January 2015

Megan Carroll
Chair of the Lumen Committee 
Regional Sales Director, East, Xicato

Q: How did you first get started in the lighting industry?
I studied marketing, theater, and hospitality. Lighting was not really a common course of study, nor did I really know of its existence. I started to design restaurant interiors, which included lighting—et voila! The start of a new career.

I’ve been at Xicato, currently as regional sales director, for the past four years, and my prior experience includes ten years with Philips in strategic marketing. It’s hard to believe that I’ve been in the lighting industry, in sales and marketing, for over 30 years.

Q: How did you first get involved in the IESNYC?
Years ago, in the late ‘80s, I met some very smart, cool, sophisticated, women—Susan Forbes, Lesley Wheel, Keesler Cronin, Gloria Koch, Clara Powell, Naomi Miller—all thought leaders and powerhouses in the lighting industry, who made me feel welcome at IES and DLF events.

I served as co-chair of the Lumen Committee for two “terms,” first from 2000–2004, with Susannah Zweighaft, Partner at AKF Lighting Design (and a 2014 Lumen Award winner). In 2012, up to the present—the 47th year of the Lumen Awards—I’ve again been the committee chair. Working on the committee gives me a unique view of global lighting trends, striking architecture, and design challenges addressed with brilliant solutions.

In addition to the Lumens, I also serve on the IESNA Illumination Awards Committee as vice chair, and I’m a member of the Medals Committee.

Q: How do you see your role as a committee chair?
The Lumen Committee has the honor and the pleasure of managing North America’s oldest lighting awards program. The Lumen Gala, is a high energy, yet intimate gathering of over 700 people who come together to celebrate excellence in lighting design at the New York City Section level. It’s the largest, best lighting party in North America. I was attracted to chairing the committee because of the opportunity the Gala has to serve our members and to leave the distinct imprint of the IESNYC locally and globally. Even though it’s an enormous task, it’s also a lot of fun.

The Lumen Committee is quite small for the extraordinary amount of work that we do. We’ve already begun work on the 2015 Lumens. We’re soliciting submissions and from there the work continues with administering the judging process, working with the award winners, planning the gala, marketing, publicity, and the Lumen journal.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best assets of the IESNYC?
Definitely, it’s people. I appreciate the opportunities for education, camaraderie and networking with my peers, as well as outreach opportunities beyond the local membership. I thing the IESNYC is both aspirational and inspirational.