Get to know the board a little better! We asked each of them a few questions and compiled the list below…
Littisha A. Bates, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Inclusive Excellence and Community Partnership, College of Arts and Sciences
Where do you come from?
This is such a great question and I can think of many ways to answer it but I will stick to that part that helps me see myself as a member of the DI team. I come from the projects on the Southside of Chicago. I come from neighborhoods that were systemically shut off from the resources necessary to manifest the “American Dream.”
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
What about DI’s work taps into your passion? The mission and vison of DI resonates so much with what I value in life and the type of work I intentionally engage with. The focus on equity and community collaboration are things that matter to me. I want to be in fellowship with folks who are also doing the good work! My passion is collaborative liberation and equity work and that is what DI is all about.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
As a sociologist and diversity, equity and inclusion professional I hope to add to the voices at the table to ensure we continue to operate with an equity lens. I hope to also bring a curiosity that is useful to the team as it relates to the work we do and how we engage in that work.
Indi Ekanayake
Partner, School Design at Transcend Education
Where do you come from?
I come from Cincinnati and Sri Lanka, from immigrant parents who always embraced change if it meant they could help more people. I come from a deep belief that everyone deserves dignity, respect, and an equal opportunity to thrive in spite of broken institutions.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
My current work is 100% mission aligned to that of Design Impact and I see a lot of similarities in how we leverage creative design as a means for liberation. DI exemplifies my core beliefs of social change: that the assets for dealing with our challenges already exist within our communities, and that it is our responsibility as professionals in this work to elevate the voices and ideas of those who haven’t had the opportunity, pathway, or capacity for leading the change themselves. I am excited to get to know DI’s work even better!
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I hope to contribute perspective on adult learning and culture building, clear and direct communication and feedback, and an orientation that making the lives of children better is the highest calling.
Ramsey Ford
Co-founder / Consultant / Emeritus Board Member
As it turns out, his design background gave him a unique perspective for helping people solve complex problems. His passion for social justice inspired his Master’s thesis on what designers could learn from community organizing. Ramsey is a collaborative change facilitator who brings creative and inclusive approaches to mission-driven organizations seeking change and innovation. In 2009 he co-founded Design Impact to co-create solutions to complex social problems with communities and grassroots organizations.
Ramsey continues to advance the conversation on inclusive design through workshops and speaking engagements such as the Public Interest Design Institute, IDSA International, and Unite for Sight Global Health and Innovation Conference. An avid writer, Ramsey regularly shares his perspective on social design through outlets like Design Observer, FastCompany, Innovations and Product Design Hub. His work has also been published in the Public Interest Design Practice Guidebook and Leap Dialogues.
Phim Her
Founder of HAWJ Studio
Phim Her, founder of HAWJ Studio, combines her multidisciplinary design, strategy, and coaching expertise to empower individuals and organizations. With a background in product marketing and innovative media storytelling, she is dedicated to supporting democracy, fostering creative communities, and promoting holistic healing and burnout prevention through her Oasis work.
Ben Ko
General Manager, Kaleidoscope
Where do you come from?
I grew up in Fairfield and tried to get out of southwest Ohio my whole life until I moved to Clifton to attend the University of Cincinnati and fell in love with the urban core. I now live in Walnut Hills and work downtown as a biomedical engineer at Kaleidoscope, a product development firm, where I lead design teams that create surgical procedures and medical devices for life-improving or -saving therapies. I consider myself incredibly lucky in that I truly love the medical device design work I get to do every day.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
Kaleidoscope and Design Impact share office space, coffee addictions, and creative inspiration. I joined Kaleidoscope five years ago, and a strong factor in the decision was that its owners so fully share and invest in Design Impact’s mission of driving social change. I learned more and more about the passionate DI group, and I jumped at the opportunity to invest my own time to promote them, problem solve with them, and contribute to the community we all strive to improve.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I share DI’s background in design process and my experience working through clients’ challenges translates into a different perspective on how to attack problems. I understand a consultancy’s lifeblood: balancing billable work with internal initiatives, all while maintaining the pipeline, and I hopes to have some hard-learned lessons to share. I strive to face any challenge with optimism, seeking to elevate rather than isolate team members.
Dawna Leggett
Owner, True Rest Float Spa
Where do you come from?
I come from the American midwest. I was born in South Bend, Indiana and raised in a small suburb of Chicago, IL.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
I said yes because I’m passionate about the social mobility of those more vulnerable in American society. I support efforts to make the American Dream accessible to everyone. My commitment shows in the fact that I’ve done research to this end in the social sector for over a decade and have used participatory research methodologies that elevate the voices and will of marginalized groups in my practice. I was also an employee at DI for three years and believe that DI shares and has shaped my philosophy.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I hope to bring an emphasis on participatory design practices and a concern for balance, health, and wellness within the DI organization. I am starting a business in the health and wellness industry this year and so I imagine my leadership in that industry will carry over to my board membership.
Nickol Mora
Chief Strategy Officer, Women Helping Women
Where do you come from?
I come from the love and labor of Latina women and the friendship and education of servant leaders. I come from a belief that assets exist within all of us and are present right now in our own communities, and our work is to give way to them so we can create truly equitable systems.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
I have followed Design Impact’s work throughout the years and have admired the holistic approach of creatively designing solutions with community at the core. As we continuously see and feel the impact of systemic oppression, it’s critical to center the leadership of those most closely impacted by inequities. My work for over a decade has been to create space for those voices to tap into their power and access decision-making spaces so that we can reimagine possibilities. I feel Design Impact is aligned to those experiences and is doing that work with great empathy and intention.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I hope to bring support to the Design Impact team as they navigate complex challenges and hope my resources and networks can be beneficial toward creative solutions. I’ll bring a critical eye to ensure we’re considering representation at all levels, and an optimism through adaptive learning. Most of all I hope to be an active champion and partner that helps to further leverage this important work.
