Donald Strum
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.
Mike Schnaidt
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.
Jeff Barcan
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.
Bob Lyons
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).
Naylah Hinton
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.
Amanda Vigdor
Amanda Vigdor is an art director specializing in paid and organic social media. Since graduating from Kean University in 2020 with a BFA in Graphic Design: Interactive Advertising, she has worked with clients such as MAC Cosmetics, Uncrustables, Amazon, Jif, Milk-Bone, Meow Mix, and Pup-Peroni at Publicis Group. Amanda won a Bronze Pencil for her work on the 2024 Jif Big Game campaign, "Save the Celery." Currently, Amanda is a Senior Art Director at Dentsu Creative.
Alexandra Sacci
Alexandra Sacci earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from Kean University in 2009. Following her graduation, she attended Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where she completed both a Master’s in Architecture and a Master’s in City and Regional Planning. While in graduate school, Alexandra worked as a designer at Ayers Saint Gross, specializing in educational design. Her projects included the Ida Ryan and Isaac Hawkins Halls at Georgetown University, as well as the District House at George Washington University.In 2015, Alexandra relocated to the tristate area and joined Gensler NY where she was a Senior Associate. Notable projects included the New York headquarters for ING Bank, JP Morgan Chase, and others. She served as Project Manager for the UBS account. In 2023, Alexandra transitioned to a new role as Project Manager in the Design and Construction Department at New York Presbyterian Hospital. She currently oversees construction and design projects for the hospital, including a renovation of the MRI Suite. Alexandra is both a licensed Interior Designer and a licensed Architect. She lives in Hoboken NJ, where she enjoys pilates and reading at the pier with her senior rescue chihuahua named Jelly.
Samantha Cullari
Samantha Cullari is a proud Kean University alumni. Practicing in the commercial design field for over ten years, she has had the opportunity to work in various sectors with some of New Jerseys largest corporations - locally as well as nationally. She is currently the NJ Design Director at Mancini Duffy overseeing and mentoring their talented design staff. Samantha is most proud of paving her own way in her career built on her personal strengths, skill set and work-life balance. Samantha’s life motto is “if we are not having fun, then what are we doing?”
Sara Turner
Sara graduated from Michael Graves College, Robert Busch School of Design in 2023 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design. During her time at Kean, she was an intern for the Design Studio Practicum and participated in the New York Jets interdisciplinary course. Her time working with the Jets gave her experience in sports marketing and design, leading to her role as Creative Director for the first Kean Sports Summit. Following graduation, Sara is currently employed as a Designer for Rizco, a brand-led marketing agency. Her responsibilities include the design of social media posts, logos, website pages, and branding. Sara is grateful for all that she learned at Kean University and looks forward to new creative opportunities at Rizco, alongside her team.
Dominic Mincieli
Dominic Mincieli earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts: Interactive Print and Screen in 2019 from Kean University. Since graduating from Kean, Dominic has advanced to the role of Creative Director specializing in graphic design, photography, screen printing and advertising. Currently serving as the Creative Director at Vantage Apparel, he has worked with clients that include Boeing, Minor League Baseball (MILB), U.S. Naval Academy, Bath & Body Works, Coca Cola and many other well known brands. Dominic’s work in video, photography, and design helped Vantage’s Marketing Team to their first PPAI Gold Pyramid Award in 2024 for best marketing campaign. Dominic’s work accolades are not the only thing he is proud of - he is the father of one daughter, with baby #2 on her way! In his downtime Dominic enjoys spending time with his growing family. A true creator at heart, Dominic also enjoys drawing, designing and working with his partners on their newest collaborations.
Sean Boud
Sean Boud is a Kean University alumnus who earned his Master of Architecture in Spring of 2022. During his time at the Michael Graves College, his body of work focused on improving quality of life for the public, which eventually became a pointed interest in public education and improving the lived experience of students and faculty alike. For his work he was awarded the Dean’s Award, and additionally received the Michael Graves School of Architecture award for Design Research for his work through the Ronald E. McNair Scholars program. Following completion of his degree, Sean joined Kean University’s School of Architecture as an Adjunct Professor teaching history and representation. He also joined Parette Somjen Architects as a full-time architectural designer, where he currently contributes to providing a better architectural experience to public education clients in the K-12 sector. He plans to begin testing for his Architectural License in the state of New Jersey, and to continue both educating and learning through his work with the Michael Graves College.
Sol Condo
Sol Condo is an architectural designer at the New York City based, collaborative architecture and design studio, Office of Things (OOT). She began working at OOT in May of 2022, immediately after graduating from Kean University’s Michael Graves College with her Master of Architecture degree. She attended MGC for both her undergraduate degree (graduating Summa Cum Laude) and postgraduate degree (graduating with distinction), in which she was the recipient of the Dean’s Award, Public Architecture Award, Architectural Scholarship Award for Writing, and Design Research Award for Outstanding Building Technology Research. At Office of Things, she is involved in all points of the design process. From a project’s inception to its construction, she is there at every step to collaborate with the firm owners and clients to bring forth their collective vision. Their projects include home/apartment renovations, light and art installations, immersive spaces, housing, and commercial spaces. Some clients include YouTube, Google, and Hyatt Hotels. Their most recently built project is one she and the lead architect designed together: a 15’ diameter light fixture that now hangs in the courtyard of Hyatt Regency Greenwich in Connecticut. Sol has now returned to Michael Graves College for the Fall 2024 semester as an adjunct professor, teaching Representation to first-year students.
Nick Palchanes
Nick is a proud alum of the Industrial Design program at the Michael Graves College. Over the years, Nick has worked in many industries including housewares, pet toys & accessories, merchandise displays, furniture design and more. Aside from his daily career, Nick is the owner & operator of Palchanes Design furniture company, specializing in one-off, high end wood furniture for local clients.