The Current: Strategic Impact Through Clientele

Join us for a virtual lightning talk on April 28 with George Aye of Greater Good Studio and Parsons student Bella Corbin.

Tune into another episode of The Current. On April 28, Parsons School of Design student Bella Corbin will host George Aye, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Greater Good Studio, to explore how the clients a design agency chooses to work with ultimately shape its ethos, positioning, and social impact.

In an industry often caught between the need for revenue and the desire for purpose, the “roster” is more than just a list of projects, it is a moral compass. The conversation will unpack the tension between revenue-driving work and value-aligned partnerships. Bella and George will discuss the strategic implications of client selection and how designers and strategists can leverage internal influence to shape an agency’s identity from the inside out. Join us to learn how to use client work as a deliberate lever for culture, ethics, and long-term systemic impact.

Their conversation will delve into:

• How an agency’s portfolio functions as a silent declaration of its true values and social mission.
• Navigating the difficult trade-offs between financial stability and mission-aligned partnerships.
• How strategists and designers can influence agency culture by advocating for specific types of client work.
• Best practices for establishing a rigorous framework for client selection that ensures long-term strategic impact.

About Isabella (Bella) Corbin:
Empowered by a curiosity for understanding people, Bella Corbin believes that design has the innate ability to create and scale sustainable social change. Skilled in complex systems thinking, design research, and visual and written communication, Bella thrives in developing human-centered and social impact-driven solutions that balance empathy, business goals, and technical constraints. She strives to design and sustain meaningful change through an awareness and appreciation of the diverse ways people navigate the world.

About George Aye:
George co-founded Greater Good Studio to use design to heal, to be just, to be restorative. Previously, he spent seven years at a global innovation firm before being hired as the first human-centered designer at the Chicago Transit Authority. Since founding Greater Good, he has guided clients and teams through complex projects that honor reality, create ownership, and build power. He speaks frequently across the US and internationally. George holds the position of visiting lecturer at Northwestern University and was formerly a Full Professor (Adj) at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.