2026 JUDGES
Experienced. Visionary. Impactful.
We are proud to welcome a dynamic panel of fashion industry judges whose expertise spans design, media, entrepreneurship, and community impact. This group represents a powerful blend of established professionals, emerging designers, and accomplished alumni, reflecting the diverse pathways within the fashion industry. Their collective experience—from leading major initiatives and shaping cultural narratives to building independent brands—offers our student designers meaningful, real-world insight. Together, they provide thoughtful critique, professional perspective, and inspiration, creating a bridge between academic exploration and industry success.
RUNWAY JUDGE
DANIELLE KOCH
Executive Director @ New Era Cap Foundation
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Danielle Koch serves as Executive Director of the New Era Cap Foundation, the philanthropic arm of New Era Cap, LLC and the primary vehicle through which the Koch family gives back to the communities in which the company operates.
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During her nine years with New Era, Danielle has significantly expanded the company’s philanthropic impact. She has helped define and strengthen the Foundation’s core pillars of giving, broaden the reach of the organizations it supports, and elevate initiatives that engage and uplift individuals from all backgrounds. Under her leadership, signature New Era Cap Foundation events such as the annual David C. Koch Golf Tournament, the International Women’s Day Celebration, and the Mother Like No Other Retreat have grown into meaningful platforms that further the Foundation’s mission and community engagement.
Danielle’s commitment to service extends well beyond financial support. She remains actively involved with many of the organizations the Foundation partners with through board leadership and event planning. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for WNY Heroes, Inc., advancing its mission to support veterans and their families by providing essential services, financial assistance, and resources that support their lives and sustain their dignity. Danielle also serves on the Board of the Miracle League of Western New York, an organization dedicated to providing individuals with adaptive needs the opportunity to play baseball.
This year, Danielle is serving as Co-Chair of the 29th Annual Buffalo State Foundation Scholarship Gala x Runway, where she is helping to advance the university’s fashion program and expand educational opportunities for students. In May, Danielle and her husband will receive the Community Impact Award from the Mental Health Advocates of Western New York in recognition of their unwavering support and dedication to advancing mental health initiatives in the community.
RUNWAY JUDGE
Annette Daniels -Taylor
Arts Editor @ The Challenger News | Founder and Director @ Queenager Projects, LLC
Annette Daniels Taylor is a multi-hyphenate artist, award-winning playwright, and fashion expert whose creative journey is rooted in a lifelong passion for construction and design. Her foundation in fashion began with sewing lessons from her grandmother, later evolving into a personal practice of making her own clothing during high school. Following college, she formalized her expertise at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), where she specialized in pattern making and millinery techniques.
While pursuing her acting career, Annette established herself as a high-profile fashion and wardrobe stylist. Her impressive portfolio includes work on music videos with iconic artists such as Lenny Kravitz, Queen Latifah, RZA, and Missy Elliott. Her television credits are equally distinguished, including work for Late Night with Conan O’Brien and serving as the Wardrobe Supervisor for HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. As an entrepreneur, she designed "Nothing To Wear," a line of hand-dyed, all-natural fiber clothing dedicated to the plus-size market.
Today, Annette is a prominent voice in the Buffalo arts community. She is a two-time Artie Award-winning theater artist, the author of "The Marvelous Marvella" children's series, and the Arts Editor for the Buffalo Challenger. A lecturer in the Communication Department at Buffalo State University, Annette continues to bridge the worlds of media, performance, and design. She is honored to return to her fashion roots as a juror for the RUNWAY 2026 graduates.
RUNWAY JUDGE
Karrington Jackson '24
Owner @ KarrJea
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Karrington Jackson is a designer based in Western New York, with a focus on experimental silhouettes in womenswear. On her journey from self taught designer to earning a Bachelor of Science in apparel design, Karrington has developed a design voice that embraces both conventional and unconventional tones.
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Through her education at SUNY Buffalo State University, Karrington combined fiber artistry, fabric manipulation, and draping as major elements in the creation of her first official collection, recognized as Third Place Senior Design Collection at Runway 2024. Beginning in 2025 under the KarrJea name, Karrington has showcased collections across Rochester and Buffalo, most recently at Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
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Her pieces individually showcase atypical shapes and a spectrum of colors while collectively illustrating concepts of taking up space and standing out. The ethos of KarrJea is to empower women to exist creatively, not just through wearing clothing, but curating an expressive lifestyle.
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Through her roles assisting at sewing camps and workshops, Karrington has shared her knowledge of garment construction and fiber artistry with youth across multiple communities. These experiences bleed into her work with KarrJea, where she hosts craft parties and small group lessons, teaching women how to make essential items and build community through creative expression.
Alongside her work under KarrJea, she has expanded her skillset to alterations and bridal reconstructions. Karrington hopes to continue this work and remains a lifelong student.
RUNWAY JUDGE
Robby Motz '24
Owner @ Plain Only Clothing
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Robby Motz is a Buffalo-based designer whose work fuses avant-garde tailoring with a raw skateboarding sensibility, producing garments that challenge conventional fashion norms. His pieces carry a grungy yet electrifying visual identity, navigating the space where high fashion meets street culture. Motz earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Buffalo State University, where he secured First Place at the Annual Runway Show in 2024. His work has been presented at notable venues including Shea’s Performing Arts Center and Seneca One Tower. Inspired by the skateboarding community’s deep sense of belonging, Motz channels themes of individuality, resilience, and creative freedom into every collection, crafting designs that feel both rebellious and refined.
RUNWAY JUDGE
Nathaly Delacruz
Apparel Designer @ New Era Cap | Textile & Fashion Artist @ Mabdez Media
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Nathaly Delacruz is an apparel designer and artist originally from Bronx, New York, currently residing in Buffalo. She developed an artistic background in fine arts, her first group exhibition being in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2012. She studied performing arts at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music of Music & Art and the Performing Arts, where she honed her passion for storytelling and cultivated media skills in production and videography. Afterwards, she obtained her bachelor's degree in fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Storytelling to an audience through a myriad of mediums - from fine arts to captured images, and patterns to textile - remains important to her practice and her professional career.
Nathaly is currently an Apparel Designer at New Era Cap and explores her personal artistic voice through Mabdez Media, her artistic platform where fashion emphasises photography, furniture, fiber, and film. When Nathaly is not designing and creating new things with her hands, she can be found learning a new language, playing a new instrument, taking a dance class, or even flying a small plane. Her motto? Inspiration lies in the sum of life's experiences.
RUNWAY JUDGE COORDINATOR
RASHAAD HOLLEY
Part-time lecturer, Fashion and Textile Technology Department
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Rashaad Holley is a designer, educator, and founder of the Ruth L. Holley Design Studio in Buffalo, New York. His work centers on the intersection of design, education, and community, with a focus on making creative practice accessible and impactful. An alumnus of SUNY Buffalo State University, Rashaad’s journey with the institution spans from his early studies in Fashion and Textile Technology to his current role as a part-time lecturer, reflecting a continued commitment to growth, mentorship, and academic engagement.
During his time at Buffalo State, he received multiple honors through RUNWAY, including being named Best of Show twice and earning recognition for Best Student Collection, among other distinctions. These experiences continue to inform his perspective as both a designer and educator. Through his studio, he leads youth programs, private instruction, and community-based initiatives that support skill development, creative confidence, and personal expression.
As Judge Coordinator for RUNWAY, Rashaad supports the organization and engagement of industry professionals, helping to shape a thoughtful and well-structured evaluation process for participating designers. Across all aspects of his work, he remains committed to building pathways for access, learning, and connection within the fashion community.