WHAT DESIGN CAN DO - Key Persons


Adebayo Oke-Lawal

Job Titles:
  • Fashion Designer /

Andrea Bandoni

Job Titles:
  • Brazilian Designer, Researcher
AndreaBandoniisaBraziliandesigner,researcherandeducatorwithastrongfocusonecologyandcreativity.ShegraduatedfromDesignAcademyEindhoven,TheNetherlands,andatthemomentsheisdoingherPh.D.inDesignatLisbonUniversity,investigatingBiodesignintheAmazonregion. Andreabelievesdesignhastoaddsomethingrelevanttooursaturatedworld,beingacreativeforceforenvironmentalandsocialchange.Designmuststimulateacriticalviewandhelpunveilresponsibleoptionstoourworld.Herdesignmethodsarebasedontransdisciplinaryresearchandhands-onexperimentation,alwaysbuiltindialoguewithdifferentperspectives.Therespectforlivingsystemsandtopeople'sknowledgeisvisibleintheoutcomesofherwork. ShehadprojectsexhibitedandacquiredbymuseumsandgalleriesinBrazil,China,AustraliaandinmanycountriesinEurope.Herworkswerepublishedinrelevantbooksandmagazines,andshewasawardedYoungCreativeDesignEntrepreneurbytheBritishCouncil.Someofhermainprojectsare"TheObjectWithoutHistory"and"ObjectsoftheForest"-thelatterintheBrazilianAmazonForest.

Anna Noyons

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Social Designer and the Founder
AnnaNoyons(1984)isasocialdesignerandthefounderofinksocialdesign.AnnahasastudybackgroundatTUDelftandtheDesignAcademy.ShealsostudiedarthistoryandphilosophyinItaly.In2010Annastartedherownstudio(StudioAnnaNoyons)withclientssuchas:HEMA,MunicipalityofAmsterdam,BeverSportandothers.Between2013-2017,AnnawasChiefProductOfficeratPeerby,anappthatallowsyoutoborrowstufffrompeopleinyourneighbourhood.AtPeerby,Annawaspartofthefoundingteam.Theappgrewfrom0tomorethan500,000usersin4yearsandraised2millioneurosfromVentureCapitaland1.7millioneuroswithacrowdfundingcampaignamongthemembersoftheplatform(TheappwonseveralawardsandevenmadeittotheNewYorkTimes).In2018,Annafoundedinkstudio,wheresheworkswithapermanentcoreteamandalargeflexiblelayerofcreatives.ClientsincludeJeugdzorgNederland,ABNAmro,Randstad,Peerby,29kandtheMinistryofHealth,WelfareandSport.AnnahasbeenaguestlectureratTUDelftsince2011(anannualmaster'scourseindesign),sheisaStart-upmentoratStart-upBootcampandRockstart(since2016)andjoinedtheSupervisoryBoardofWhatDesignCanDoin2021.

Bebel Abreu

Job Titles:
  • Director WDCD São Paulo
DesignerborninJoãoPessoa,ManairamovedtoSãoPauloin2002,whereshelivesuntiltoday.In2010shefundedthedesignandculturalproductionstudioMandacaruwithhersisterBebel.Togethertheyhaveorganizedexhibitions,seminarsandmultipleprojectsingraphicdesign.Inthelastyears,shehasbeenworkingascreativedirector,scenographerandproducerinmanyprojectsforprivatecompaniesandpublicinstitutions.

Daphne Schmidt - CCO

Job Titles:
  • Head of Communications
DaphneSchmidtisourHeadofCommunications.ShestudiedmarketinginAmsterdamandhasbeentryingtousetheseskillsforagreatergoodeversince-she'spassionateaboutsharingthestories,peopleandprojectsthatmaketheworldabetterplace. PreviousworkincludesorganisationsliketheNorthSeaFoundationandonlineplatformNudge,wherefocusonsustainabilityandsocietalissuesarekey.Duringtheweekends,sheescapesthecityinhercampervanforsomegoodol'peaceandquiet.Onaquesttobakeaperfectloafofsourdoughbread(tipswelcome).

