Building Equitable Cities Through Inclusive Design

Design Challenge
How might we reimagine the way we work to build equitable cities?

Partner
Van Alen Institute

Project
Co-design, facilitation, and coaching for a NYC-based nonprofit organization.

Role
Design Lead · Coaching · Facilitation

Overview
The Van Alen Institute began a major institutional evolution with the appointment of a new Executive Director, tasked with making the 126-year-old organization relevant to the 21st century.

Although internal change was already underway, the events of 2020 - a global pandemic coupled with urgent reckonings around race, inequity, and climate - accelerated this transformation. In response, Van Alen redefined its mission to leverage its privilege and expertise in design to create more equitable cities.

I was brought on to co-design, facilitate, and coach the team through a series of strategy sessions and remote design marathons aimed at articulating a clear strategic direction and reimagining programming aligned with this new purpose.

Structured as time-bound, participatory engagements - with guided facilitation, rapid iteration, and continuous feedback - these marathons enabled the team to test new ideas, challenge assumptions, and identify what worked before scaling viable solutions.

This approach also catalyzed a deeper cultural shift: from traditional nonprofit to social impact design studio. By building in-house design capacity, the team began to unlock creativity, move with intention and agility, and collaborate more effectively. The process helped cultivate a growth mindset and embed a design ethos that centers the lived experiences of the communities served - while moving at the speed of relationships and trust.

Duration of Engagement
Spring 2021 - Spring 2024

Acknowledgements
Design Team: Richard Kelly, Deborah Alden, Stephanie Gamble, Catherine Weislogel, Owen Sanderson

“The design marathons have been transformational to the way we work together as an organization.”
- Carla Swickerath, Board Chair

“You are an exceptionally skilled facilitator. I have been so grateful for your work with us.”
- Deborah Marton, Executive Director