Meet Our Member

The IESNYC spotlights a member each month whose volunteerism, perspective or personal story helps advance our goals, piques our curiosity, and makes the IESNYC become a more vibrant and diverse lighting community. We value their expertise and thank them for volunteering their time and energy for the betterment of the section and NYC Lighting Community. #the_iesnycmom

April 2024

Ken Ventry
Principal and Co-Founder
Reveal Design Group

Q: How did you first get started in the lighting industry?
My introduction into the world of lighting design was as an undergraduate at NYU. I was studying music, but in my free time I would play around with lighting in my apartment. My roommates called it an obsession. We would host parties, and I would spend hours beforehand experimenting with different lighting. I never considered lighting design as a future career. It was a hobby.

After graduation, I began working in the music industry. My college roommate was working for Gralla Publications, the parent company behind Architectural Lighting Magazine. He remembered all the antics I got up to in college, creating extravagant lighting designs in our apartment. He suggested I meet with Wanda Jankowski, who was Editor of Architectural Lighting Magazine at the time, and Wanda introduced me to Howard Brandston. I was already considering going back to school for architecture, but Howard recommended I go specifically into lighting design.

I enrolled at Parsons School of Design and studied Architecture with a concentration in lighting, and worked at Brandston Partnership while I completed my MFA.

In 2009, Levia Lew and I decided to start our own lighting design firm, Reveal Design Group, and the rest is history. The company continues to grow, and I am beyond grateful. I get to do what I love, every day.

Q: How did you first get involved in the IESNYC?
Early in my career while I was still a student at Parsons School of Design, my colleagues at Brandston Partnership—especially Randy Sabedra, whose studio I worked in—introduced me around the IESNYC. Through the Section, I have found a sense of community, which has helped me to develop meaningful relationships throughout the years. Breaking into a new field can be daunting, and the IESNYC provided me with the resources and support I needed.

Q: How do you see your role as a member of the IESNYC?
Over the years I have been involved with judging the IESNYC Lumen Awards and have sat in on many committee meetings for Code Compliance and Education Outreach. It gives me joy to be able to give back to the organization that helped me, and to collaborate with other designers in the field. My participation with the IESNYC allows me to encourage the next generation of designers and provide them with materials they will need to succeed.

Q: In your opinion, what are the best assets of the IESNYC?
The best asset of the IESNYC is the role it plays in connecting the different lighting professions and the different design sectors. There are so many concentrations just within lighting design: retail, commercial, hospitality, residential, and more. The IESNYC provides important forums that make it easy to share knowledge and build community. We’re all comfortable learning from each other.