2024 Youth Speculative Design Jury
Left to Right: Caetano Geraci, Christian Robinson, Adrian Lopez, Marlen Beltran, Hugo Silva, Lorena Johnson, Desta Chéry, Christian Collins, Junobi Ree
Junobi Ree
Executive Director and Founder
Junobi Ree is a high school senior, and the Founder of Youth Speculative Design Forum. As Director, he leads the team to outreach to partners, recruit and select a Youth Jury, design and facilitate the Iterative Design Workshop, and create virtual and place-based exhibitions of the finalist designs throughout San Diego. He is currently training the Artificial Intelligence, “Cousin”, to collaborate with children and youth to imagine and design public art in San Diego. Junobi will also lead the outreach to children and youth-serving museum programs in Frankfurt RheinMain, Germany, the 2026 World Design Capital.
Olivia Geraci-Obregon
Artistic Director
Olivia Geriaci-Obregon is a high school senior actively pursuing an Associate's Degree in Arts Communications from Grossmont College while finishing high school. As Youth Artistic Director, Olivia leads the “look” of the exhibitions for the greatest public impact. She works with the team to create virtual and place-based exhibitions of the finalist designs throughout San Diego. Olivia’s enthusiasm for the arts, particularly those that connect with her Peruvian heritage, is a driving force in Olivia’s life. Her overarching passion lies in understanding how the arts shape and reflect community values.
Caetano Geraci-Obregon
Program Director
Cae is a second-year at Mesa City College, preparing to transfer to a university where he plans to major in Urban Studies and Planning. As Program Director, he works with the team to select a Youth Jury, design and facilitate the Iterative Design Workshop, and create virtual and place-based exhibitions of the finalist designs throughout San Diego.
Jury
Christian Collins is an 8th grader at Eastlake Middle School. He is a four-sport athlete who enjoys surfing, video games, and trampolining, and who also lives with cerebral palsy. Christian has volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, Kumeyaay Community College, and Scripps Institute of Oceanography. His awards and honors include the Chula Vista Elementary School District Masonic Award, Third Place Science Fair, the Iron-Man Football Award, Eastlake Little League All-Stars, and making the Eastlake Middle School Quiz Bowl Team. Christian would like to study astrophysics at the California Institute of Technology to become an astronomer.
Adrian Lopez is a second-year International Business Major and Honors College student at San Diego State University. He is trilingual and fluent in English, Spanish, and Chinese. His main fields of study are business and law. He couldn't be more proud to serve as a juror on the 2024 Youth Speculative Design project for an incredible organization such as World Design Capital. He is so grateful to have been given the opportunity to help bring the innovative imaginations of children to life in his community!
Christian Robinson is a college student at Mesa City College.
Desta Chéry is a college student at University of San Francisco.
Hugo (Adalberto) Silva is a college student at Universidad Autónoma de Baja California.
Lorena Johnson iMy name is Lorena Johnson is 18 years old and a rising second year at the University of California, Los Angeles. She is studying towards a degree in Marine Biology and perhaps a second major or minor in Anthropology. She leads a small jewelry business and is an active member in multiple clubs on campus including Orca, a marine outreach club, Calpirg, an eco-based student initiative for campus sustainability, and Surf Club. She was born and raised in San Diego to a Peruvian immigrant mother and a veteran father. She is bilingual in Spanish and English and enjoys embracing her culture.
Marlen Beltran is a 21-year-old Mexican student born and resident of Mexico City. She is committed to improving people’s health. Currently she is one of the highest grade point average students surviving her fourth year of medicine at the Instituto Politécnico Nacional in the Escuela Superior de Medicina. Her passion for research and science brings her to expand her horizons through the ENLACE Summer Research Program at UC San Diego. She is also enthusiastic about fashion, gourmet food, and wine — all of which fill her life with excitement.
