Inspiring design transformation, diversity and leadership.
Design Circle is a collaboration of leading thinkers and practitioners working together to change the face of design for the next decade and beyond. Design Circle members partner to advance diversity and inclusion in the design industry through a scholarship and mentoring initiative, while broadening community discourse on design’s role in business, society, culture, technology, and careers. Read the Announcement.
Our Members
Enrique Allen Co-founder Designer Fund
Tim Allen Airbnb 
Irene Au Design Partner Khosla Ventures
Timothy Bardlavens Sr. Manager, Product Design Zillow Group, Inc.
Sarah B. Brooks Distinguished Designer IBM
Robert Brunner Founder/Partner Ammunition
Andy Budd Founder Clearleft Ltd; Leading Design; UX London
Daniel Burka Director of Product & Design Resolve to Save Lives
Antionette Carroll President & CEO Creative Reaction Lab
Liz Danzico Vice President, Design NPR
Katie Dill VP of Design Lyft
Jared Erondu Head of Design Lattice
Gus Granger SVP & Chief Creative Officer Cyxtera Technologies
Erika Hall Author, Co-founder Mule Design Studio
Yoojin Hong VP of Mobile UX Samsung
Fura Johannesdottir Chief Design Officer Publicis Sapient
Jamie Myrold VP of Design Adobe
Sarah Parmenter Creative Director & Founder You Know Who
Cathy Pearl Head of Conversation Design Outreach Google
Billy Seabrook Global Chief Creative Officer IBM iX
Albert Shum CVP, Design, Experiences & Devices Microsoft
Jen Simmons Senior Designer & Developer Advocate Mozilla
Fabricio Teixeira Design Director Work & Co
Richard Ting EVP, Global Chief Experience Officer R/GA
Khoi Vinh Senior Director of Design Adobe
Andy Vitale Head of User Experience Design SunTrust
Conor Ward Director of Design BTTHE DESIGN CIRCLE
SCHOLARSHIP INITIATIVE
Fostering more diversity in the design industry, and more awareness and interest in design-related careers, are top priorities for the Design Circle members. As part of this program, Adobe will award ten (10) $25,00 annual college scholarships – up to $100k over four years for each recipient. The scholarship is ideal for students going into experience design related majors (i.e. product, digital, web, UX/interaction, industrial design, or similar), with a focus on diverse candidates with financial need.
As designers, it is our ethical responsibility to reflect the world in our work—we do not create for ourselves, but in the service of others.
Timothy Bardlavens, Zillow Group, Inc.
The design leaders in our program will offer mentorships, shadowing, internships and networking opportunities to the scholarship recipients, to help strengthen the connection and influence of the scholarships, while providing real-world experience to the students during their education.
Don’t just think about who you’re designing for: think about who you’re leaving out. And then ask yourself how to include them.
Cathy Pearl, Google
Webinars and Events
Building Equitable Systems & Inclusive Teams
These leaders are building equitable organizational systems, while championing inclusivity in design team culture. Hear how this powerful combination creates stronger customer experiences and more cohesive teams.
How to Demonstrate Design ROI to Propel Your Business Forward
What’s design worth, and how do you show its business value? Now that design has a seat at the table, how do you use that leadership position to advocate for the right things?
The Impact of Emerging Tech on Design Teams
Designers are being asked to embrace and adapt to new tech faster than ever – which also creates exciting new design disciplines and opportunities. We discuss how to factor in design for voice, AI, AR, VR and more. And how to build teams with generalists and specialists who can effectively support these new modalities.
Design Your Career
Discover what it takes to get a foot in the door of a design job opportunity and what skills you need to be your best and transform your career. Our speakers will share both their personal career paths, as well as what they look for when hiring designers onto their teams.
Collaboration at the Center of Design Strategy
Strong collaboration creates some of the most successful products from a design, execution and time-to-market perspective. We explore the challenges, how to improve designer/developer hand-off, and strategies for better cross-team collaboration.
