Announcing New Episodes:
The Current

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CoDesign Collaborative Announces A Second Series Of “The Current”: Student-Led Lightning Talks Exploring the Future of Strategic Design

March 31, 2026 — CoDesign Collaborative is proud to announce the Spring 2026 season of The Current. This virtual, student-led lightning talk series is a platform for emerging voices to explore vital, high-impact topics shaping the design industry today. It is led by Jennifer Rittner, Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management and Assistant Dean of Curriculum + Learning for Parsons School of Design at Parsons School of Design.

Launching in April, this season’s programming is curated by a group of students from the Parsons School of Design Strategic Design and Management (SDM) program. Under the guidance of Faculty Advisor Jennifer Rittner, the student curators will lead critical inquiries into the evolving responsibilities of designers and leaders through a sophisticated lens of systemic change and ethical stewardship.

“The Current provides an essential bridge between the classroom and the professional world,” says Liana Mestas, Interim Executive Director of CoDesign Collaborative. “By empowering students to develop and lead these conversations, we are not just discussing the future of design—we are watching the next generation of leaders define it.”

The Spring 2026 student cohort includes:

  • Estef Chavez Ruiz, MS Strategic Design and Management (1st year)
  • Bella Corbin, BBA Strategic Design and Management (Senior)
  • Pallavi Dixit, MS Strategic Design and Management (2nd year)
  • Enika Gautam, BBA Strategic Design and Management (Junior)
  • Kanushi Rathore, MS Strategic Design and Management (2nd year)
  • Jarmila Skáre, BBA Strategic Design and Management (Senior)

Each 30-minute episode features a student-led and moderated discussion on a topic with a guest speaker, followed by a live Q&A with the audience. In a unique collaboration to extend the impact of these dialogues, each conversation will be recorded and published on the CoDesign Collaborative website. To provide deeper context and reflection, every lightning talk will be accompanied by an original editorial piece authored by the respective student curator, to be published in the weeks following the live event.

We invite the CoDesign Collaborative community to join us for upcoming episodes. On April 14, Jarmila Skáre will host Benjamin Kumpf of OECD about the ways design thinking and innovation can move beyond pilots to achieve systemic development impact. On April 28, Bella Corbin will welcome George Aye of Greater Good Studio to discuss how client selection shapes the project work and impact of design consultancies. Registration for The Current is complimentary for students and CoDesign Collaborative Members and Partners, and $5 per person for non-Members.

Promotional support for The Current is provided by Media Partner Print Magazine. CoDesign Collaborative is actively seeking sponsor support for the program, which provides a stipend to the student as compensation for their time and contribution to the organization’s programming.

For more information on upcoming lightning talks, visit codesigncollaborative.org. For media inquiries or interest in supporting The Current, please contact:

Register & Attend

CoDesign Collaborative
Liana Mestas (she/her/hers)
Interim Executive Director
liana@codesigncollaborative.org
(888) 287-0167 x 705