Guest Speakers
Our distinguished speakers form a remarkable constellation of innovators and thought leaders, each a trailblazer in their respective fields. They bring a wealth of expertise and experience, shaping the future of design and innovation with a unique blend of creativity, technology, and business acumen. These influential figures drive transformative changes across a spectrum of sectors, including private equity, the digital economy, social justice, infrastructure investment, and government. This diverse and insightful network provides a rich perspective and practical approach to achieving innovative excellence and societal impact. Their contributions inspire fresh thinking and propel progress in our rapidly evolving world.
-
Director of Design Center of Excellence at Nubank
Ellen is leading the deployment of design capabilities in the largest fintech bank in Latin America. With 25+ years of experience in executive, entrepreneurial, academic, and research roles in Design and Innovation, Ellen has led the digital transformation efforts at Itaú, the largest private bank in South America. At Nubank, Ellen leads the Design CoE, where she elevates Design excellence at scale. She was recognized as "Women to Watch" in 2018 for her leadership in the communication industry.
-
Co-Founder & Partner of Dalberg Design
Robert excels in providing human-centered design and innovation services, focusing on social impact and international development. Previously, he was Vice-President of Creative at frog design, spearheading global leadership in various design domains and nurturing the Design for Social Impact practice. A prolific writer for notable publications and a renowned speaker, Robert has been recognized with numerous design awards. His extensive client work spans multiple sectors. He holds an MPS from NYU and a BA from Yale University.
-
CEO of Fifth Advisory Services
The former Minister of Digital Economy & Entrepreneurship Ministry of JordanMothanna provides advice to institutions in several countries. He is an executive board member of the Innovative SMEs and Startups Fund (ISSF) of Jordan, a US$100 million early-stage SME fund. Before joining the cabinet, Gharaibeh led Ericsson Business operations in various Middle Eastern countries. He has an extensive technical and business experience in the region, and has attended executive courses at Harvard and the Aspen Institute. Latley he served as the lead member of EMV of the counrty of Jordan.
-
Chairman and Co-CEO at Tilia Holdings Private Equity Business Builder
Eric is an investor in private companies, having co-founded three private equity firms and currently working on a fourth, Tilia. He has focused on healthcare and life science investments for the past two decades. He is active in several science-based organizations, including The National Geographic and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Nutrition Roundtable. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Chicago.
-
Founder & CEO of ChiByDesign
Former Professor at IIT Institute of DesignChris is a designer, community organizer, and youth worker focused on social justice. He's directed the Juvenile Justice Council at Mikva Challenge, where he worked with diverse young leaders to create the app Expunge.io. Chris is a Civic Innovation Fellow at Stanford's d.school and created Youth Tech Design, a program for opportunity youth to use design to address their own issues. He founded ChiByDesign, a purpose-oriented design firm empowering community members through design.
-
Capital Designer & Partner at Fuse Strategy
Jordan is a Capital Designer and Partner at Fuse Strategy, with 15 years of experience working in, and with, some of the world's largest institutional investors. His research investigates how design can influence institutional investing via Capital Design. He previously led strategy and innovation roles in Investing and Pensions at OMERS.
-
Head of Office at UNICEF
Founder UNICEF Global Learning Innovation Hub
Angeles is a business strategist and transdisciplinary designer, with over 15 years of experience in creating innovative products, services, and systems. Her work intersects business, technology, and design, leading transformation programs globally for entities like Unilever, Unicef, World Bank, and the Government of Buenos Aires. She was part of the UN Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries as a Programme Management Officer. Angeles, founder of LOBO studio, also served as Senior Innovation Advisor for Buenos Aires' Ministry of Science and Technology. Holding a degree in Business Economics and an MFA in Transdisciplinary Design, she is a Singularity University scholar and a global speaker on futures design thinking and exponential technologies.
- LinkedIn Profile -
-
Director of Experience Design at Moment + Verizon
Associate professor of Practice at the institute of DesignJohn is a leader in human-centered design and co-founder of Moment, a digital product design firm that was acquired by of Verizon in 2018. As Head of Service Design at Verizon, John creates seamless customer experiences. He has taught at Parsons and NYU, co-chaired international design conferences, and advises Public Policy Lab as a board member.
-
CEO at OS City | Pioneering web3 implementations in Latin American governments.
A visionary leader, passionately drives societal innovation at the technology-humanity crossroads. With excellence honors in Mechatronics Engineering, a distinguished PhD in AI, and a Harvard Alumni in Global Leadership, he embodies a unique fusion of expertise to address pressing public problems through emerging technologies.
-
Executive Director at The Foundation for Social Connection and Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness
Jillian leads its operations and programs to advance research and innovation in social connection. She actively raises awareness on social isolation and loneliness in the U.S., contributing to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on these topics. Featured in various media, Jillian previously developed market strategies at Force Therapeutics and partnered with major healthcare organizations. A graduate of Tulane and Columbia Universities, she focuses on fostering healthy community behaviors and envisions a future of universal social engagement support. Jillian’s drive stems from personal experiences with social isolation and a commitment to addressing social connection inequities.