Chandra Robinson is a Principal at LEVER and Portland Design Commissioner. A Portland native, she grew up with a great love for outdoor education, inspiring her to spend years as a sea kayaking guide and to study geography and physics. From an early age though, she was always fascinated by buildings and developed a deep love for spaces that felt safe, welcoming, and comfortable. She eventually found her way to Boston Architectural Center where she earned her MArch and found exceptional opportunities to work at firms of all sizes. Returning to Portland, she found her professional home at LEVER. First as an architect and now as a Principal, she’s led groundbreaking projects such as the Meyer Memorial Trust in Lower Albina. She is resourceful, brilliant, and dedicated to making her hometown feel welcoming, beautiful, and accessible to all. 

Images, links and more from Chandra!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.

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Founder of Design Milk and Clever co-creator Jaime Derringer grew up in New Jersey. An only child until 8, she was fiercely independent with an artistic streak, drawing inspiration from her quirky Nana. During college, she fell in love with Japanese and Asian culture, which still influences the artwork she does today, ranging from digital art to painting to tufted art. After college, she worked in project management, having a natural skill for coordinating and love for new challenges. In 2006, she founded Design Milk, a website featuring all things art and design that she loved. Now, 15 years later, Design Milk has expanded into a Shop, wide-reaching social media presence, and a growing team. In 2019, Jaime sold Design Milk to AHALife, remaining involved as CCO. She is a vibrant leader, brilliant artist, and a wonderful mom, friend, and wife. Her years of following her own artistic streak have certainly paid off. 

Images, links and more from Jaime!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Clever's promotional partner is Design Milk.

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Designer Brian Rice currently serves as the Chief Brand and Design Officer for 3M. A self-identified “hybrid coast kid”, Brian was born in South Jersey and grew up in central Florida. A child of divorce, he acquired a greater appreciation for the different perspectives, culture, and environments he was exposed to from an early age. A curious student, he started down the engineering path but quickly realized that wasn’t the right fit, and switched to design. After college, he has worked for iconic brands such as Proctor & Gamble, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia Pacific and Bristol Myers-Squibb. He understands design as an essential connective tissue, a powerful tool to create space for artistic expression and to embrace greater diversity and inclusion. Brian knows that if we use design as a force for good, we can not only move in the direction of justice, but we can create compelling, creative products for consumers worldwide. 

Images, links and more from Brian!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Laura Jaramillo and music by El Ten Eleven.

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In this special episode we’re introducing listeners to another podcast, Wireframe from Adobe. Hosted by Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adobe and one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, it’s a show made for creative professionals: graphic designers, UX designers, illustrators, typographers, artists, and activists, but also for anyone who just likes to understand, on a granular level, how the world works. This episode dives into the UX design of the “connected fitness” movement and brings listeners an entertaining and informative exploded view of how UX is a driving force in shaping our culture. 

Many thanks to this episode’s sponsors:

Wireframe

Wireframe is a podcast all about creativity and design, hosted by Khoi Vinh, Principal Designer at Adobe and one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business. It’s a show made for creative professionals: graphic designers, UX designers, illustrators, typographers, artists, activists, and for the design-curious who appreciate the way creativity impacts the world around us. Listen now! 

Please say Hi on social! Twitter, Instagram and Facebook - @CleverPodcast, @amydevers, @designmilk

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

Clever is hosted by Amy Devers and produced by 2VDE Media, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and music by El Ten Eleven.

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Former CEO of Design Within Reach and business consultant, John Edelman grew up on a horse farm in Connecticut. The youngest of 6, his childhood was filled with love, surrounded by his parents’ big dreams, in a home filled with visitors, from Andy Warhol to fashion executives. A hustler and daredevil from an early age, he excelled at flipping cars and riding dirt bikes but struggled in school. After college, John joined the family leather business, sorting buffalo skins in Thailand, worked for his brother at Esprit, and lived in Brazil to work in the shoe business. From 2010 - 2019 John served as CEO of Design Within Reach, during his tenure he pulled the company out of a downward spiral, transformed it into the world leader in authentic design, and led a highly publicized sale to Herman Miller. Now, Co-Founder of Fourth & Pride vodka, John’s life has been one great story after another - from adventure to romance, hardships to triumph, and a future that looks just as thrilling. 

