Jerome Cloud & Virginia Gehshan on Human-Centered Design with SEGD

We are proud to celebrate our co-founders, Jerome Cloud and Virginia Gehshan, who were recently featured in SEGD’s Voices of Experience series, episode 9. In this three-minute video, they reflect on the values that shaped nearly four decades of practice: listening first, designing with empathy, and revealing solutions that enrich lives.

From pioneering collaborations with environmental psychologists to award-winning projects in healthcare, education, and civic spaces, Jerome and Virginia set a new standard for what human-centered design can achieve. Their work has guided millions of people through complex environments while elevating place, history, and community.

As 2010 SEGD Fellows, their legacy is seen not only in iconic projects like the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Penn’s Landing, and the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial, but also in the values they instilled in the Firm. Both Jerome and Virginia published extensively and contributed to landmark texts like The Wayfinding Handbook and the Urban Wayfinding Planning and Implementation Manual. Virginia also served as SEGD President, authored SEGD’s Standard Form of Agreement, and developed the Process Guide—resources that continue to guide practitioners worldwide.

We invite you to watch the full feature and join the conversation—what stands out most to you about their legacy?