EDUCATION
RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN (RISD)
2008 Master of Industrial Design, honors
* Dean’s Scholarship + Mary E. Wardwell Scholarship
* Rachel Carson Award for Sustainable Design
MACALESTER COLLEGE, ST. PAUL, MN
2001 Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, Art + Environmental Studies
DESIGN EXPERIENCE
GRETCHEN HOOKER STUDIO (present)
Designer: Pursuing self-directed product ideas and prototypes focusing on soft goods and sustainable design. Open to collaborations and freelance opportunities.
RIX HAUS, INC, BOZEMAN, MT. (12/2008 - 4/2009)
Freelance Designer: Worked with principal designer/proprietor to develop performance outerwear, gear, and accessories for major industry brands. Sewed prototypes and samples for product research and development. Evaluated lab dips for color matching. Created product illustrations with annotated specifications. Assisted with the assembly of tech packs for distribution to manufacturers.
RISD+NASA PARTNERSHIP (Summers 2007 + 2008)
Designer/Fabricator: Collaborated with NASA’s Johnson Space Center Habitability Design Center on an airlock design for a new lunar lander. Researched and evaluated ergonomic concerns. Designed airlock prototypes and built full-scale mock-ups. Drafted and sewed all soft parts for a full scale space suit mock-up.
JEFF KENNEDY ASSOCIATES, SOMERVILLE, MA (2006)
Design Assistant + Office Manager: Supported museum exhibition design team. Assembled presentation materials, prepared samples boards, photographed models.
EDITORIAL + CURATORIAL EXPERIENCE
WORLDCHANGING.com + INHABITAT.com (2009, 2005-08)
Contributing Writer: Researched and wrote articles on sustainable design.
PARTLY SUNNY: Designs to Change the Forecast (Summer 2008)
Editorial Coordinator, Exhibit Installer: Collaborated with Project Director to write and edit all text for this sustainable design exhibition featured during the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Traveled to Denver to install exhibit and guide visitors.
HI-RES EXHIBIT + PUBLICATION (2007)
Co-Editor and Co-Curator: A project showcasing the work of RISD students engaging issues of sustainability and social responsibility through art and design. Curated all content for both the exhibit and publication. Edited texts by student contributors and wrote editorial content.
OTHER
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, BOZEMAN MT (3/2009 - present)
Director, ASMSU Sustainability Center: Collaborated across a variety of university offices to promote sustainability while empowering student-leaders. Identified, designed, and developed opportunities for student involvement in campus sustainability efforts, including formation of the Sustainability Center itself. Mentored a staff of 5-6 student employees charged with developing and implementing programs and events.
RISD RESPOND/DESIGN (2006-2008)
Co-Founder: Established and led a campus initiative to promote social and environmental responsibility both within students’ creative disciplines and in the institution as a whole. Organized community events, such as screenings and exhibitions, and worked with administrators to influence curriculum development.
BOSTON BALLET (2006)
Costume Seamstress
SKILLS
SUSTAINABLE STRATEGY: Broad knowledge of best practices in sustainability and understanding of related environmental and cultural issues. Access to a diverse network of professionals working in the field. A critical thinker committed to collaborative problem-solving.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN: Concept development and user research; Model-making in various materials; Drawing and rendering; Manufacturing processes; Sustainable strategies.
SOFT GOODS: Pattern-making and construction methods; Knowledge of performance fabrics and finishes; Various hand and machine fabrication techniques.
COMPUTERS: Mac OS X and PC; Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign; SketchUp, some Rhino/CAD; Dreamweaver, HTML, CSS; MS Office Suite, FileMaker Pro, Quickbooks.
COMMUNICATION: Professional writing + editing ability.
DIGGING DEEPER: Building Blocks for Sustainable Design Competition
Third Place for Soft Planting System, 2009
CARROT CITY: Design for Urban Agriculture
Soft Planting System to be included in forthcoming book by Mark Gorgolewski, June Komisar, and Joe Nasr. (Monacelli Press/Random House, due 2011)
WORLDCHANGING: A User's Guide to the 20th Century
Forthcoming updated edition of the book will include a short article I wrote on sustainable packaging. (Alex Steffan, ed. 2nd Edition due 2011)