View the Designs for Surge’s 12th Annual Design, Dine, Make a Difference Gala

Surge’s annual Design, Dine, make a Difference Gala in Dubai is where the region’s A+D community comes together to celebrate sustainable design in support of Surge’s mission to bring comprehensive Water+ solutions to global communities.

Broken Beautiful

The theme for this year’s gala is Broken Beautiful.

Inspired by the Japanese philosophies of Kintsugi (the art of repairing broken pottery with gold) and Wabi-Sabi (finding beauty in imperfection and impermanence), this year’s theme challenged the design community to move beyond polished perfection.

Broken Beautiful isn’t about making something look flawless. It’s about honoring what’s been damaged, discarded, or forgotten—and transforming it into something that tells a truer, deeper story.

The Designs

Introducing the designs for the 2025 Design, Dine, make a Difference Gala.

View the collection and place a bid to bring home a story of transformation. Link to bid here!

 

ALARA

Shattered glass and reclaimed metal become glowing testament to renewal, where every fracture reveals its own quiet beauty.

Design Team: AAID

 

MOSS & MEMORY

Where the earth cracks, life returns-turning every fracture into a quiet place of healing, memory, and renewal.

Design Team: The Soch Collective

 


METAMORPHOSIS ORBIT​

Crafted from reclaimed stone and rescued materials, this flexible coffee table splits, shifts, and transforms with ease-turning discarded fragments into a stylish, sustainable centerpiece.

Design Team: JLL MEA

 


EGGSHELL

Shaped by the delicate contours of a broken eggshell, this recyclable bench transforms illuminated cracks into lines of renewal, revealing the quiet strength and beauty within imperfection.

Design Team: DEI Design

 

THE BEAUTY OF REMNANTS​

Fractured wood, broken tiles, and discarded fabric become a quiet testament to renewal, where every imperfection finds its way back into beauty.

Design Team: Pinnacle Interiors

 

NARU

A fractured mirror rises from rubble toward the light, turning every crack into a story of becoming, resilience, and the quiet courage to begin again.

Design Team: LW

 

RESEAT

Reclaimed plywood and repurposed fabric come together as a quiet testament to connection, where simple materials invite community to gather, play, and renew.

Design Team: Design Matter

 

Design for Surge for Water Gala in Dubai: Design, Dine, Make a Difference

SACRED KNOTS

Woven from reclaimed materials and completed through collective knots added by many hands, “Sacred Knots” transforms forgotten pieces into a shared expression of unity, renewal, and purpose.

Design Team: Al Tayer Stocks

 

Design for Surge for Water Gala in Dubai: Design, Dine, Make a Difference

WEVO

Reclaimed materials are reimagined into a sculptural seat where division and reconnection become design, proving that what’s discarded can return as something resilient, refined, and beautifully whole.

Design Team: Interspace Interiors

 

A STARRY MIND

A swirling form crafted from recycled bioplastic, this piece turns the vivid turbulence of the ADHD mind into a luminous sculpture where movement, emotion, and brilliance rise through every curve.

Design Team: Eire Gulf

 

TRIAFORM WEAVE

A sculptural weave of reclaimed fabric and rope, this piece turns every knot and joint into a visible expression of connection, craft, and quiet resilience.

Design Team: Warû

 

NESMAH
FROM SAILS TO SHELTER

Made from reclaimed sail fabrics, this wearable shelter turns the UAE’s sailing heritage into practical, sustainable protection-giving used materials a meaningful second life.

Design Team: SAYStudio

 


THE HEALING SEAT

This piece reminds us that the cracks we carry aren’t flaws to fix, but the very lines that shape us, guide us, and lead us nome to ourselves.

Design Team: Nour Toubia Design + Artse

 


WITHIN THE CRACKS

Crafted from recycled plaster and crushed glass, these sculptural lamps let light pour through their cracks, turning the weight of struggle into a quiet radiance of renewal.

