Rachel Young
Building a more ACCESSIBLE future through design
I am a...
Creative leader driving the delivery of exceptional and innovative design solutions across industries. Swiss army knife background includes product, brand, research, strategy, storytelling, and co-design methodology.
Experience
IDEO
Executive Director, Head of Research
2022–2023
Ideo
Senior Portfolio Director
2021–2022
Ideo
Director
2020–2021
Ideo
Senior Design Lead
2019–2020
Ideo
Design Lead
2016–2019
Character Lab
Director of Engagement
2013–2016
Kipp Schools
Senior Creative Manager
2009–2013
I Have a Dream Foundation
Senior Program Manager
2005–2007
Teach for America
Teacher
2003–2005
Work
Bendable
We Created:
A free learning app that connects residents to local learning opportunities through a city’s library system
Deliverables:
Research insights, product design, development, brand, brand strategy
RoLe:
Project Lead
National Science Foundation
We Created:
A year-long design curriculum to teach scientists convergence research methods in order to get science to the American people faster.
Deliverables:
Curriculum, strategy, and implementation of modules
RoLe:
Portfolio Director
Ebo
We Created:
Ebo, a digital literacy app and game (in English and in Arabic) for young children with Down Syndrome and other developmental delays.
Deliverables:
Curriculum, game mechanics, product design, development, brand, and implementation strategy
RoLe:
Curriculum and learning Design Lead
Verizon
We Created:
Verizon Explorer Lab, an immersive digital STEM learning experience — with an associated iPad game — that takes place entirely on a bus.
Deliverables:
Curriculum, bus design, product and game design and development, implementation roadmap
RoLe:
Curriculum and learning Design Lead
Along
We Created:
A brand for Along, a new type of digital tool to facilitate meaningful conversations between students and teachers.
Deliverables:
Brand identity, strategy, expression, and guidelines
RoLe:
Portfolio Director
Khan Academy
We Created:
Khan Academy Refresh, a pandemic-ready tool to help teachers engage students virtually in the first five minutes of class. (three week pro-bono sprint)
Deliverables:
Research insights, concepts, final design and copy
RoLe:
Portfolio Director
About
Rachel (she/her) is an Oakland-based creative leader using design to make the world more accessible, beautiful, and just. She’s committed to equity-centered co-design methodology, anti-racism, reproductive justice, human rights and dignity, and reversing the effects of climate change.
As an Executive Director at IDEO and the head of research, she leads a team of 50+ social scientists, data scientists, and research ethicists to develop the human-centered insights behind all of IDEO's innovations. As a Senior Director, she guided a portfolio of teams to design 20+ innovations and transformations guiding creative excellence, client relationships, and responsible design. Earlier in her career, she developed a love of brand, storytelling, graphic design and marketing while leading it for the KIPP Schools and a love of impactful product design while at the startup Character Lab. In her 20’s, she worked in direct service in communities in poverty, which continues to serve as her foundation human-centered design training. She's a hobbyist photographer, a third generation Californian, and 90% vegan.
The most complex and beautiful project to which she's ever contributed is raising her daughters with her partner.
Acknowledgements
I’m grateful for the collaboration I’ve shared with my design colleagues and friends. I am especially grateful to
Sandy Speicher,
Becky Bermont,
Zena Barakat,
Alysha English,
Becky Lee,
Brian Pelsoh,
Brittany Butler,
Diane Robinson,
Margarita Florez,
and Mary Clare Reilly
for their mentorship and guidance.
Getting In
Touch
I’m more likely to be found outdoors than online when I’m not at work, but you can still find me in some of these likely places: