My guest in this episode is Ariba Jahan – also known as আরিবা – a biomechanical engineer turned innovation and design strategist focused on creating social impact and a future that is more accessible, intersectional and equitable.

Ariba is currently the Director of Innovation at the Ad Council, where she established the organization’s design innovation practice. As a member of the Ad Council’s DEI Council, she also leads efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the organization.

Ariba spoke about her own journey into design, the assumptions often made in DEI initiatives, the need to ask not just “what new things can we do?” but “how did we get here in the first place?”, as well as managing resilience in challenging times.