About Anke

I’m a senior research and design leader with over two decades of experience advancing civic innovation, social impact, human-centered design, and educational transformation. I help public agencies and nonprofits co-create more equitable, inclusive services and systems. My work bridges research, strategy, and design—from facilitating co-design workshops and informing policy and service improvements to mentoring cross-functional teams and bringing complex projects to life.

Right now, I’m a Senior Principal at the Public Policy Lab, where I partner with government agencies and communities to improve public services through participatory design and research. I teach graduate courses in Transformation Design at Pratt Institute, guiding students in using design as a tool for social change. Before that, I led cross-functional design teams at The New York Times and Nava PBC, shaping products, systems, and public services at scale.

I’m the founder of Li’l Stories, a classroom storytelling framework I developed in collaboration with NYC public school teachers. Li’l Stories helps young learners build creativity, communication, and collaboration skills — and, at its heart, it’s about giving students space to make personal connections to what they’re learning.

For me, human-centered design is a way to create meaningful change by centering community voices, advancing equity, and strengthening teams. Across all my work, I’m guided by the belief that lasting change comes from co-creating practical, equitable solutions in partnership with the people they’re meant to serve. Whether I’m facilitating a co-creation workshop, leading a research sprint, or coaching students, I care deeply about creating spaces where people can listen, learn, and work together toward solutions that matter.

I began my career at Pentagram and went on to lead creative direction, design consulting, and teaching across media, publishing, and civic sectors, with roots in graphic design and visual communication. Selected past roles include Creative Director (Time Inc.), President & Creative Director (Li’l Robin), Art Director (The New York Times, eDesign Magazine), Senior Designer (Pentagram), Faculty (School of Visual Arts), and Civic Hall Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

I’m always open to connecting with others interested in designing systems that serve people better.

Recent Highlights

  • At Skylight (2024), I served as principal user researcher for the CDC’s public health data strategy, helping local and state health authorities better share and interpret the data they need to protect their communities.
  • At The New York Times (2021–2023), I co-led the design and launch of At The Times, a new employee site that strengthened communication, connection, and culture for over 5,000 staff members.
  • At Nava (2021), I served as program design lead on iServe Nebraska, a one-stop digital portal that allows residents to apply for and manage enrollment in all state income-based benefits, thereby improving access for thousands of Nebraskans.
  • At Nava (2019–2021), I led design for cloud.cms.gov, scaling the site from 4 to over 150 pages, improving the user experience, and building an authenticated customer portal that became the go-to resource for CMS Cloud customers.
  • At the Public Policy Lab (2019, 2025), I led Benefits Access, a strategy and toolkit co-designed with NYC schools to help school staff connect families to essential public benefits and services, increasing referrals and enrollments in vital programs.
  • As founder of Li’l Stories (2016–2019), I ran storytelling labs in Title 1 public schools across NYC, helping over 500 elementary students develop creativity, communication, and collaboration skills through visual and oral storytelling.
  • With AIGA Design/Relief (2014), I helped create The Hub, a public communication system that informed, connected, and engaged the Red Hook community one year after Hurricane Sandy.

Education

MFA, Interaction Design — School of Visual Arts, New York
MPS, Design Management — Pratt Institute, New York
BFA, Visual Communication / Graphic Design — Fachhochschule Düsseldorf, Germany