Luminary Labs announces a new contract, reimagined teams, recent promotions, and a new Director.

True to our nature as strategy and innovation consultants, we are hungry and excited for what comes next. Case in point: On the heels of our company’s 15th anniversary, our team recently gathered for an exercise to boldly imagine what could be true at Luminary Labs in the next five, 10, or even 15 years. The things we’re doing and deciding right now will help us make that vision a reality and help our clients navigate the future.

We are continuing the work to deepen our focus area expertise, expand our leadership capacity, and build on our growing partnership. Most recently, we have reimagined two critical functions, refined our capabilities, joined a “best in class” contracting vehicle — and now, we’re delighted to announce new promotions and team additions.

Announcing new teams

Two functional areas at Luminary Labs have been reimagined to reflect the distinct and expanding value they bring to both client engagements and internal projects.

The Communications & Insights team connects dots across focus areas, topics, industries, and sectors to help our broader team identify sharp insights and tell compelling stories — positioning our company, clients, and projects to be relevant and engaging. The new functional area is the product of a merger between our former Communications and Content & Community teams.

The Design & Experiences team is a capability center that guides strategic design activities — from visual identity and user experience to workshop facilitation and design research. This team’s new name better represents the team’s groundbreaking work and Luminary Labs’ belief that design is not optional.

Celebrating recent promotions

Jessica Hibbard joined Luminary Labs in 2017 and has been promoted to Senior Director, leading the expanded Communications & Insights function. In her new role, she will inspire our team to develop the actionable insights, meaningful stories, and expansive networks that are critical to achieving impact. She has established editorial standards and led our thought leadership, including the Lab Report and publications on the State of Open Innovation, COVID-19 response initiatives, the future of work, and the future of health. She will bring cross-sector insights to advise client engagements on positioning, synthesis, outreach, content strategy, and strategic marketing. She will continue overseeing our Writing Accelerator, an internal training program, and will continue sponsoring Luminary Labs’ AI committee.

Winnie Chang joined Luminary Labs in 2022 and has been promoted to Design Director, overseeing the Design & Experiences team. She specializes in defining and shaping desirable futures, working alongside project teams and organizations to understand user needs, visualize systems and processes, and bring new experiences to life. Winnie has deep expertise in design research, workshop facilitation, human-centered design, and startup mentorship, which she has used to strengthen the company’s end-to-end delivery of high-impact programs, products, services, and experiences. In her new role, Winnie will continue to oversee strategic design activities across internal projects, focus areas, and client engagements, bringing user-centric approaches to the forefront of Luminary Labs’ design practice.

Andrew Wallace joined Luminary Labs in 2024 and has been promoted to Manager, Communications & Insights. He leverages over a decade of experience in the social sector to support research, sensemaking, storytelling, writing, and editing across focus areas and internal projects. Andrew has led multiple thought leadership initiatives, including our Lab Session during Climate Week NYC, our Alumni Spotlight interview series, and our weekly newsletter; he has also supported editorial and communications workstreams for client engagements including the Patch Forward Prize, AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge, CTE Momentum, and the Learning Landscapes Challenge. In his new role, Andrew will lead our Lab Report publication, our new Alumni Society, and other internal projects, while bringing strategic foresight and storytelling expertise to our client engagements.

Bella Li joined Luminary Labs in 2023 and has been promoted to Engagement Manager. With expertise in business strategy and operations within digital health and biotechnology, Bella helps clients bridge the divide between innovation and market realities to drive tangible impact. Over the past year, Bella has led workstreams on the Patch Forward Prize while also earning a master’s degree in Health Analytics from Northwestern University. In her new role, Bella will lead our team working on vaccine innovation initiatives, including the Patch Forward Prize and the Single Shield Prize. 

Cameron Fox joined Luminary Labs in 2023 and has been promoted to Engagement Manager. He is passionate about building coalitions and bridging gaps between people, ideas, and institutions to address complex, multifaceted problems. Cameron has led our work on the Lead Detect Prize and KidneyX Sustainability Prize, and supported additional engagements, including Mission Daybreak. He has also spearheaded our company’s artificial intelligence committee and helped us explore thoughtful and strategic uses of generative AI. In his new role, Cameron will lead our team working on the LymeX Diagnostics Prize and continue leading our AI committee’s work. 

Bernadette Dossett joined Luminary Labs in 2023 and has been promoted to Senior Open Innovation Associate. With her analytical thinking, curiosity, and creativity, she can break down complex problems and explore innovative solutions with our clients. Bernadette has led workstreams for the Middle Grades CTE Accelerator and the LymeX Diagnostics Prize, and has contributed to our AI committee’s work. In her new role, she will continue to support Phase 4 of the LymeX Diagnostics Prize. 

Welcoming a new Director

Jacqueline Harris joined Luminary Labs as a Director. She is leveraging her rich background in both military and corporate sectors to accelerate innovation and launch groundbreaking programs. Prior to joining our team, she served as the Prevention, Resilience, and Readiness Program Planner at the United States Military Academy as a U.S. Army Reservist; she has also held corporate leadership and advisory roles at Vector Solutions, Equitable, and McChrystal Group. Jacqueline is currently leading Mission Daybreak and the LymeX Diagnostics Prize.

Photo by Chandler Hilken on Unsplash