AIGA Design Podcast

00:56:19

Graphic Designers After Graphic Design with Jarrett...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/09/29

Hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang welcome Jarrett Fuller, a designer, writer, educator, editor, and podcaster. He is an assistant professor and director of undergraduate programs in Graphic & Experience Design at North Carolina State University, director of the design studio twenty-six, and host of Scratching the Surface. He's edited or co-edited four books, and his writing has appeared in Fast Company, The Architect's Newspaper, Eye Magazine, and Design Observer. His work has

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00:50:03

Democratizing Foresight: Who Gets to Shape the...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/09/02

In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang welcome Tameka Vasquez, futurist, leadership strategist, and founder of The Future Quo. Drawing on over a decade in tech, including serving as the first Head of Marketing at Sidewalk Labs inside Google, Tameka breaks down why foresight isn't fortune-telling or prediction, but a practical decision-making mindset. Together, they explore how to democratize futures thinking, push back against corporate greed, and establish human-centered

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00:59:36

Crafting Your Narrative: From Hackathons to AI with...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/08/19

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Sally Chung, a designer, startup founder, professor at Parsons School of Design, and former faculty member at SVA. From her early days as a founding designer at Saks Fifth Avenue to building an SMS AI beauty chatbot in 2016 and leading zero-to-one ventures at BCGX, Sally has continuously navigated the balance between corporate scale and entrepreneurial agility. She shares how she founded the Designpreneurs Hackathon to build a

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00:47:07

AI’s Magic Wand in the No-Collar Economy with Martin...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/08/05

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome Martin LeBlanc, Chief Experience Officer at Magnific (the AI creative platform formerly known as Freepik). A designer and entrepreneur with 25 years of experience across computer science, business, and creativity, Martin founded Iconfinder—which grew into a global design asset marketplace before being acquired by Magnific. Together, they explore how generative AI is shifting creative execution, why large organizations struggle to

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00:51:54

Norm Design: The Invisible Architecture of Social...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/07/14

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Jeff Leitner, the co-founder of UX for Good, architect of Norm Design, and a partner to organizations ranging from the US State Department and NASA to Harvard Medical School. Together, they unpack the core ideas behind his Summer 2026 Stanford Social Innovation Review article, "The Science of Norm Design," exploring why smart, well-funded initiatives fail roughly 70% of the time. Jeff shares his extensive experience

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01:02:16

The Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/07/07

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Ian Bogost, a writer, designer, media scholar, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and professor at Washington University in St. Louis. Together, they explore the concept of "dematerialization" and the core ideas behind his latest book, This Small Stuff: How to Lead a More Gratifying Life. Ian shares how his multifaceted career, navigating both software design and cultural criticism, functions as a dialectical

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00:53:17

Design and Hope with Rinat Sherzer

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/06/30

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome back Rinat Sherzer—a biotech engineer, transdisciplinary designer, artist, and adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design whose work sits at the intersection of science, technology, and social justice. Together, they discuss the deep human construct of hope, unpacking how it differs from mere wishful thinking and exploring how designers can act as vital conduits for it. Rinat shares her journey from scientific training to social

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00:48:50

Seth Johnson on Earning the Right to Change Things

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/06/02

What does it actually take for design to matter inside a massive organization? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Seth Johnson to talk about design at enterprise scale, and what designers get wrong about building influence.Seth Johnson is Design Director at IBM's Chief Data Office, where he leads a team driving AI-first enterprise data transformation. Over a 12-year tenure at IBM, his work has evolved from designing artifacts and experiences toward designing

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01:01:20

Has Design Lost Its Bite? With Benjie Wilhelm

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/05/20

Designers face challenges around education, certification, pay, and power, and in this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Benjie Wilhelm, Assistant Professor at ASU, Director of Strategic Initiatives at UCDA, and brand strategist "hellbent on making the world a better place," to name the elephant in the room and start talking about what it would actually take to fix it.In This EpisodeThe flattening of the profession. About 80% of designers today are

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00:43:47

Design the Context, Not the Object with Todd Bracher,...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/05/15

What if the designer's real job isn't to design the object at all? In this episode, hosts Giulia Donatello and Lee-Sean Huang sit down with Todd Bracher -- industrial designer, founder of Bracher and BetterLab, and author of two books -- to dig into a practice built on removing ego from the design process and letting context drive the answer. From a Pratt exam that accidentally changed his career, to a decade across four European countries, to unlocking a NASA scientist's 25-year-old

