Jennifer Tobias Author

Ellen Lupton is curator of contemporary design at the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City and director of the Graphic Design MFA program at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore. An author of numerous books and articles on design, she is a public-minded critic, frequent lecturer, and AIGA Gold Medalist.

Farah Kafei is a designer and art director who has led initiatives addressing gender disparity in design education and fostered communities pushing for a more inclusive industry. She's had the pleasure of working for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and studios such as Sagmeister & Walsh and Doubleday & Cartwright.

Jennifer Tobias is a scholar and illustrator. She holds a PhD in art history from the City University of New York, an MLS from Rutgers University, and a BFA from Cooper Union. She served as a librarian at the Museum of Modern Art and Parsons School of Design.

Josh A. Halstead is a design educator and disability studies scholar. A recognized contributor to disability design discourse, he seeks to unsettle power/knowledge in theory and praxis by centering marginalized perspectives.

Kaleena Sales is a design professor at Tennessee State University, an HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in Nashville. Her research centers on the intersection of Black culture and aesthetics and investigates the ways in which identities and experiences impact design solutions.

Leslie Xia is a queer Chinese American art director. They studied graphic design at the Maryland Institute College of Art and have worked for companies like the Foundry at Meredith, Men's Health, VICE News, and Fast Company. Their personal work focuses on race, gender identity, and social justice.

Valentina Vergara is a multidisciplinary designer and illustrator who uses design as a catalyst for change. Her projects and collaborations address gender disparity in graphic design education and explore ways of dismantling oppressive design thinking and advocating for and uplifting marginalized perspectives.