Who is Digma?

Executive Committee

Stefane Barbeau, Acting Director, DIGMA
Stefane Barbeau is a product developer and business strategist. He has worked with organizations ranging from Philips Consumer Electronics to the Canadian Parliament. In 2001, he co-founded the global product and retail brand Vessel, developing versatile products for the home using innovative materials and technologies. In addition to conceiving award-winning product lines, Barbeau managed all public interface, including customer service, marketing, and communication. His skill at balancing the agility of a small company with the integrity of clear, strong brands grew Vessel into a multi-million dollar global business within five years with limited start-up capital.

Barbeau speaks and conducts workshops regularly for organizations including P&G, Mattel, Tokyo School of Design, RISD, the Boston Ideas Conference, Babson, MassArt and Tufts to advise on design leadership in business. Barbeau is a Corporate Advisory Board Member for the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, and has organized several well-received conferences for the Design Industry Group of Massachusetts. Barbeau holds a Bachelor's of Industrial Design with High Distinction from Carleton University in Ottawa. He is also a certified yoga instructor.

Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director, Institute for Human Centered Design

The Institute for Human Centered Design is an international non-profit organization committed to advancing the role of design in expanding opportunity and enhancing experience for people of all ages and abilities through excellence in design.

Harry West, CEO, Continuum

Continuum is an international design firm that works with companies worldwide including American Express, Herman Miller, Procter and Gamble, Novartis Diagnostics, Samsung, Target. Continuum has offices in Boston, Los Angeles, Milan, Seoul and Shanghai.

A collaborative initiative involving stakeholders drawn from and beyond the world of design.

DIGMA Management

Anne Marie Stein, Dean, Professional and Continuing Education, Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Ms. Stein has been Dean of Professional and Continuing Education at MassArt since 2005 and the college’s top administrator for the DIGMA project. From 2001-2005, Stein was Development Director of Northern Light Productions, one of the largest independent documentary film/video production companies in New England, and from 1987-2001, was Executive Director of the Boston Film/Video Foundation. During a 7-year residency in France, she developed an internationally known program presenting work of American video artists. Stein holds an MBA from Simmons School of Management and BA in Communications from University of Penn.

Tracy Swyst, DIGMA Director of Operations.
Tracy is an independent project manager with more than 15 years of experience managing design and marketing programs. She now directs projects for DIGMA and AIGA Boston.

Stephen Clark, Project Manager.
Stephen has worked as project manager at MassArt for over ten years in the Professional and Continuing Education department, where he develops and oversees new programs and college projects. Mr. Clark holds a BA from the UCLA Santa Barbara and an MA from the UCLA San Diego.

Design Advisory Council (2013)

Sam Aquillano, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Design Museum Boston

Matthew Bacon, President, AIGA Boston

Daren Bascome, Founder and Principal, Proverb

Jonas Brickus, Innovation and Business Lead, IDEO

Jay Calderin, Executive Director of Creative Marketing, School of Fashion Design and Founder and Executive Director, Boston Fashion Week

Derek Cascio, Co-Founder and Co-Director, Design Museum Boston

Xavier Costa, Dean, College of Arts, Media and Design, Northeastern University

Mike Davis, Board of Directors, Boston Society of Architects

Anthony DeRitis, Director, Multimedia Studies Program, Northeastern University

Sebastian Fixson, Assistant Professor of Technology and Operations, Babson College

Diane Georgopulos, Architect, MassHousing

Shauna Gillies Smith, Founder and Principal, Ground

Miguel Gómez-Ibáñez, Executive Director, North Bennet Street School

Sondra Grace, Professor, Fashion Design, Massachusetts College of Art and Design

David Hacin, Founder and President, Hacin + Associates

Michael Hendrix, Location Director and Associate Partner, IDEO

Nancy Jenner, Director of Communications and Strategic Partnerships, North Bennet Street School

Kathy Kiely, President, Ad Club

Debi Kleiman, President, MITX

Denise Korn, Principal, Korn Design and Founder/Director, Youth Design Boston

Ed Krent, Principal, Krent Design

Carlos Martínez, Director of Innovation Policy, John Adams Institute

Dan Moon, Creative Director, Boston Redevelopment Authority

Eric Nakajima, Sr. Innovation Advisor, Massachusetts Office of Economic Development

Jeremy Ogg, President, IDSA Boston

Kim Poliquin, Founder and Director, SHIFTboston

James Read, Professor, Industrial Design, Mass College of Art and Design, Principal, RedFish

Julie Rogowski, VP and General Manager, Boston Design Center

Jeffrey Sanchez, State Representative, Massachusetts State Legislature

Ed Shems, President, Boston Graphic Artists Guild

Beth Siegel, President, Mt. Auburn Associates

Adam Simha, President, MKS Design

Frano Violich, Architect, Principal, Kennedy & Violich Architecture

Carole Walton, Manager, Create Boston, Boston Redevelopment Authority