Images, links and more from John Edelman!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Clever's promotional partner is Design Milk.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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On May 12, to kick off WantedDesign Online 2021’s online International Schools Show, host Amy Devers sat down with three brilliant, inspiring thought-leaders to discuss opportunities, advice, and insight for design students' next steps. Amy was joined by Natalie Nixon, Founder of Figure 8 Thinking; Diane Domeyer, Executive Director of The Creative Group; and Rosanne Somerson, President of RISD. The conversation looks beyond the portfolio to frame the value of creative training, stresses the importance of curiosity, and reminds us that the career path is itself a creative endeavor. With their creative tool kits, design students have everything they need to design their own opportunities. 

Images, links and more!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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Principal of Commune Design, Roman Alonso grew up in Caracas Venezuela, often traveling around in a motorhome with his family to escape to nature, before moving to Miami as a teenager. He attended Boston University, with the underlying fantasy of getting to New York. After college, he got a job at Barney’s in New York, wrote for the style section of The New York Times, and started a publishing company, Greybull Press. Commune was founded in 2004 in Los Angeles and since then Roman and partner Steven Johanknecht have grown it into a vibrant community of creatives, a Commune Shop, and impressive international hospitality projects, including many Ace Hotels, that have the adventurous, warm spirit Roman brings to everything he does. 

Images, links and more from Roman Alonso!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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Sculptor and furniture designer Jonathan Trayte, a native of Yorkshire, UK, spent his early childhood in a campervan with his family in rural southern South Africa. Back in the UK, his childhood was filled with weekend picnics in the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, sparking his love for sculpture. He went to Canterbury for his BFA and worked in kitchens on the side, a job that continues to influence his work today. Jonathan graduated from the Royal Academy in Art and was quickly met with success around his bronze sculptures but was itching to experiment more. And experiment he certainly has - from collaborating with Kit Neale on a café commissioned by the British Fashion Council to creating a desert road-trip inspired show at Friedman Benda, he melds together materials, concepts, and memories to create exceptional works of art. 

Images, links and more from Jonathan Trayte!

Clever is hosted and produced by Amy Devers, with editing by Rich Stroffolino, production assistance from Ilana Nevins and Anouchka Stephan, and music by El Ten Eleven. Clever's promotional partner is Design Milk.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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Civic and service designer Sarah Brooks grew up in Manhattan, the daughter of an actress and doctor. With a voracious imagination, she spent her days running around with the neighborhood kids or watching her mom on stage. As a teenager, she found her tribe in the punk rock scene, inspired by the DIY attitude and creative expression. After getting started professionally in TV production, sudden and profound tragedy struck, sending Sarah’s life on a radical detour through grief, healing, and rebuilding herself. The journey led her to a greater appreciation for emotional honesty, human connection and presence - qualities she also brings to her creative work as design executive at IBM, and as an advocate for social impact and regenerative design.

Images, links and more from Sarah Brooks!

Clever is created, hosted and produced by Amy Devers and with music from El Ten Eleven and editing by Rich Stroffolino.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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Designer Edward Barber grew up in a small UK village running around with his brothers, making tree houses, bows and arrows, and drawing. As a teenager, he fell in love with sailing, fixing boats, and photography. He eventually landed in the architecture program at Royal College of Art where in the first week he met Jay Osgerby. The two became fast friends, collaborators and founding partners of Barber Osgerby. In the early years, with some “engineered luck” in the form of Giulio Cappellini, Edward and Jay were fast-tracked in the world of international furniture design. Since then, they’ve gone on to found Universal, an architecture and interior design studio, and Map, focused on tech and industrial design. Having designed everything from stacking chairs with a dynamic tilt aimed at improved learning in schools, to experiential sound installations... carving out his own path has worked out just fine!

Images, links and more from Edward Barber!

Clever is created, hosted and produced by Amy Devers and with music from El Ten Eleven and editing by Rich Stroffolino.

If you enjoy Clever we could use your support! Please consider leaving a review, making a donation, becoming a sponsor, or introducing us to your friends! We love and appreciate you!

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