AIGA Design Podcast

• Navigating Intersections: Sahar Chung on Design, Performance, and Inclusivity

  In this insightful episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello are joined by Sahar Chung, Director of Product Strategy at Multiplayer. Sahar shares her unique career journey, from her early days as a NASA contractor to becoming a leader in the UX field. The conversation delves into the evolution of UX research as a strategic partner, the importance of building inclusive methodologies, and the critical role of relationship-building in design. Learn about Sahar's co-founding of Confetti Q&A, a platform for community-driven discussions on industry challenges. Connect with Sahar Chung:https://saharchung.com/LinkedinSahar’s recommendation: Fantasy HighJoin us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – ⁠⁠⁠https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conferenceWatch the video version of this podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MscLQyFFwVI

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• Embracing Change: Helder Santo's Journey in Design and Technology

  In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, hosts Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello sit down with Helder Santo, a partner at Unnamed, to explore the dynamic intersection of design, technology, and performance. Helder shares his journey through the evolving landscape of digital marketing and design, highlighting key moments from his career at renowned creative agencies. The conversation delves into the concept of a regenerative design ecosystem, the challenges of venture building in creative agencies, and the transformative potential of AI in design. Helder emphasizes the importance of embracing change, building trust, and fostering innovation within teams and client relationships.Connect with ⁠Helder Santo:[email protected]’s recommendation: SeveranceJoin us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – ⁠⁠https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference

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• Beyond the Brand: Building Ideas Worth Rallying Around with Sunny Bonnell

  In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Sunny Bonnell, Co-Founder & CEO of ⁠Motto⁠, about the powerful intersection of design and performance. Sunny shares her nonlinear career journey, emphasizing the importance of stirring emotion and inspiring action through creativity. The conversation delves into the essentials of brand transformation, the significance of visionary leadership, and how the design ecosystem is rapidly evolving with technology. Sunny also discusses her book, '⁠Rare Breed⁠,' which encourages leaders to embrace their unique and defiant traits as strengths, and introduces ⁠Vision Camp⁠, a program aimed at cultivating visionary leaders. The discussion explores the necessity of resilience, the pursuit of perfection in one's craft, and how to build brands around ideas worth rallying around.In a rapidly evolving industry, how can we turn our unconventional traits into a catalyst for visionary leadership and impactful brand transformation?Connect with ⁠Sunny Bonnell:⁠⁠https://wearemotto.com/⁠⁠ LinkedIn⁠ MottoInstagram Motto⁠Motto’s Vision Camp⁠Sunny Bonnell’s book: ⁠Rare Breed: A Guide to Success for the Defiant, Dangerous, and Different⁠ Sunny’s recommendation: Jiro Dreams of SushiJoin us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – ⁠https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference

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• Catalyzing Change: Maria Fernanda La Rotta on Strategic Design for an Inclusive Future

  In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Maria Fernanda La Rotta, co-founder and head of strategy at ⁠Switch Strategy⁠, about her dynamic career journey and the mission of her company to champion inclusion and drive innovation. Maria reflects on the strategic value of a design MBA, her commitment to empowering the next generation through her teaching role at Parsons, and how Switch Strategy specializes in developing niche markets for growth. The conversation also explores the challenges and opportunities within the current market, the critical importance of strategic design in solving business problems, and the evolving impact of AI on the industry. The discussion delves deeper into how inclusion drives business value, the necessity of advocating for it to enhance business performance, and the power of being a connector of ideas and people. How can strategic design be a catalyst for embedding genuine inclusion in today's evolving business landscape?Connect with ⁠Maria Fernanda La Rotta on LinkedIn⁠Switch Strategy: ⁠https://switchstrategy.co/⁠Maria Fernanda’s book recommendation: ⁠Steal like an Artist⁠Join us for the 2025 AIGA Design Conference, October 9-11 in Los Angeles, California – ⁠⁠https://www.aiga.org/design/aiga-design-conference⁠

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• Designing Change in Bureaucracy with Ivan Boscariol

  In this episode of the AIGA Design Podcast, Lee-Sean Huang and Giulia Donatello speak with Ivan Boscariol, Senior Innovation Specialist and public service designer at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). Ivan shares his journey from a background in international relations to working at the intersection of design, innovation, and public service in Latin America.The conversation explores what it means to be a designer within a large public institution, and how to navigate the cultural and bureaucratic complexities that come with the territory. Ivan reflects on the importance of intentionality in design, the need to adapt innovation processes to local contexts, and why trust and collaboration are essential to driving change.He also unpacks the multiple meanings of design practice—as a verb and as a noun—and how those interpretations shift across cultures. Offering a fresh perspective, Ivan highlights the often-overlooked upsides of bureaucracy, and how structure can actually support innovation within large, complex organizations like the IDB.From the challenges of scaling solutions to the power of relationship-building, this episode offers valuable insights into designing for impact within systems that are often slow to change—but full of potential.What if we viewed bureaucracy not as a barrier, but as a material we can design with?Ivan's LinkedInDocumentary: Horizon Zero DawnBook: Good Strategy, Bad Strategy by Richard P. Rumelt

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