OUR VISION
WE BELIEVE IN A THRIVING AMERICA WHERE EVERY COMMUNITY IS fortified, self-determinant AND prosperous.
WHO IS DC DESIGN?
DC Design is a social impact design consulting firm, focused on addressing systemic inequities.
We are a team of thoughtful design thinkers, researchers and strategists who are committed to seeing our clients create lasting change.
We help organizations solve complex issues in education, healthcare, employment, housing and criminal justice reform to uplift Black, brown and low-income communities.
WHY DO WE DO THIS WORK?
To bring economic and social prosperity to communities that need it most.
DC Design was founded on the belief that when we uplift those who have been forgotten, we all rise. Today, millions of Black and brown Americans face a harsh reality: they lack a clear pathway to the American dream.
Under-resourced schools, housing insecurity, low-paying job prospects, ineffective healthcare, and negative interactions with the criminal legal system are setting millions up for failure. But what if we chose to do something different?
WHY TRUST US?
We care and we will meet you where you are.
For us, this work is personal. Our diverse team is reflective of the communities our clients serve. We’re committed to doing whatever it takes to help you win because:
We center communities.
Your success is our success.
We measure our success by the impact our clients are able to make. We work to empower our clients and the communities we collectively serve to be self-sufficient and resilient.
We believe in your potential to create change.
As a foundation, nonprofit, or governmental entity, you’re positioned to serve as a pillar of your community. The decisions you make directly impact the lives of those in need. We want to help you make the right decisions and change lives.
Very often, programs and services are created without engaging with and centering the needs of the people experiencing the challenges themselves. We center the voices of communities through every step of the process.
PEOPLE
MEET THE TEAM
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Founder and CEO
Durell Coleman is the founder of DC Design, a social impact design firm that uses the design thinking process to address the world’s biggest problems. In his journey as a designer, Durell has collaborated with international non-profits, large tech companies, and small businesses to create products and services that solve the problems they face. Trained in mechanical engineering (B.S) and sustainable design (M.S.), he is a two-time alumnus of Stanford University and its famous Institute of Design (the Stanford d.school). He partners with diverse clients to help them successfully overcome challenges and capitalize on the opportunities before them. His clients include governments, foundations and nonprofits working to address challenges in the criminal justice and foster care systems, Syrian refugees designing solutions to challenges in refugee camps, students at Stanford University designing a more inclusive campus, and corporate executives from Sony, Oracle, and Santander. He is an expert in multi-stakeholder, human-centered design and is one of the subjects of the PBS documentary: “Extreme by Design,” which is used as a design thinking teaching aid all over the world.
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Consulting Team Lead
Cooper uses human-centered design to solve the most complex and challenging problems within multiple industries. Using design thinking and agile methodologies, he molds his thinking to new users and their challenges, developing insights that are valuable and impactful. Insatiably curious, Cooper asks "why" and searches for the "purpose" to locate and surface the root causes of problems, what forms them, and how to solve them. He is a servant leader with over ten years of professional experience spanning a multitude of disciplines that he utilizes to facilitate innovation. His ability to empower others and mediate discussions between diverse groups of people helps teams approach problems with new and differing perspectives when tackling the underlying issues communities face, developing insights, and inevitably creating equitable solutions. No one person's design is perfect, but mold it, shape it, and adapt it among a group of supportive individuals, and it can get pretty close. As a leader, this makes him feel limitless.
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Lead Strategy and Design Consultant
Janvi Ghatalia is an Indian social impact design researcher working towards creating equitable and sustainable shifts in thought and culture. She is is an alumna of MIT Institute of Design (B.Des, Industrial Product design) and School of Visual Arts (MFA, Design for Social Innovation). Her work has focused on conducting participatory research, strategy, data synthesis and facilitation and has experience working on issues of healthcare, economic justice, food justice, education and disability. She believes in the power of design to address systemic issues of society and bring people together across differences and biases. She feels passionate towards individual and collective healing, non-violence, holistic well-being and centering the voices of communities she is serving. With her multi-disciplinary background in designing products, systems, games, films, gatherings and business strategies, she has developed a wide range of skills to understand complex ecosystems, find gaps and turn insights into design opportunities.
