the University of Washington
• Grace Ambroze – Vice President, Accessibility Lead at JPMorganChase

 

Best Use of 3D Printing

 

 

• Cinerita Andrandes – Production Operations Engineer at Makelab
• Vicente Gasco – Fab Lab Director / 3D Printing Professor at Atlantic University
• Edward Robe – B2B Sales Account Manager at Prusa Research
• Sam Booth – Subject Lead at Oak National Academy
• José Antonio – Head of Makerspace at Prepa UDEM
• Megan Ewing – Director of Secondary Education at 1st Maker Space
• Jake McIvor – Engineering Lead at Makers Making Change

 

Best Showcase of Iterative Design

 

 

• Tony Ryan – CEO at The Design and Technology Association
• Alanna Raffel – Assistive Technology Specialist and Occupational Therapist at TechOWL
• Michael Nelson – Director of Operations at Fab Lab El Paso/Tech Frontier
• Maja Stachowicz – Biomechanical Engineer
• Amanda O’Mara – Innovation and Design Teacher at West Clermont School District
• Gabriela da Silva – UX/UI Product Designer at GDS Studio
• James Tiggeman – Director of STEM and Innovation at Irving Independent School District

 

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A big thank you to this year’s judging panel for supporting the next generation of designers and problem-solvers. Your time and expertise help ensure that every idea is given the attention it deserves. Finalists will be revealed on 31st May, so keep an eye on your inbox and follow along on our social channels (@weareprintlab) to see the incredible work coming through this year’s challenge.

If you’re interested in taking part in Make:able, you can still get involved even if you can’t meet the submission deadline. Head to the website to register for free, access the full toolkit, and start your project. You can then submit to next year’s challenge.