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

Selected

Work

bendable

#59849d

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

#b86353

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

#508968

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

#c49ecd

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

#6a6ae0

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

#8eabb6

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.

Headshot of Rachel Young

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: