IIDA College of Fellows Announces 2025 Inductees

CHICAGO — IIDA is honored to announce the induction of five new members to the prestigious IIDA College of Fellows. This year’s honorees are Canoa Director of Client Experience, Lance Amato, FIIDA, of the New York chapter; Hickok Cole Associate Principal and Director of Interiors, Mike Johnson II, FIIDA, of the Mid-Atlantic chapter; Gensler Design Director, Principal, Laurent Lisimachio, FIIDA, of the New York chapter; Pratt Institute Professor and O|A Object Agency Principal, Jon P. Otis, FIIDA, of the New York chapter; and Gensler Chicago Principal, James E. Prendergast, FIIDA, of the Illinois chapter.

“We are thrilled to welcome a new class of design thought leaders into the College of Fellows,” said College of Fellows Chair, Susanne Molina, FIIDA. “Each year, our inductees embrace the association’s core values, demonstrating exceptional leadership and fostering an inclusive, innovative environment for designers of all backgrounds. These esteemed professionals are positioned to help our industry remain vibrant, vital, and forward-looking.”

Admission to the College of Fellows is the highest honor given by IIDA to its professional members, recognizing those whose activities and efforts have benefitted and enhanced IIDA, and whose design work has significantly influenced the design profession.

Lance Amato, FIIDA, d.
Lance Amato was a tireless advocate for IIDA, design, architecture, and the environment. He was a recognized and active member of the New York design community for more than 20 years. Throughout his career, Amato worked on a diverse portfolio of projects ranging from residential to commercial interiors across 14 states. He was lauded for his dedication to client satisfaction and his commitment to the creation of spaces that were functional, sustainable, and sympathetic to the human condition.

His dedication to volunteerism, most especially to IIDA, is most notable. Amato expertly led four IIDA New York Chapter committees and served as the chapter’s President in 2011, becoming the youngest volunteer, at the time, to lead the 500+ member chapter. Most recently, Amato co-chaired the New York Leaders Breakfast, a 25-year signature event honoring leadership in the interior design profession. Amato will be remembered as a champion of design excellence, for his extraordinary compassion as a mentor, and for his dedication to building a healthier and more sustainable world.

Mike Johnson II, FIIDA
Licensed as both an architect and interior designer, Johnson’s award-winning designs have focused on providing creative solutions for interior spaces supporting health, wellness, culture, equity, diversity, inclusion, and brand. His belief is design is a thoughtful process through captivating storytelling which creates a unique solution for each client. Johnson has served three terms on IIDA’s International Board of Directors as a Vice President, served as a Past President of IIDA’s Mid-Atlantic Chapter, and co-founded the chapter’s leadership development program for young professionals.

Laurent Lisimachio, FIIDA
Laurent Lisimachio is a visionary Design Director and Principal at Gensler, renowned for his distinctive design philosophy and ability to craft environments that inspire and attract top talent and elevate the client experience. Since joining Gensler in 2000, Laurent has led transformative projects across industries — from financial services to fashion, media to hospitality — bringing a unique European perspective shaped by his retail roots in France.

A two-time winner of the IIDA Interior Design Competition, Laurent has built a legacy of pushing creative boundaries to deliver soulful, high-performance spaces for clients such as JPMorgan Chase, Disney, Deloitte, FOX, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Warner Music Group. His leadership extends to repositioning assets for major developers like Nuveen and Tishman Speyer, where his intuitive approach helps attract tenants by choreographing memorable journeys from street to seat. At Gensler, Laurent has mentored one of the firm’s largest cohorts of design talent, fostering a culture of excellence and innovation. His environments are more than just beautiful — they tell stories, amplify brands, and motivate people.

Jon P. Otis, FIIDA
Otis is a tenured Professor at Pratt Institute where he has taught for 26 years. He earned his BA from Moravian University, and MS Design from the University of Massachusetts. Otis’ credentials include having been awarded Fulbright and Lusk Fellowships to Italy where he spent three years working with Ettore Sottsass’ design studio in Milan. He is the Founder and Principal of O|A - Object Agency founded in 1998. O|A is a multidisciplinary design studio and design strategy agency, whose work ranges from interior architecture and design, exhibition design, branding and visual communications, product design, web/media design, and strategic consulting.

Otis was named the 2017 IIDA Educator of the Year and was recently honored with the 2025 Comenius Alumni Award from Moravian University. He has served on the IIDA International Board of Directors and presently serves as IIDA Foundation Board of Trustees Chair, and on the IIDA Advocacy Council. In 2022 he co-founded the Diversity by Design Fund (dxdf), which is administered by the IIDA Foundation.

James E. Prendergast, FIIDA
With more than 40 years of experience designing innovative and refined spaces, Prendergast, a Principal and Design Director in Gensler’s Chicago office, is an influential leader in the firm’s workplace practices, having designed over 10 million square feet of commercial interiors and office architecture across the globe. An accomplished designer and progressive thinker, Prendergast frequently presents at academic and industry forums lecturing on design and the relationship between client culture and performance. His work has been recognized with multiple local and national design awards and is often featured in premier design and client publications. Outside the office, Prendergast is involved with a variety of charities and institutions including DIFFA/Chicago, where he has served on the board of directors.

All inductees will be honored and accepted into the College of Fellows during the IIDA Annual Meeting on June 8, 2025, at the WorkLife Meetings at The Mart, 222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza in Chicago. For more information about the IIDA College of Fellows, visit IIDA.org