SPEAKERS
Donald Strum
President, Michael Graves Design
With the company since 1984, Donald is the President of Michael Graves Design and focuses on product, furniture, and graphic design, where he has brought to market thousands of products. His first project was the iconic “Whistling Bird Teakettle” for Alessi. In 1997, under Donald’s leadership, Michael Graves Design began a relationship with Target Stores that pioneered Target’s ultra-successful Design for All strategy. In 2005, after witnessing the issues and indignities Michael Graves was experiencing after an illness left him paraplegic, Donald and the product design group made a passionate, life changing commitment to transform healthcare and accessiblity through design, raising people’s expectations within the hospital environment and at home. Donald’s primary mission is harnessing the power of design to tell stories and improve lives.
Bob Lyons
EVP - Creative Director, Brand Experience, Digital Design - Gruskin Group
As a marketing and design specialist for over 30 years, he has been creating marketing and design solutions for businesses that continue to build brand equity. He has created solutions for clients such as Kean University, Disney, Colgate-Palmolive, Viacom, Dairyland/Chefs Warehouse, HBO, Showtime, Microsoft, Boston Properties, ESG, Mac Lowe Properties, Columbia House, United Way, Double Tree Hotels, the townships of Woodbridge, Point Pleasant Beach, Glassboro and Springfield Township and many of the top NYC ad agencies. Bob has created advertising and marketing solutions that are cutting edge and highly creative. His industry accolades include Art Directors Award, Print’s Regional Design Annual Award, Art Directors Club Award, and Excellence Award from the Association of Graphic Communications. Prior to working at Gruskin Group, Bob ran his own design firm, Barking Lion, Inc., along with his brother, Jeff Barcan, for 20 years. Bob holds a BA in Visual Communications from Pratt Institute (graduated with highest honors).
Mike Schnaidt
Creative Director at Fast Company
Mike Schnaidt is an author, educator, and creative director, specializing in branding and editorial design. Currently the creative director of Fast Company, Schnaidt guides a team of art directors and photo editors who create visuals for all expressions of the brand. Schnaidt's first book, Creative Endurance, is a practical guide to staying motivated and achieving your goals.
Naylah Hinton
BFA, Graphic Design, '18 | Senior Art Director at VML
Naylah Hinton is currently a Senior Art Director at VML for the Healthcare Division, focusing on the client, XOLAIR (a food allergy injection for severe allergic reactions). Hinton's background consists of graduating from a technical high school with a background in graphic design and obtaining two Adobe certifications. That led to majoring in graphic design at Kean University with a focus on interactive print and screen and graduating magna cum laude with associations of being a student-ambassador, student-athlete, and a member of a D9 Sorority. From college, she completed an internship program with Publicis Groupe in their NJ office, working on health brands. And months later began working freelance-to-full time as a graphic designer at the NYC office of Publicis on healthcare brands. Hinton worked at Publicis for four and a half years, elevating through the ranks as a graphic designer. At VMLY&R (now VML) as Senior Art Director, she works on some of the most well-respected healthcare clients and with work that has been displayed in Times Square during New Years Eve, TV commercials, and booth designs for festivals like ESSENCE Fest.
Jeff Barcan
Director of Creative Services - Gruskin Group
Jeff is a creative director specializing in brand experience and identity. He has helped companies connect their brands to their customers through design. Clients include Disney, Verizon, Microsoft, McGraw Hill, The New York Times, United Way, and Colgate-Palmolive. Classically trained in both Visual Communications and Architecture, Jeff applies his unique skill set to projects that require the merging of branding and graphics with physical space allowing the environment to tell the story. He has served on the Board of the Art Directors Club of NJ for seven years and is an annual guest lecturer at Kean University, where he has hosted classes – the science of retail anthropology and a design education event branded Let’s Charrette. Prior to working at Gruskin Group, Jeff ran his own design firm, Barking Lion, Inc., along with his brother, Bob Lyons, for 20 years. His design work wins awards annually from regional and national competitions: Print Magazine; Communication Arts; AGC (Association for Graphic Communications); How Magazine; Art Directors Club and NJ ADCLUB. Jeff has a BA in Architecture and Visual Communications from Pratt Institute.
