DCNOMA Celebrates Member Dayton Schroeter, Recipient of the 2025 TEA Catalyst Award!

SEGD Board Member Dayton Schroeter receives the 2025 TEA Catalyst Award

DCNOMA is proud to spotlight one of our own, Dayton Schroeter, for his outstanding contributions to the field of architecture and design. Dayton, a dedicated DCNOMA member and leader, has been honored with the prestigious 2025 TEA Catalyst Award by the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). This recognition highlights his commitment to using design as a tool for justice, storytelling, and transformative change.

As Vice President and National Design Director at SmithGroup, Dayton has consistently used his platform to confront historical injustices, elevate marginalized voices, and reimagine public spaces as tools for healing and education. From leading the Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) initiatives at SmithGroup to creating some of the most emotionally resonant public installations in the country, his work embodies the core values of Design Justice.

Projects like the Richmond National Slavery Museum at Lumpkin’s Slave Jail, the Whitney Plantation Interpretive Master Plan, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Expansion, and the powerful Society’s Cage installation are just a few examples of how Dayton fuses architecture, art, and activism. His leadership has fundamentally shifted how we understand and experience the built environment.

Washington DC National Mall Installation, facing the Capitol; Society’s Cage, Image by Alan Karchmer

Tulsa Centennial of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre: Children of Tulsa. Photo by Dayton Schroeter

As a longtime DCNOMA member, Dayton has been a generous mentor and an inspiring source of guidance for emerging designers and architects in our network. He has not only opened doors—he’s built new ones. In 2024, he hosted one of our most impactful Firm Crawl events, giving students and professionals an inside look into SmithGroup’s culture, projects, and design process. His openness and advocacy for equity in the profession have left a lasting mark on our chapter and community.

Beyond his role at SmithGroup, Dayton also serves on the SEGD Board of Directors and is a leader within their Racial Justice Commission, where he continues to champion inclusive practices and equitable design narratives across the design industry.

His self-initiated project, Society’s Cage, first installed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., has toured the nation as a powerful call to action. This interpretive pavilion visualizes 400 years of racialized state violence and offers a space for protest, reflection, and hope. It has been recognized with multiple SEGD Global Design Awards, including the prestigious Sylvia Harris Award.

SEGD Racial Justice Committee Leaders and Board Members Aki Carter (left) and Dayton Schroeter (right), awarding their client NMAAHC the SEGD Achievement Award 2023 Insight Award.

The TEA Catalyst Award, established in 2021, honors individuals who drive bold cultural and industry transformation. Dayton is a living embodiment of this mission—fearlessly challenging the status quo, reshaping design practice, and inspiring future generations.

DCNOMA congratulates Dayton Schroeter on this well-deserved honor. We are proud to uplift his voice, celebrate his vision, and recognize his enduring impact on the profession, our community, and the world at large.

“Design has the power to confront trauma, build resilience, and amplify the voices of the voiceless. We need to create spaces that are grounded in the lived experiences of the people who use them”

Daytron Schroeter, SEGD President, Vice President & National Design Director, SmithGroup