The impact of design on business is enormous. Whether design is employed to make products that are more inclusive, usable, and sexy (see iPhones), or it's embedded as part of the very foundations of a business, every business that employs design-led processes and leadership, has a leg up on competitors that do not. Yes, as designers, we're not always invited to the Table to discuss strategy.

In this dynamic panel discussion, Justin Lokitz, Chair of the MBA in Design Strategy program at CCA, will facilitate a panel of design leaders from several industries where they will discuss the impact of design and how design is ultimately shaping the future of business and careers. 

ASL interpretation will not be offered at the event. The lecture uses a slide presentation. All content from the slides will be read aloud or described. 

SPEAKER BIO:

Sudha Broslawsky | VP of Design and Research at Achieve

Sudha Broslawsky is a seasoned design and product leader known for her visionary leadership and adeptness in spearheading customer-centric cultural transformations at leading global companies. Most recently as VP of Design and Research at Achieve, she led a transformative shift from a lead-gen to a design-led, user-centric model, overseeing a significant rebranding and digital transformation of the company. With a career marked by significant contributions at renowned companies like Google, Yahoo, and Facebook, Sudha has been instrumental in shaping product cultures that prioritize human-centered design. She excels in integrating this approach to drive innovation by positioning design as a strategic business advantage. 

A firm believer in the “human” element of design, Sudha's philosophy centers around creating products & services that resonate on a personal level with users. This approach extends to her leadership style which emphasizes building and nurturing inclusive, diverse, and high-performing teams. Sudha's commitment to providing equitable opportunities, fair recognition, and investing in individual growth is encapsulated in her CARE values - Compassion, Alignment, Respect, and Execution.

Sudha's experience spans various sectors, including technology, finance, and consumer products, and her expertise extends to design strategy, organizational strategy, and operational leadership, equipping businesses to create a solid foundation to innovate and disrupt.

Mike Gadow | Interaction Design Director at Accenture Song (Fjord)

I help organizations improve people's lives by learning about their behaviors and attitudes and designing experiences they love. This involves leading teams in conducting user research to find insights, generating ideas together with stakeholders, and designing engaging products and services. I love working on complex challenges and helping people grow in their careers. I have worked on a wide variety of industries such as healthcare, financial services, hospitality, entertainment, and retail.

James Song | VP of Design at Tinder

James is a seasoned design executive with over 15 years of experience building teams, products and brands focused on the intersection of digital and physical presence, and using technology to build more meaningful relationships, ideas and conversations. He’s currently the VP of Design at Tinder leading brand, product, content design as well as user research, and previously was Head of Design for Meta AI Research (FAIR), developing next-generation experiences powered by breakthrough AI research. Prior to Meta he was Director of Product Design at Uber responsible for platform services, micro mobility, design systems and user research to help build smarter cities and improve the way we move. As a Creative Director at frog design, James was responsible for leading teams to drive human-centered innovation at the intersection of design, technology and brand for the enterprise and early-stage startups. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and children, and is known to make music, hurt himself skateboarding and cook up questionable meals for friends and family. 

About California College of the Arts

Located at the center of innovation and technology in the San Francisco Bay Area, California College of the Arts is home to a world-renowned faculty of practicing artists and entrepreneurs, and a diverse community of makers that are boldly reimagining the world. Offering 22 undergraduate and 11 graduate programs in fine arts, architecture, design, and writing, CCA’s creative culture is built around the ideals of interdisciplinary collaboration, sustainability, and community engagement.

California College of the Arts campuses are located in Huichin and Yelamu, also known as Oakland and San Francisco, respectively, on the unceded territories of Chochenyo and Ramaytush Ohlone peoples, who have continuously lived upon this land since time immemorial. We recognize the historic discrimination and violence inflicted upon Indigenous peoples in California and the Americas, including their forced removal from ancestral lands, and the deliberate and systematic destruction of their communities and culture. CCA honors Indigenous peoples—past, present, and future—here and around the world, and we wish to pay respect to local elders, including those of the lands from which you are joining us virtually today. If you are unsure of who’s land you are currently residing upon, we encourage you to visit native-land.ca.