Dina El Filali

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
  • Environmental Urban System Engineer
DinaElFilali-EnvironmentalUrbanSystemEngineer,entrepreneur,facilitatorandyoungwriter/artist.DuringthedaysheworksfromhercompanyME-TREC(MetropolitanTrainingResearchEngineering&Consultancy)forvariousclientstocontributetomakingoururbansystemsandregionsmoresustainable.CurrentlyworkingfortheFloriadeasProgramManagerInternationalDemo&ResearchandforRegionFoodvalleyasprocessfacilitatorWerkplaatsHydrogen.Intheevening,asanartist,sheprocessesherinsightsintocreativeexpressions,inspokenword.Thecommonthreadthroughallherworkisunravelingcomplexity,facilitatingtransitionsandempoweringactorswithknowledge,connectionandinsightsothatwecanworktogethertowardsresilient,circularandfaircities.

Eddie Opara

EddieOparawasborninLondon.AfterstudyinggraphicdesignattheLondonCollegeofPrintingandYaleUniversity,hebeganhiscareeratATGandImaginaryForces.Hewasaseniordesigner-artdirectorat2×4beforeestablishinghisstudio,TheMapOffice. HejoinedPentagram'sNewYorkofficeasapartnerin2010.Hisprojectshaveincludedthedesignofbrandidentity,publications,packaging,environments,exhibitions,interactiveinstallations,websites,userinterfacesandsoftware,withmanyofhisprojectsrangingacrossmultiplemedia.HispastclientsincludeCooperHewitt,SmithsonianDesignMuseum,Nike,GraceFarms,theCorcoranGroup,MorganStanley,NewYorkUniversity,SHoPArchitects,buroOS,DavidAdjayeAssociatesandPrincetonArchitecturalPress. HisworkisinthepermanentcollectionoftheMuseumofModernArtandhasappearedinpublicationssuchasWired,FastCompany,CreativeReview,Archis,SurfaceandGraphis.OparaisalsoaseniorcriticattheYaleUniversitySchoolofArtandhasrecentlyauthoredabook,ColorWorks,publishedbyRockport.HewasnamedoneofAdweekCreative100in2018,oneofFastCompany's100MostCreativePeopleinBusinessin2012and2014,andwasfeaturedinEbonyMagazine'sPower100list.

Jeroen van Erp

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
In1992,JeroenvanErpwasoneofthefoundersofdesignagencyFabrique.UnderJeroen'sjointleadership,overtheyearsFabriquehasgrownintoamultifaceteddesignagencywithinternationalclientsliketheDesignMuseuminLondonandTheOceanCleanup.JeroeniscurrentlyapartnerinFabriqueandinnovationstrategist.HeisthechairoftheDutchCreativeCouncilandinNovember2015hewasappointedProfessorofConceptDesignatDelftUniversityofTechnology.

Joanna Ruiz Galindo

Job Titles:
  • Co - Director
  • Manager
JoannaRuizGalindoisaculturalmanagerpassionateaboutdesign,Mexicanheritageandtheartisanprocess.ShehasworkedformorethantenyearsinthepromotionandcommercialisationofindependentdesignandhasfoundedimportantinitiativessuchasPromotoraNacionalDMX,LaLonjaMXandtheAbiertoMexicanodeDiseño,amongothers.

Lara Snatager

Job Titles:
  • Head of Public Programmes
LaraSnatagerisadedicatedadvocatefordesignandsocialchange,withover15yearsofexperienceasacurator,programmemaker,andproducerintheculturalsector.AsHeadofPublicProgrammeatWhatDesignCanDo,shedevelopslong-termstrategicprogrammes,craftingthemesandinitiativesthatexploredesign'sroleinclimateactionandsocialinnovation.Laraisknownforbringingdiversevoicestogether,andfosteringcollaborationtocreatemeaningfulexperiencesthatinspireactionandsparkimagination.

