PARTICIPANTS

Candice-Leigh Baumgardner is Associate Professor at Art Center College of Design, where she currently serves as Director of Social Sciences in the Humanities & Sciences department. Drawing on a unique background that includes design research and color & materials, Candice-Leigh is known for creating a seamless connection between the strategic and creative aspects of design. For over 15 years, Candice-Leigh has worked to bring unbridled creativity and analytical rigor to the design process – looking deeply at issues, discovering opportunities for real innovation, and creating award-winning, creative solutions for clients including Dell, HP, Hyundai, Milliken Automotive, Nokia, Volvo, Microsoft, Xbox and many others. Candice-Leigh’s expertise is a unique blend of performing arts education (choral & orchestral conducting) and design research practice, which has led to a rewarding career as a design strategist and educator. In her 8th year at Art Center, she is active in curriculum development and teaches academic and studio courses in the Humanities & Sciences, Product, Transportation and Graduate Transportation Design departments. She is also leading an International Branding project for this year’s Testlab Berlin studio, hosted through the Graphic Design department. While deeply committed to professional practice, Candice-Leigh believes that education is the most critical social issue of our time and views her vocation as an educator within this context.