Design 21: Social Design Network

Mariana Amatullo, co-founder, Vice President and Director of Designmatters, the college-wide social impact department at Art Center College of Design, based in Pasadena, California. In this capacity, she develops strategic partnerships that enhance Art Center’s commitment to be at the forefront of international design education. Through her leadership, Art Center is the first design institution to be formally affiliated with the United Nations as an non-governmental organization (NGO) and has become recognized with numerous public and private agencies as an exemplary effort uniting humanitarian, social and educational objectives. Examples of other prestigious alliances brokered under her direction include civil society membership with the Organization of American States (OAS), participation in UNESCO’s Global Alliance Network, and a partnership with the World Bank’s Development Marketplace. In her role, Ms. Amatullo is responsible for overseeing an innovative portfolio of ongoing design projects with outcomes that include public awareness campaigns, exhibitions, documentary films and publications. Mariana holds a Licence en Lettres Degree from the Sorbonne University, Paris, and a M.A. in Art History and Museum Studies from the University of Southern California. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and lives in Pasadena, California, with her husband and two boys.