Lívia Aguiar

Job Titles:
  • Digital Communications at Mandacaru
Writer,digitalexpert,journalist,traveler,feministandextremelycuriousperson.Liviacreatesstrategyandcontentforsocialprofiles,newsletters,podcasts,andwebsites.Since2006,shehasworkedfordifferentpublishers,agenciesandculturalinstitutions,talkingaboutvariedsubjects,fromclimateissuestoclassicalmusic.Líviaisinnovation-oriented,beitinwriting,photography,mobilevideoandaudio.

Manaira Abreu

Job Titles:
  • Art Director at Mandacaru
DesignerborninJoãoPessoa,ManairamovedtoSãoPauloin2002,whereshelivesuntiltoday.In2010shefundedthedesignandculturalproductionstudioMandacaruwithhersisterBebel.Togethertheyhaveorganizedexhibitions,seminarsandmultipleprojectsingraphicdesign.Inthelastyears,shehasbeenworkingascreativedirector,scenographerandproducerinmanyprojectsforprivatecompaniesandpublicinstitutions.

Margriet Schreuders - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Director of the Student Services Centre at Maastricht University
MargrietSchreudersisdirectoroftheStudentServicesCentreatMaastrichtUniversity.InthiscapacitysheisresponsibleforawidevarietyofservicesthatsupportstudentsduringtheirtimeatMaastrichtUniversity,likeemployabilitytraining,extracurricularservices,psychologicalsupport,languagecoursesandsportfacilities.MargrietisalsojurymemberoftheinternationaljuryofthesustainabilitycompetitionPostcodeLotteries'GreenChallengesince2019.Beforethatshewaschairpersonofthepreliminaryjuryofthesamecompetition.Previouslyshewas,amongotherthings,headofthecharitydepartmentandmemberofthemanagementteamattheDutchCharityLotteries(DutchPostcodeLottery,FriendsLottery).ShewasalsomemberoftheExecutiveCommitteeoftheglobalfundEducationCannotWait,whichpromoteseducationinemergenciesandmemberoftheAdvisoryCouncilofTheElders,theindependentgroupofworldleadersworkingtogetherforpeace,justiceandhumanrights.

Meeuwis Aalberts

Job Titles:
  • Graphic Designer
  • Graphic Designer in the Design Team
MeeuwisisagraphicdesignerinthedesignteamatWhatDesignCanDo.HehasstudiedgraphicdesignattheWillemdeKooningAcademy,whereheexploredthehumanmadedivisionbetweentechnologyandnature.AttheofficeheisbusymakingsuretheWDCDbrandisvisuallystunning,andoutofoffice,heistryingtobecomeacodingmaster.

Natasha Berting

Job Titles:
  • Online Communications Editor
NatashagraduatedinGraphicDesignattheWillemdeKooningAcademyin2015,andisaftermovingbacktoBali,communitymanageratWhatDesignCanDo.

Pepijn Zurburg - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Art Director
  • Co - Founder
  • Creative Director
  • Designer
PepijnZurburgisadesignerandartdirector.DuringhisstudiesattheUtrechtSchooloftheArtsandSandbergInstitute,PepijnmetRichardvanderLaken.Together,theyfoundedrenownedvisualdesignagencyDeDesignpolitie,graphicdesigncollectiveGorilla,andWhatDesignCanDo.Theirworkhaswonnumerousawards,andfeaturesinthepermanentcollectionofgalleriessuchasStedelijkMuseumAmsterdamandMoMaNewYork.WorkingwithpartnersandclientsfromKPNtoFrascatiTheatre,andmanymore.Pepijnisresponsibleforleadershipandstrategy,branding,andvisualcommunicationforeverythingWhatDesignCanDo.Atrueallrounddesignerwithastronghands-onapproach.Pepijnismarried(toanothergraphicdesigner!),andtogethertheyhavetwochildren.