Rosie Mora
Chief Executive Officer- Mindrock, Capital
Where do you come from?
My journey has taught me the value of strategic decision-making, adaptability, and fostering innovation. I believe these traits, coupled with my experience in evaluating businesses and gauging market potential, can greatly contribute to D-Impact success. Moreover, I am dedicated to leveraging my extensive network within the investment community to forge valuable partnerships, secure vital funding, and amplify D-Impact’s outreach.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
In my role as a board member, I envision collaborating closely with the team to drive strategic initiatives that bolster the organization’s growth and influence. I will actively participate in crafting and implementing high-impact strategies that ensure D-Impact remains at the forefront of the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. My focus will be on strengthening operational efficiencies, enhancing financial sustainability, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
Furthermore, I am committed to supporting the development of robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to measure and communicate D-Impact’s impact effectively. By doing so, we can showcase the organization’s success stories and attract more stakeholders to join our journey towards a more equitable and sustainable future.
Sulin Ngo
Strategist | Marketer | Storyteller | Advocate
Where do you come from?
I am a global citizen who comes from a family of community leaders, refugees, and people who worked tirelessly to create a better life for those who came after. I’m a product of the Great Midwest, born and raised in Cleveland, educated in New York and London, and privileged to have shared life with communities across the country.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
I was introduced to DI’s work around the same time I had begun to form a mature understanding of my identity and family’s experience in context of the unjust systems and institutions of our society. It’s easy to feel helpless against such large systemic problems, but seeing the practical applications of DI’s equity-based design strategies gives me hope that the world we want to see is not so far away. I want to be a part of that change.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I offer my lived experience, my passion for their mission, and my relationships as resources for the DI team! Specifically, my background in communications and marketing gives me a big picture perspective with the strategic expertise to drive toward results. So many of the unfair systems in our society exist because of the stories we tell ourselves and others about how the world works. Part of dismantling those systems is being able to spread truth effectively and meaningfully.
Lyndon Rega
Transformation Catalyst
Lyndon Rego focuses at the nexus of leadership, innovation and transformation. He has worked across Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa on individual, organization, and community efforts. A present-day focus is nurturing inclusive innovation ecosystems by facilitating collective action.
He is presently the founder of CoMetta, an effort to build community leadership and spark social transformation. Lyndon was the founding head of the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership at the African Leadership University where he focused on an integrated approach to leadership and entrepreneurial development for students, faculty, and executive education participants.
Prior to ALU, Lyndon spent nearly 15 years at the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL), the world’s oldest, largest and foremost institution singularly dedicated to leadership development. He played a number of innovation, management, and faculty roles at the institution, and launched the Innovation Incubator, the global Leadership Beyond Boundaries initiative, and the Future Leadership Lab focused on organizational transformation.
Victor Scotti
Founder/CEO, Moving Mountains, LLC & Hiring Equity Lead, Google
Where do you come from?
I am a third-generation Chicagoan(Southside, of course), a proud alum of Chicago Public Schools, and am a son and grandson of educators. Equity, access, and agency are the bedrock of who I am personally and all that I do professionally. I come from a space of hope and possibility to my work, and it’s a reflection of the people and institutions that poured into me throughout my life.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
I said yes to this fantastic opportunity because Design Impact aligns with how I approach my work: through power, purpose, and joy. I appreciate that DI is uncompromising in its partnership and commitment to community and equity-centered design. Lastly, but certainly not least, Dr. Curtis is my best friend in the world; I’ll support anything he’s a part of 🙂
What do you hope to bring to this board?
DI’s work combating social inequity and inspiring social change is culture-shifting and industry-leading; I believe it’s precisely what’s needed to enable all of us to thrive. I hope to bring my experience at the intersection of equity, cultural wealth development, and technology to scale DI’s theory of change across the world.
Karl Vanderbeek
Vice President of Design and Human Factors, Kaleidoscope
Where do you come from?
Geographically, I was born and raised in a small town near Dayton, Ohio. I spent 15 years in Connecticut after school before returning to Cincinnati almost 10 years ago. I grew up around an awesome family of creative people. I come from the design and creativity field. I love to explore experiences and help improve them for others.
Why did you say “yes” to being on this board? What about DI’s work taps into your passion?
I love to learn about other creative processes. I met Kate and Ramsey about 10 years ago when they were embedded in the Kaleidoscope studio. The problems they were helping to solve seemed impossible to me. Trusting the design process, collaborating with the right people, and bringing in super cool people, I could see how they were successful. I’ve enjoyed meeting people from DI over the years, but recently I’ve not been able to be close. I am looking forward to meeting the team and contributing my experiences wherever helpful.
What do you hope to bring to this board?
I hope my perspective from design leadership and my history as a product designer can be of use. I’ve seen a lot of successful and unsuccessful processes, products, and experiences. Leaning on that experience, I would also love to be a sounding board for new ideas as well.
Tessa Xuan
Statewide Co-Director, OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership
Tessa Xuan (she/they/tā) is a connector, facilitator, organizer and Co-Director of OPAWL, a grassroots AAPI feminist organization of over 200 members across Ohio and beyond. She is the oldest daughter of Chinese immigrants and is motivated to reduce, prevent, and heal from trauma caused by systemic violence. Some experiences that moved Tessa into organizing work included the death of Emilie Olsen in 2014 and the resurgence of white nationalism and anti-Muslim bigotry in 2016. Tessa lives in Cleveland with their partner Zeyd and enjoys experimenting with new recipes.