People

Jonathan Erwin '13

Director of Operations, Zest Tea; Faculty, MICA/Johns Hopkins MA/MBA Program

Jonathan Erwin is a nationally recognized social impact designer specializing in environmental, social and community resilience strategies. His work exploring the role of design in disinvested urban communities of Baltimore has earned him a reputation with the Clinton Global Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation, the UN-Habitat World Urban Forum, and other major players in social design.

His practice connects and elevates grassroots and community-led efforts to national and international discussions on environmental resilience and the effects of climate change. He is an innovator in the emerging field of social impact design, exploring new strategies for social resilience, community engagement and empowerment.

While developing his own practice, Jonathan has used his background in architecture and urban design to push forward new and existing innovative initiatives around climate change. He’s partnered with multinational design firms, on-the-ground community groups, and government entities to streamline discussions, create efficiencies and maximize impact.

He is an expert facilitator, bringing together interdisciplinary and socio-economically diverse teams to combat the most challenging issues of our time. Jonathan is a leader in his field, working with the American Institute of Architects, Association for Community Design, and the International Youth Foundation.

Jonathan holds a Masters in Social Design from the Center for Social Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he recently completed an assignment as a Social Design Fellow in Baltimore, Maryland.

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