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00:57:12

The Future of Design Education: Building a Global...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/05/08

How can design education bridge the gap between global digital collaboration and local physical making? In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, we sit down with Bryan Clark, Head of Graphic Design at Falmouth University, to discuss why online learning is a deliberate "feature" for the modern designer, and not just a fallback.In this episode, we explore:- The Global Studio Concept: How Falmouth leverages a global cohort to create a "hybridized" professional practice

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00:54:03

Sustainability, education, and the iF Design Awards...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/04/09

In this episode, we speak with Lisa Gralnek, Managing Director of iF Design USA and Global Head of Sustainability and Impact at iF Design. We cover the scale and rigor behind the iF Design Award — one of the world's most recognized design competitions since 1953 — and how iF has made sustainability a core, embedded criterion in its judging process. We also discuss the launch of the iF Design Academy, what it means to close the gap between design and business fluency, and the risks of outsourcing

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00:40:32

Branding as a Cultural Force with Robin Landa

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/03/17

In this episode, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello welcome distinguished professor, author, and creativity expert Robin Landa. Recently honored with the 2025 Stephen Heller Prize for Cultural Commentary, Landa discusses her prolific career as the author of 27 books and her evolving philosophy on design’s role in society. The conversation spans Landa’s origin story: from designing Barbie clothes as a child to honing her craft as a writer. We also explore her latest work, which frames branding

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00:46:35

Humanizing Data Through Design with Giorgia Lupi

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/02/24

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Giorgia Lupi to explore her journey from an architecture student and musician in Italy to a pioneer of data humanism and partner at Pentagram in New York City. Giorgia discusses her latest books, her Love Letter to the New York City subway, and why she recently broke up with ChatGPT. Whether you're a seasoned designer or a curious learner, Giorgia’s insights invite us to see data as a profoundly

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00:43:37

Why paper still matters in the age of digital and AI

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/02/06

In this episode, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello host Andy Curson and Rob Slowe from Arctic Paper as they dive into sustainable papermaking, the role of print in a digital age, and collaborations with emerging designers. Discover how Arctic Paper balances environmental responsibility with innovation, and how print continues to evolve as a meaningful medium for creativity and storytelling.Arctic Paper’s portfolio: mills in Sweden and Poland, offering coated, uncoated, book, and high-end papersThe

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00:17:49

Introducing "Eyes on Design," AIGA's 2026 Programming...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2026/02/05

Join co-hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello as they kick off a brand-new season of the AIGA Design Podcast. We’re diving deep into our new programming theme, "Eyes on Design."Whether you’re a long-time listener or brand new to the show, Lee-Sean and Giulia take a moment to (re)introduce themselves and share the backgrounds (and biases) they bring to design discourse.Have a story to tell? We’re scouting for guests! Send your pitches to podcast@aiga.org.Join the conversation: We love

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00:47:35

Designing for the World We Live In: Aleksey Fedorov...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Aleksey Fedorov, Director of Global Brand Marketing at Microsoft, for a wide-ranging conversation on branding, performance, and the evolving role of design in society.Aleksey reflects on his nonlinear career path and how moments of tension, uncertainty, and failure have shaped his creative practice. Together, they unpack how brands can move beyond metrics to create meaning, build trust, and reflect

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00:34:38

The Human Element People First: Devika Menon on...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2025/12/17

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage in an inspiring conversation with Devika Menon, a service design and delivery lead at the City of Philadelphia. They explore Devika's diverse career journey, from her early days in animation film design to her current role in civic design. The discussion highlights the importance of human-centered design, the challenges of working within government systems, and the significance of participatory service design

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00:55:33

Shaping Your Path: Kevin Flores on Career Growth, AI...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Kevin Flores, an experienced product and design leader, founder and coach. They delve into Kevin's diverse career journey, from his early days in Silicon Valley to his experiences with major corporations like LinkedIn and Verizon. The discussion highlights the importance of adaptability in design careers, the evolving role of design leaders, and the significance of personal

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00:52:34

George Aye, Pissed-Off Optimist and Co-Founder of...

AIGA Design Podcast ·

2025/09/29

In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello engage with George Aye, co-founder of Greater Good Studio, to explore the concept of 'pissed off optimism' in design. They discuss the balance between recognizing societal issues and maintaining hope for change, the importance of community among like-minded individuals, and the challenges of transitioning from designer to business owner. Aye reflects on his experiences with race in design, the principles guiding his

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