Design Team: TwentyOne06

 


RECANESCENE

Discarded soda cans are transformed. Light filters through the gaps to cast fractured patterns that reveal beauty in imperfection and renewal.

Design Team: Horton Interiors

Which design will you bring home?

The Broken Beautiful collection is now open for bidding, and every piece represents weeks of vulnerability, creativity, and purpose from some of Dubai’s most talented designers. Purchase any piece at the “Buy Now” price and enjoy a dedicated moment on the Surge Stage during the gala, where you’ll receive your piece directly from the designers

All funds raised go directly towards Surge’s work providing clean water access, sanitation facilities, hygiene education, and menstrual health support for communities building their own sustainable futures.

Find the piece that moves you, place your bid, and become part of a story.

Place your bid here: surgeforwater.org/bid

Shama Perveen

Governing Board, USA
Director, Water at Ceres

Shama Perveen

With over 20 years of experience in water resources, climate resilience, and sustainability issues, Shama brings a systems-level perspective to Surge’s grassroots, global work. Additionally, her experience advising Fortune 500 companies and investors on ESG and water stewardship helps Surge refine and scale programs so they remain data-driven, measurable, and aligned with long-term impact.

Shama has a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina, Columbia. Outside of work, she travels extensively with her family and enjoys cooking and sharing home-cooked meals that reflect sustainable living. She also serves as troop leader for her daughter’s Girl Scout group!

Linkedin
Chris Kayondo

Chris Kayondo

Treasurer, USA

Chris Kayondo

Chris is Treasurer at Surge and has an extensive background in accounting, finance, and data-driven decision making. With his experience as Lead Engagement Manager at CSC Corptax, Chris ensures that Surge has strong financial management and follows all regulatory compliance. As a Ugandan who has experienced firsthand the impacts of clean water, he is excited to move Surge’s work of bringing sustainable change forward.

Chris holds an MBA from Indiana University. Beyond Surge, he is also involved in Hills4ATL, a workout group in Atlanta. Chris also enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures, having lived in 8 cities and adventurous enough to try any food at least once.

Linkedin

Rachel Pringle

Global WASH Manager

Rachel Pringle

Rachel has over 13 years of experience managing rural WASH programs and enterprises across Southeast Asia and Africa. She is passionate about designing and delivering human-centered WASH solutions—working closely with enterprises, non-profits, and local governments to create lasting services. She has led large-scale initiatives focused on scaling practical solutions that increase equitable access to safe water and sanitation.

Prior to joining Surge, Rachel served as the Water Sector Lead for SNV in Lao PDR, where she managed a climate-resilient and inclusive WASH program that improved access to services for over 230,000 people. In addition to program management, she led research initiatives that informed key policies, including national guidelines on community-based water safety planning and strategies to achieve full sanitation coverage by 2025.

Linkedin

Sign up for our Newsletter

Learn about our events, work, and ways to make an impact

Will you consider Making a Donation to help make a difference?

Contact Us

Learn about our events, work, and ways to make an impact

Will you consider Making a Donation to help make a difference?

Lorraine Alva

Lorraine Alva

Director, UAE

Lorraine Alva

I’m passionate about Surge’s mission to provide clean water to those most in need. It’s touching to hear the experiences of our team who’ve witnessed and contributed first-hand solutions to the communities Surge works in. As the mother of Surge’s founder, it is extra-special to see my daughter’s vision and hard work come to life and make a difference in so many lives. I’m also happy to apply my strong organizational and administration skills from my 35-year career in the oil industry towards Surge.

Laila Al Yousuf

Laila Al-Yousuf

Director, UAE
Design Director at Say Studio

Laila Al-Yousuf

I want my life to be about the positive impact that I make on other people’s lives. I’m blessed and I’m compelled to use my blessings to help other people; this is why I’m a part of Surge. Traveling to Uganda with Surge changed my life. Every day, I see the faces of the beautiful people we met, and it gives me the drive to do what I can for them. As a professional interior designer, it was an honor to use my talents to create and help launch Surge’s annual UAE gala and design competition: Design, Dine, Make a Difference. It’s been a surreal experience to see the interior design industry come together to support our cause, and thus change the lives of communities around the world.

