Jennifer Rittner, Principal

I have worked in art and design management for OVER two decades.

What I Do: As a communications strategist I help creative businesses define their voice and learn how to communicate effectively with current and prospective clients.

Why I Do It: My goal for my clients is to ensure that they develop sustainable businesses by developing meaningful relationships with their constituent communities, nurturing those connections over time and consistently reinforcing their credibility through active engagement.

BC (before consulting): As a project manager at Pentagram Design I worked with clients as diverse as Columbia University, Citigroup, Coca-Cola North America, The Daily Show with John Stewart, Spike Lee, Field Operations, Polshek Partnership, The Public Theater, Tampa Art Museum, Carnegie Museum of Art, Wichita Art Museum and Union Square Hospitality Group.

More Design Management Cred: I oversaw business strategy and project management at Helicopter Design, served as project manager at the AIGA and headed communications and outreach at Columbia University’s Center for New Media Teaching and Learning (the University’s instructional design group).

Teaching: I am an Assistant Professor of Strategic Design and Management in the School of Design Strategies at Parsons School of Design, where I teach courses in Design Research, Project Facilitation, External Engagement Studio, and Capstone to both undergraduate and graduate students. I have also taught Design Development, Global Issues in 21st Century Art & Design, History of Graphic Design, and Professional Practices in Design at Parsons, California College or Art, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and at the School of Visual Arts, principally in the MFA Products of Design and MA Design Research, Writing, and Criticism programs. In my local community, I teach critical thinking, art history, cultural history and environmental studies at the Montclair Art Museum, Montclair Historical Society, and Van Vleck Gardens.

Learning: I received my B.A. in Art Administration and Education at New York University's Gallatin School (1992), and my M.Ed. from Teachers College, Columbia University (2008).

Personal: My personal journey includes an abiding love for dance (I still have my first pair of toe shoes), a fascination with maps (I never get lost), the desire to see all of the world (I've never met a country I didn't love), and an enduring love for my husband and son (best for last).