UCDA Design Conference: Community

Allison Fisher is a hybrid printmaker and graphic designer, serves as manager and coordinator of the historic Globe Collection at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), a living collection of art as a teaching tool. Her role includes archiving and protecting the collection as well as overseeing the design and printing of new posters.

Tracey Halvorsen is a consultant, designer, painter, author, and speaker. She is President and Chief Visionary Officer at Fastspot. Her background in visual art and computer-based technology and her hands-on style of leadership has helped Fastspot consistently create award-winning and industry recognized websites, applications, and marketing campaigns. Tracey is known for her innovative thinking and creative problem solving, and is never short on opinions or ways to make things better.

Margaret Hardt Frondorf has over 30 years of experience in the field of education. She is the Director of Alumni Relations and Editor of SAIS Magazine at Johns Hopkins SAIS (2007-present), the former Executive Director of Alumni Relations at Marymount University in Arlington, VA (2003-2007) and Associate Director of the SAIS Program on Social Change and Development (1988-2003). Prior to her university experience, Margaret initiated and developed programs for the Close-Up Foundation, an international organization that introduces American and European high-school students to the actors, institutions, and processes of the federal government. She is the co-editor of three publications: Local Civic Action and Outside Assistance: Partnership or Dependency? The Media as a Forum for Community Building; and, Social Forestry: Communal and Private Management Strategies Compared. Margaret has a master’s degree in International Public Policy from Johns Hopkins SAIS and a bachelor of arts in Spanish and Political Science from the University of Akron.

Ellen Lupton is curator of contemporary design at Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City and director of the Graphic Design MFA program at Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore. An author of numerous books and articles on design, she is a public-minded critic, frequent lecturer, and AIGA Gold Medalist. Lupton is a 2007 recipient of the AIGA Gold Medal, one of the highest honors given to a graphic designer or design educator in the U.S.

Mary Mashburn, a letterpress printer, instructor, and graphic designer, orchestrated the move of the Globe Poster collection to MICA, where she is working to help integrate the tools and methods of a previous generation of printers into the college culture. She works with former Globe owner Bob Cicero, Globe coordinator Allison Fisher, and the talented students at MICA to create new work in the Globe style for clients including New York’s Lincoln Center, and the Smithsonian Institution.

2017 AIGA Gold Medalist Mark Randall has been the principal and creative director of Worldstudio for over 20 years. He lectures regularly on social design at colleges and universities across the country and industry conferences, such as AIGA and HOW. Mark is on the faculty at Parsons School of Design as Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management, also serving as the Associate Director of Strategic Design and Management BBA.

Samantha Robison is the Founder and Executive Director of Awareness and Prevention Through Art (aptArt). AptArt is an organization of artists and activists who aim to share with conflict affected and marginalized youth an artistic experience alongside the opportunity to express themselves. They create outlets to build awareness and promote prevention about the issues affecting people’s lives. Samantha is out doing good in the world through art. She is the 2017 UCDA Foundation Krider Prize for Creativity recipient.

Beth Singer founded Beth Singer Design in 1981 on her twin passions for great design and giving back to the community. Since then, the work of the firm has raised millions of dollars, changed minds, opened hearts and inspired ordinary people to act on their ideas for the greater good. The firm works closely with advocacy groups, government, health and educational institutions, cultural groups, and foundations to achieve their goals through design solutions.

Clients with whom Ms. Singer has worked include Johns Hopkins University SAIS, Tel Aviv University, the American Red Cross, United Way, U.S. Departments of Education and Justice, National Science Foundation, ABC, CBS, and Loudoun County Public Schools.

In 2005, Beth was honored with the prestigious American Institute of Graphic Arts DC Fellow Award, which recognizes designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in design practice and conduct.

A leader in her field both nationally and locally, Beth served for four years on the national board of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA), where she chaired four committees: sponsorship, finance, development and a nation-wide volunteer education project called the “Design Explorers."

Beth is also a past president of the Washington, D.C. chapter of AIGA and served on its Board of Directors for over 10 years in several capacities, sparking many new initiatives and programs. She served on the board of International Design for Electronics Association (IDEA) the Rhode Island School of Design Alumni Council.

Her firm’s work has also been featured in leading design journals including Graphis, Communications Arts, Print, Graphic Design: USA, HOW, and Step.

Beth enjoys adding to her collection of early and mid-20th century posters, prints, and pottery. She is married to Howard Smith. Together develop “design thinking” curriculum for elementary-age children and deliver lessons in both public and private schools.