Linkedin
Jennie Stallings

Jennie Stallings

Director, UAE
Partner/Commercial Manager at ChelseaGREEN

Jennie Stallings

With over 25 years’ experience across the US, Middle East, and Africa as an Ergonomic Specialist, Wellness Consultant, Trainer, Interior Designer, and self-proclaimed furniture guru, Jennie has been driven to help create spaces where people can thrive.

Jennie stumbled across Surge after attending the second annual gala, Design, Dine, make a Difference, and has been involved ever since. Whether she is in a ball gown in Dubai or a Surge t-shirt, she passionately supports Surge in any way her skills can allow her to be of service.

Suvai Gunasekaran Md Phd Candidate At Northwestern University

Suvai Gunasekaran

Governing Board, USA
Assistant Professor at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Suvai Gunasekaran

Suvai serves as the Director of Community Engagement at Surge, where she focuses on expanding community outreach and engagement. With a rich background in scientific research and global advocacy, Suvai is an Assistant Professor at Cedars-Sinai, contributing to cutting-edge research in the field of healthcare. Her passion for community-driven initiatives is evident from her previous leadership roles such as President of UN Women USA Chicago and her work with SPOUTS of Water, where she helped develop sustainable water solutions in Uganda.

Suvai holds a BS and MS in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from Harvard and a PhD in Philosophy from Northwestern University. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, pottery, and rollerblading.

Linkedin
Scott Minger

Scott Minger

Development Chair, USA
Chief Development Officer at Vitamin Angels

Scott Minger

I believe access to clean water is a human right. I love how Surge provides sustainable solutions to communities with the goal of ending the cycle of poverty. I am passionate about leveraging my 20 years in the retail industry and nonprofit management experience to help provide access to clean water to those in need.

Linkedin
Sarah Lynch

Sarah Odde Lynch

Marketing & Communications Director, USA
Vice President of Sales and Marketing at BevSource

Sarah Odde Lynch

I love devoting my time as a marketing professional to an organization that cares about providing for children and families’ basic needs — and creating a better future. It’s been exciting to see Surge grow through the years, starting as an idea and now becoming a major force in the water and sanitation space. Outside of Surge, I’ve been in corporate marketing for more than 15 years, working on dynamic food and beverage brands such as Land O’Lakes®, Baileys®, Ketel One®, and most recently V&V Supremo Chihuahua® Cheese.

Linkedin
Img 2280

Josh DeBartolo

Governing Board, USA
Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Purview

Josh DeBartolo

Josh is a dynamic professional with a diverse background in finance, non-profits, and social businesses. With a passion for sustainable development, Josh takes a “listen first” approach and has spearheaded community-based disaster response efforts as well as initiatives designed to assist individuals combating rural and urban poverty both domestically and abroad. He currently serves as COO of a healthcare technology company, overseeing operations and implementing innovative solutions to improve health equity and access to expert care.

Linkedin

Avish Jalota

Finance Director, USA
Senior Engagement Manager at Northern Trust

Avish Jalota

Avish serves as Director of Finance at Surge, where his experience in execution leadership, structured problem-solving, and cross-functional program delivery help drive our mission forward. As Senior Engagement Manager at Northern Trust Asset Management, Avish is responsible for championing and overseeing the delivery of innovation and transformation initiatives. He also serves on the board of an employee-led council that supports colleagues from Asian backgrounds by giving back to the community, enabling career progression, and fostering mentorship.

Avish holds an M. Sc. in International Business & Management from Manchester Business School. Outside of work, he is a passionate foodie who enjoys discovering new cuisines and hidden restaurants. Both his passport and palate are well-traveled–he has eaten three meals in one day across three cities and also three meals in one day across three countries!

