Meet Our Team
Ake Rudolf
Award Director
Ake is responsible for strategic development at International Design Center Berlin (IDZ), a key German design organization. He has built and continues to lead the UX Design Awards, IDZ's flagship global competition for excellent experiences.
With a background in design, he believes in a critical and people-centered approach to creating value and opportunities for organizations, businesses and society. Ake speaks English, German, Polish and Italian.
Júlia Doñate
Project Manager
Júlia’s background is rooted in design, communication, and cultural management. Her entrepreneurial mindset and creative vision enable her to address societal challenges and foster meaningful connections through innovative initiatives. Júlia speaks English, German, Spanish and Catalan.
Luca Killer
Press & Communications
With experience producing audiovisual media for federal clients, wirting copy at digital agencies, and steering SCRUM-based digital product projects, he contributes a rare blend of strategic, technical, and creative insight to the team. His fascination with design as an aesthetic discipline, first cultivated during his studies, still drives his approach today, particularly through his active engagement with the IDZ and UXDA. He speaks German, English and Italian.
Wilhelm Nöldeke
Press & Communications
As an independent PR consultant since 2007, Wilhelm specializes in political organizations, arts and design, and new media. He has handled communications for the International Design Center Berlin and the UX Design Awards since 2018.
His portfolio includes notable clients, such as the Federal Foreign Office, the International Transport Forum at the OECD, Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz, and TYPO Talks. Wilhelm speaks English, German, and French.
Melissa Heim
Project Assistance
Melissa Heim is an artist and mixed-media designer studying communication design at HTW Berlin - University of Applied Sciences. Her work combines film, analog and digital media to make emotions tangible. At the UX Design Awards, she brings together her interest in experience-driven design and her sensitivity to human connection. She speaks English and German.
Joanna Simson
Project Manager (on maternity leave)
With a background in design, art and tech, Joanna has managed a diverse range of projects, including for brands such as IKEA and Bosch. She is passionate about people and the visual world, and sees the potential UX has to make a real difference. Joanna speaks English, Swedish, German and basic Spanish.
