Exploring Careers in Creative Design

Design is all around us—from the clothes we wear to the apps we use; from the cars we drive to the chairs we sit on. As a designer, you have the power to shape the world. With the global market for design services projected to reach nearly $250 billion, this series provides valuable insights from professionals who have crafted diverse careers in creative design, sharing their pathways from Middlebury to their current roles and advice for students entering this field.

For the full playlist, visit our YouTube channel, where you will find all episodes and more series in our MIDDVantage collection.

Episode 6: Conversational Design Enabling Chatbot Solutions

• Guest: Yina Smith-Danenhower ‘09, Head of Product Design at XAPP AI
• Interviewer: Kexin Tang ‘23
• Overview: Yina discusses her journey from dancer and architectural designer to leading product design at XAPP AI, where she crafts cohesive chatbot solutions through collaboration and creative direction.
• Watch Time: 32 minutes

Episode 5: Human-Centered Product Design

• Guest: James Schonzeit ‘10, Manager Design with Block
• Interviewer: Masud Tyree Lewis ‘22
• Overview: James leads the product design team for Block’s Restaurants Team, adapting to rapid industry changes like QR codes and handheld ordering to meet evolving customer needs.
• Watch Time: 34 minutes

Episode 4: Creative Design Meets Data Visualization

• Guest: Leah Welch ‘11, Data Visualization Designer, Bottomline Technologies
• Interviewer: Sol Manuel Garza ‘22
• Overview: Leah, a designer blending art and data science, shares her expertise in creating interactive, data-driven visual experiences across graphic design, storytelling, and front-end development.
• Watch Time: 28 minutes

Episode 3: Architectural Design in The Workplace

• Guest: Lindsay Winstead ‘10, Program Manager - Global Workplace Design, Adobe
• Interviewer: Sanjana Roy ‘22
• Overview: Lindsay manages Adobe’s global workplace design projects, from digitizing space guidelines to implementing Adobe’s Dynamic Work Program for the Future of Work.
• Watch Time: 28 minutes

Episode 2: “Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Taken” - Design in a Creative Agency

• Guest: Katie Rominger ‘14, Design Director at Jones Knowles Ritchie
• Interviewer: Clara Wolcott ‘22
• Overview: Katie, based in NYC, develops iconic brand identities as a Design Director, drawing from her graphic design background and experience with major brands at Pentagram.
• Watch Time: 27 minutes

Episode 1: Fashioning Interior Designs

• Guest: Chrissy Ritter ‘16, Project Manager and Senior Designer at Charlotte Moss LLC
• Interviewer: Megan Mahoney ‘22
• Overview: Chrissy shares her career progression at Charlotte Moss LLC, from Design Associate to Project Manager, alongside her experiences in Middlebury’s lacrosse team.
• Watch Time: 22 minutes