Linkedin
Headshot Long 4000

Chris Beukenkamp

Governing Board, USA
Senior Director, Technology and AI Strategy at Salesforce

Chris Beukenkamp

Chris has spent over 25 years in software and IT working across the globe. He has lived in London, Canada, China and Taipei while managing teams and traveling with family all over APAC. Currently, he advises some of the world’s biggest retailers as a Distinguished Enterprise Architect at Salesforce. His family mantra and giving focus is “God, Kids and Animals” and is very excited to join the board at Surge and bring his expertise to help bring clean water and sanitation to children around the world.

Linkedin
Anna Paul

Anna Paul

Operations Director, USA
Director of Administration for the Village of Barrington Hills

Anna Paul

We’re so lucky to not have to think about the safety of our water. No one should have their future limited by access to safe water and sanitation. I dedicate my time to this cause because of the inspiring way Surge integrates with communities and becomes a part of them to solve this global issue. I know we are making a sustainable difference. Professionally, I’m an administrator and an organizer, and I apply these skills to to my work with Surge — where I get things working better and more efficiently. In my free time, you’ll find me at a fencing tournament.

Linkedin
Florence Ringe

Florence Ringe

Executive Director, POPOW, Uganda

Florence Ringe

I’ve ended up where I am because I have the passion and will to help the poor, needy, vulnerable, voiceless and invisible people especially women, children and the youth. My personal mission is to empower women, youth, orphans and vulnerable children to realize their full potentials for sustainable livelihoods. Surge is a Great, Reliable, Flexible and passionate partner. Before Surge, much of POPOW’s ideas remained in the book with no funds or additional ideas to bring them to reality. We were like a bird without wings to fly. We are so grateful and appreciative of Surge’s immense, invaluable support. Together, we’ve transformed and changed lives.

Dr. Pierre Erol Rene

Dr. Pierre Erol Rene

Director, ASSHLA, Haiti

Dr. Pierre Erol Rene

I’m a Doctor that cares about helping the most disadvantaged people improve their living conditions and live with dignity. I built an organization with friends to do this in Haiti in service of better drinking water, health, employment and housing. With a global vision to live in a world of solidarity, I looks forward to continued work with Surge and other partners to deliver on economic self-sufficiency. My partnership with Surge for Water has already helped me a lot in my mission.

Ashley Quinlan

Ashley Quinlan

Operations & Development Manager

Ashley Quinlan

As Surge’s Operations & Development Manager, Ashley helps oversee every community partner to support their work and success. She’s passionate about supporting solutions that serve both people and the planet.

Ashley holds a BS in Environmental Science from Loyola University Chicago and has had the chance to call Vietnam, Croatia, and Portugal home. In her free time, you can find her taking language classes, exploring her community, attempting embroidery, or reading.

Linkedin
Marita Peters

Marita Peters

Executive Director, UAE

Marita Peters

Surge’s mission to uplift and empower those most in need through life-giving water resonates deeply with me. My deepest desire is to do as much as I can for humanity, and Surge enables me to do so. Visiting Surge’s field partners and working, dancing and singing with the community is what I love the most. My passion for the cause gave me the courage to leave the corporate path and instead be a voice for our planet and its people. My diverse experiences in finance, human resources, sales, and parenting are all skills I use every day in running Surge’s UAE chapter.

Linkedin
Shilpa Alva

Shilpa Alva

Founder, Executive Director, Board Member

Shilpa Alva

I started Surge in response to a deep calling to give back to people who were less fortunate than me, and to be an active part of addressing poverty, injustice, and inequality in our world. Through Surge’s mission and model, I found an unanswered need and a way to fulfill my calling. Surge is one of my life’s biggest loves — it’s truly an extension of my mind, heart, and soul. It’s been so fulfilling and motivating being a part of Surge’s story and its global family, who are all connected by love and a desire to make our world a better place. My professional and educational experiences in engineering, public policy, supply chain, and management consulting are effectively put to use in running the organization.

See our founder, Shilpa Alva at TEDx

Linkedin