Ricardo Lozano

Job Titles:
  • Co - Director
  • Designer
RicardoLozanoisadesigner,culturalmanageranddesignandcreativeindustriespromoter.Heunderstandsdesignasanengineofchangetoimprovethequalityoflifeofsocietyingeneralandhelpcreatebetterfutures.HehasworkedintheacademicfieldatCentroandtheUniversidaddelaComunicaciónandisafoundingpartnerofCítricoGráficoandtheAbiertoMexicanodeDiseño.

Richard van der Laken - Founder

Job Titles:
  • Co - Founder
  • Creative Director
RichardVanderLakenisacreativedirectorbasedinAmsterdam.HemetPepijnZurburgwhilestudyingattheUtrechtSchoolofArtandSandburginstitute,andtogethertheyformedDeDesignpolitie-arenownedvisualdesignagency,graphicdesigncollectiveGorilla,andWhatDesignCanDo.Sinceforming,they'veworkedwithmanypartnersfromRabobanktoArtisZoo,wonnumerousawards,andfeatureinthepermanentcollectionofgalleriessuchastheDesignMuseumLondonandMoMaNewYork.AtWDCD,they'vecreatedmultipledesignchallenges,publications,andeventshostedacrossAmsterdam,BrazilandMexico.IfRichard'snotintheoffice,he'sprobablyhalfwayacrosstheworld,preachingtheWhatDesignCanDostoryatconferenceslikeTED,TheNextWeborDesignIndaba.

Rosa Kieft

Job Titles:
  • Head of Innovation Programme
RosaKieftisHeadofInnovationProgrammeatWhatDesignCanDo,leadingtheinnovation,research,andchallengeprogrammes.Withabackgroundinarthistoryandvisualculture,shestartedworkinginculturalprogrammingwithaspecialinterestintheintersectionofartsandscience.Inaddition,RosaworksonWDCD'sinternationalcollaborationwithWDCD'scitypartners,fosteringWDCD'sglobalnetwork.

Ruby Nefkens

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board
Intellectualpropertylawistheareaof​​lawthatprotectscreativity.Asalawyer,Rubyhaspledgedherhearttothisrightformorethan33years.WorkingfororganisationsandpeoplewhomakeandmarketinnovativeproductsdrivesRubyinherwork.Shehasdevelopedauniquespecialisationinthefurnitureandinteriorindustry.Butnotonlycompaniesfromthosesectorsknowwheretofindher.Ruby'sclienteleconsistsofawidevarietyof(international)organisationsthatareactiveinvariousothersectors,fromarchitecturetoICT,frompleasurecrafttohouseholdappliances,mediaandart.Rubyalsoadvisesonprivacylaw.Rubyisproudthatmanyofmyclientsareatthetopoftheirfield.Herclientscanalwayscountonhertothinkalongandcomeupwiththebestsolutionforaproblem.Andwhennecessary,shefightsfortheirinterestsincourt.Rubylikestoshareherknowledgebywritingarticlesinprofessionaljournals,suchasInteriorBusinessandhercontributionsonLinkedIn.

Tugçe Akbulut

Job Titles:
  • Head of Learning & Entrepreneurship Programmes
TuğçeAkbulutisamultidisciplinaryimpact-focuseddesignerandaconnector,sheisWhatDesignCanDo'sHeadofLearning&EntrepreneurshipProgrammes.Aftermorethanadecadeofcreativedirectioncareerwithinthefilmindustry,sheenteredthefieldofsocialinnovationbyworkingasanincubationprogramcoordinatorforasocialentrepreneurshipplatform.Shehasparticipatedinseveralnationalandinternationaleventstoadvocatedesign'ssocial,environmental,andeconomicvalue.Herprofessionalstorywasselectedamongthe80inspiringwomenfortheBritishCouncilTurkey'sbookprojectcalled80Years,80Women,80Stories.SheisthefounderoftheconsciousmatchingplatformCrossChangeandtheDesignforChange,thefirstimpact-drivencreativecommunityinTurkey.