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Lead Strategy and Design Consultant
Sharon Lu is a creative bridge-builder passionate about promoting empathy, diversity, and creativity. She works to bring people together across disciplines, sectors, and cultures and to center marginalized communities. She co-founded an international organization focused on human-centered diplomacy. She integrates scientific and design research to help organizations across the globe with organizational, multi-stakeholder engagement, and communication strategy, as well as program and experience design. Her clients have included the UN Conference on Trade and Development, international nonprofits and social enterprises, and foundations. In addition to DC Design, Sharon also supports underserved students as a Junior Board Member at First Tech Fund. She holds a PhD in neuroscience (Stanford University) and a BS in biology (University of Wisconsin-Madison).
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Strategy and Design Consultant
Troy Mosby is a designer and researcher working toward creating a healthy, equitable, and sustainable future. He is passionate about communities and the people, interactions, technology, environment, and systems that create and empower them. A generalist at heart, Troy has used a multidisciplinary skillset of business analysis, data analysis, and experience design to help businesses, nonprofits, and local organizations understand the power and value of using human-centered approaches to discover and strengthen business strategies, redesign processes and products, and create meaningful impact in the communities they serve. Ever-curious and no stranger to a deep dive, Troy is currently exploring community development, urbanism, and emerging technologies, and the ways they intersect with his work. He holds a B.S. in Psychology with a Business Administration minor from Howard University.
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Executive Assistant
Samantha Aubrey Alejandro is our versatile Executive Virtual Assistant, whose career journey reflects her unwavering commitment to excellence and service. With a Cum Laude achievement for her Bachelor's degree in Business Informatics from AMA International University in Bahrain, Samantha brings a solid foundation in organization, communication, and time management to her role. Her diverse background and cultural adaptability enhance her ability to thrive in dynamic settings, supporting top-level executives, managing operations, and excelling in customer-facing roles. Samantha's proactive mindset, keen eye for detail, and dedication to continuous learning make her an invaluable asset to our team. Beyond her professional endeavors, she remains dedicated to making a positive impact, driven by a sense of purpose and a spirit of excellence.
WORKING AT DC DESIGN
CULTURE
DC Design is a social impact strategy and design firm. We co-design solutions with key stakeholders affected by America’s biggest social problems, working toward a society where everyone, regardless of circumstances, can reach their fullest potential. We apply these same principles internally, supporting every DC Design team member as they journey to become their best self.
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Go Above and Beyond
We go above and beyond to ensure success for one another, our clients, and the communities we serve. We trust each other to get things done. We take initiative and responsibility to complete our duties and hold ourselves to high professional standards because we expect excellence from one another.
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Shine Bright
At DC Design we shine bright, not shying away from showing the world our strengths. We delight in seeing each other shine brighter, too. This means we encourage each other's ideas, give each other praise (which we call kudos), and celebrate our personal and professional accomplishments. We make time to discuss things that are important. We internalize the learnings from our experiences at DC Design to better understand what our life’s purpose is and move closer to that dream.
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Direct and Honest
Direct and honest feedback is always encouraged here because we desire to arrive at functional outcomes. We are adaptable, life-long learners who welcome change and iteration as an opportunity to grow into who we were meant to be. This means we consider how our words and actions make others feel, give each other the benefit of the doubt, and step into and out of conflict with grace, love, and forgiveness. When we make mistakes, we put our egos and personal agendas aside and apologize. We know DC Design isn’t perfect, but we want to keep making it better!
04
Empathy
Empathy is at the center of everything we do. This means we listen to our colleagues’ experiences in the same way we listen to the experiences of the communities we support. As a fully remote team, we strive to build relationships that are kind, respectful, and meaningful - we ask about each other’s personal lives, and we follow up. We also take care of one another, noticing when someone might need a break or where the company might be able to support a personal goal they have. When we are better listeners, we are also better decision-makers.
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Commitment to Real and Meaningful Impact
Our commitment to real and meaningful impact unites and guides us to deliver programs and services that target root problems impacting Black and brown communities. We listen to their needs, analyze the whole system, and co-design solutions and strategies based on what we learn. The experiences and interactions we have with, and often as members of, these communities show us that human-centered co-design is the only way to create lasting, positive change for this generation and the next.
REVIEWS
HOW OUR CULTURE IMPACTS OUR CLIENTS
IN THE NEWS
PRESS ROOM
From interviews with NBC and Entrepreneur Magazine to helping teens change the world, DC Design is making strides and making the news. Check out our latest newsworthy activities and featurettes.
