Design Thinking for Start-ups

Meet Our Presenters

John Ravitch

John Ravitch  |  Designer

Bio

Born and bred in Silicon Valley, John Ravitch changed his career twice before landing at IDEO where his world suddenly changed. There he spent seventeen years focused on a variety of topics around purpose-driven brand experiences, start-ups and working to infuse deeper creativity into client business cultures. His focus on the latter led to involvement around IDEO’s learning and development offer for its employees. From there, he initiated a global alumni platform that today has over 1k members. His passion remains around helping young people design their careers. Currently, he co-leads Harmonic55, an agency that helps innovation leaders get unstuck using human-centered design so that they work better together as the world rethinks the work week. John actively supports Creative Santa Fe as a strategic advisor.

Gray Garmon

Gray Garmon  |  Designer

Bio

Gray Garmon is practices human-centered design (HCD): a problem-solving approach widely used in industry, governments, schools and NGOs. HCD puts people first, using qualitative research methods to understand the human contexts, behaviors, emotions and motivations that can lead to better design solutions. His recent design work includes advising the Aga Khan Foundation on a global HCD toolkit that was honored with a Fast Company Innovation by Design Award, being a Designer-in-Residence with the Design Science Studio at the Buckminster Fuller Institute, and a National Endowment for the Arts-funded interactive art project called the WonderPhone. In addition to his current post as the Director of the Center for Integrated Design in the School of Design and Creative Technologies at The University of Texas at Austin, Gray has joined Creative Santa Fe as our lead strategic designer.