Frank Lockwood named President and new board members added as the organization expands its leadership and looks to bring together creative talent across Connecticut.

HARTFORD, CT — October 25th, 2026 — AIGA Connecticut, the state chapter of the professional association for design, has announced a new leadership team led by incoming President Frank Lockwood and Vice President Kevin Skrocki. The appointments, along with an expanded board structure, mark a new chapter for the organization as it looks to strengthen Connecticut’s creative community through greater collaboration, education, and engagement.

The new leadership sees an opportunity to build on AIGA’s longstanding commitment to design while creating a more connected community across creative disciplines, industries, and generations. By bringing together designers, writers, artists, photographers, educators, students, and other creative professionals, AIGA Connecticut aims to become a place where creative people can exchange ideas, find opportunities, and contribute to the state’s evolving creative culture.

“Connecticut has extraordinary creative talent, working in all kinds of disciplines and communities across the state,” said Lockwood. “Our opportunity is to bring more of those people together, create meaningful connections, and see what we can accomplish collectively. We want AIGA Connecticut to be a place where ideas, relationships, and opportunities grow.”

New Leadership, Expanded Perspectives

Frank Lockwood is the founder of I Will Be Frank With You, a service design consultancy for brand teams, agencies and growing businesses. For twenty years he has built strategy and process inside agencies and enterprise teams for brands like Toyota, Heineken and AB InBev, mapping what’s in the way, building the change with the team, and staying until it sticks. He co-founded Reverie Brewing Company and took over Greenwood Features, an independent cinema in Bethel, so he has run the kind of plans he designs. He is the author of The Business You Meant To Build.

Joining Lockwood as Vice President is Kevin Skrocki, whose career spans creative agencies and higher education. At Rebellion Group, Skrocki has contributed to brand identity and creative initiatives, while his work at Central Connecticut State University has included curriculum development and supporting the next generation of designers.

Skrocki shares a commitment to expanding AIGA Connecticut’s reach beyond traditional professional and disciplinary boundaries.

“My goal is to make AIGA a place where a writer, designer, artist, photographer, and any creative person can come and join and connect,” said Skrocki. “I want to help build a community where people can learn from one another, share their work, and find opportunities to grow.”

Building the Community Through New Leadership

Supporting this vision is an expanded leadership structure designed to strengthen AIGA Connecticut’s ability to develop programming, build partnerships, support education, and welcome a broader creative audience.

The new leadership team includes:

• James Dowd (COO/CCO at Rebellion Group), Director of Community, who will focus on expanding partnerships and building relationships across Connecticut’s creative organizations and communities. He will collaborate with Maritza Quintuna (PR and Social Media Director at Downtown Milford Business Association), Chair of Community, to strengthen engagement and community-building initiatives.
• Yvonne Campbell (Fractional Director of Marketing at Inkbyte), Director of Programming, who will oversee events and programming while developing relationships with partners and collaborators.
• Sarah Jacovino ( Brand and Content Designer at Palmer’s Market), Director of Communications, who will lead public relations, messaging, and social media alongside Cole Heitmann (Junior Art Director at Odonell Company), Chair of Communications, to expand awareness of the chapter and its initiatives.
• Kim Lewis, Director of Education (Product Designer at NBC Universal), who will work with Marysia Walker ( VP/CD at Worx Branding), Chair of Education, to develop educational experiences and opportunities for students, educators, and creative professionals.
• Dina Benbrahim (Associate Professor of Graphic Design at UConn), Director of DEIA, who will guide efforts to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility within the chapter and the broader creative community.

Together, the leadership team will help shape programming and partnerships that encourage creative exchange, professional development, and greater participation in AIGA Connecticut.

Building on a Strong Foundation

The chapter also recognizes the leadership and contributions of outgoing President Melanie Uribe, who has served AIGA Connecticut since 2022.

During her tenure, Uribe helped create opportunities for Connecticut’s designers and creative professionals to connect, learn, and celebrate their shared passion for design. She will continue to support the organization as President Emeritus, working alongside the incoming leadership team.

With its new leadership in place, AIGA Connecticut looks to build on that foundation while broadening its role in the state’s creative landscape.

The chapter will continue developing educational programs, creative events, and partnerships that bring people together across professional disciplines and career stages. Central to that effort is a belief that creative communities become stronger when people with different backgrounds, experiences, and ideas have opportunities to work together.

About AIGA Connecticut

AIGA Connecticut is the Connecticut chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. The chapter supports and connects Connecticut’s creative community through educational programming, events, professional development, partnerships, and advocacy for the value of design. AIGA Connecticut works to foster a more inclusive, collaborative, and engaged creative community throughout the state.

Media Contact
Kevin Skrocki
kevin.skrocki@connecticut.aiga.org
connecticut.aiga.org