Women Need More Opportunities, We’re Creating Them

MISSION

The Female Design Council (FDC) is the premier professional membership network and advocacy organization for women in design, architecture, and the applied arts.

The FDC’s mission is to champion equity and tangible gender parity in the design industries and provide our members unparalleled access to professional advancement.

MEMBERS

FDC Members include architects, curators, interior designers, graphic designers, woodworkers, industrial designers, textile designers, sculptors, glassblowers, metalworkers, jewelry makers, sales executives, real estate developers, design writers, ceramicists, educators, archivists, gallerists, and hundreds of other professionals in the business of design. The FDC is open to women in the business of design at all levels, from a new designer a few years out of school, to mid-career professionals, to founders/principals of major creative firms. Our members make meaningful connections with fellow industry trailblazers which transform into amazing collaborations, career opportunities, new clients, sales, and more.

PROGRAMS

The FDC produces networking events, designer showcases, panel discussions, exhibitions, and more. Our flagship free programs include the FDC Grant Program, which offers financial support and professional development to Black, Latina, Indigenous and AAPI designers, and our Mentor Match Program, which offers mentoring, free of charge, to aspiring designers. The FDC generates and promotes exhibition and collaboration opportunities, media exposure and mentorship.

INCLUSIVITY

At the FDC, inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do. We prioritize creating opportunities for women of color and underserved communities through initiatives such as grants, free mentorship programs, and gratis memberships. The FDC has also always been trans and non-binary inclusive. Our commitment to equity extends to all our programming, ensuring that diversity and inclusivity remains a central focus as we work towards shaping a better future for the design industry.

“Being a member of the Female Design Council has significantly impacted my professional growth and expanded my opportunities. The collaborative environment and connections have led to unique learning experiences and invaluable partnerships. For anyone considering joining, DO IT!“

Tom Lerental, Tomma Bloom

“The Female Design Council is a guiding light. The community of talented female makers, artists, creators and developers from around the globe is a creative lifeline for me. The FDC has been the single-most valuable professional organization that supports our international interiors business.”

Melissa Bodie, Melissa + Miller Interiors

BOARD

Estelle Bailey-Babenzien

Founder of Dream Awake Interior Design, Co- Founder of NOAH Clothing
Stephanie Beamer

Co-Founder of Egg Collective
Nina Cooke John

Founder of Studio Cooke John Architecture and Design
Hilary Sample

IDC Foundation Professor of Housing Design, Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation
Helen Toomer

Founder of Upstate Art Weekend and Stoneleaf Retreat, Co-Founder of Art Mamas Alliance
Emilia Vincent

Founder of Studio V & Cultural Affairs Director of Salon Art & Design
Tiana Webb-Evans

Founder of ESP Group, Yard Concept & Jamaica Art Society

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TEAM

Lora Appleton • Executive Director + Founder

Lora Appleton is a recognized curator, designer, and dedicated advocate for gender inclusivity and equity in design. As the founder of the Female Design Council (FDC), the premier membership network and advocacy organization for women in architecture, design and the applied arts, she has created impactful programs such as the FDC Grant for women designers of color, a free mentoring program, and numerous female-focused exhibitions and conversations spotlighting hundreds of incredible female contemporary designers. Additionally, she is the founder of kinder MODERN, an award-winning gallery and product line specializing in contemporary and vintage design for children, with collections exhibited at major design fairs and acquired by and shown at the Brooklyn Museum, the Milwaukee Art Museum, and the HBC Global Art Collection, among others. Lora serves on the NYCxDesign Steering Committee and has received numerous industry accolades, including the American Society of Interior Designers ICFF Award, Apartment Therapy’s Changemaker Award, Architectural Digest’s Clever Award, and Interior Design Magazine’s Best of the Year Honoree.

Photo by Soraya Koshar

Angharad Coates • Director

Angharad joined the Female Design Council in 2023 as its inaugural Director, bringing a deep background in strategic development, nonprofit board relations, organizational growth, partnerships and programming. In her previous career in marketing and communications, she held leadership positions as a Managing Partner at Camron, a global design-focused agency, and a Director at the New York Academy of Art, a leading cultural institution in downtown Manhattan. Angharad's expertise in strategy for art, design and culture has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Vogue and Fast Company.

Valerie Anderson • Director of Marketing

Valerie is a dynamic leader in marketing strategy, program development, and community building, with over a decade of experience creating impactful initiatives that drive growth and foster meaningful connections. Valerie crafts innovative marketing solutions, curates engaging public programming, and builds vibrant communities across the design, real estate, tourism and hospitality industries. Her expertise includes leading experiential marketing at Material Bank, where she drove creative campaigns and strategic activations to expand the brand’s reach, and directing NYCxDESIGN, where she built programs, secured high-profile partnerships, and transformed New York City's international design week into a year-round, mission-driven, not-for-profit entity. Known for her ability to engage audiences and elevate brands, Valerie brings a strategic yet creative approach to every project she undertakes.

Gianna Putrino • Administrative Manager

Gianna Putrino received her BFA in Studio Art from the State University of New York at Oswego (2014) and her Master’s of Fine Arts in Painting from the New York Academy of Art (2017). As a fine artist, she has exhibited her work in group shows and solo exhibitions throughout the Southern Tier of New York as well as New York City. She is the recipient of the Fredrick R Xlander Emerging Artist Award and has received two consecutive grants from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation. Residing in NYC since 2015, she maintains her painting/woodworking studio practice alongside her administrative work for various art and education non-profits, art awards, and cultural organizations.

Ivana Brenner • Membership + Special Projects

Ivana Brenner is a Buenos Aires-born, Brooklyn-based artist. She has exhibited individually and collectively in galleries, museums, and biennials across the world. Her recent shows include Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial, at the Bronx Museum of the Arts, NYC; Contemporary Clay: Seven new voices in American Ceramics, at Emma Scully Gallery, NYC; Le Dégel, at Julio Artist-Run Space in Paris, and Work & Worth, at the 6th Biennale de Portneuf, in Québec. As an artist, Ivana has been awarded international residencies such as at the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris, and fellowships such as the 2022 Bronx Museum AIM fellowship. As a designer, she is the founder of Domingo Ceramics, a porcelain & gold tableware line that dialogues with her sculpture. Ivana has an active teaching and mentoring practice, and is a mentor in NYFA’s Immigrant Artist Mentorship Program. Her published writing includes a catalog essay for the Art Institute of Chicago published by Yale University Press. Ivana has worked in New York, Paris, Chicago, and Buenos Aires, and brings half a decade of both nonprofit and commercial management experience in the arts, as well as over a decade of experience as an exhibiting artist, designer, and community builder.

Photo by  Carlos Ledesma)

Izzy Kross • Graphic Designer + Social Media Manager

Born and raised in NYC, Izzy received her BA in Film Production from Bard College and studied animation at Les Récollets in Paris, FR through CCA/MICA. Before coming on-board as FDC's in-house graphic designer, video editor, and animator, she founded Lefty, a slow-fashion brand specializing in one of a kind, hand-printed fabric, garments, and homegoods.