In this episode, we sit down with Lauren Rottet — the only woman ever elevated to Fellow status by both the AIA and IIDA — to explore her remarkable journey from architect to interior and product designer. As Founding Principal of Rottet Studio, Lauren has led award-winning projects around the world and launched a celebrated furniture line, all while challenging the status quo. We talk mentorship, leadership, and what it takes for women to not only enter the design professions, but to lead them. Plus, Lauren shares the story behind one hotel inspired by a trailblazing woman — and the quote that guides her: “Well-behaved women seldom make history.”

This season of Break Some Dishes is presented by Humanscale.

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In this episode of Break Some Dishes, Jon and Verda talk with Jane Abernethy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Humanscale about everything from sustainable products to gender equity in industrial design. Jane shares her journey from industrial designer to sustainability leader, why women’s voices are essential in shaping our built environment, and how bias in design can have lasting consequences. We also dig into circularity, regenerative futures, and how young designers can lead us toward a more inclusive, sustainable world.

This season of Break Some Dishes is presented by Humanscale.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Jon and Verda dive into the intersection of gender, sustainability, and regenerative futures in industrial design. We’re joined by two powerhouse designers, Baillie Mischler, Founder at PROWL, and Lauryn Menard, CEO of GOB. Together, we explore the challenges and opportunities for women in industrial design, the systemic gender biases embedded in everyday products, and the urgent need for diverse voices in shaping the future of design. We also discuss what a ‘regenerative future’ means and how companies like PROWL and GOB are pushing the boundaries of sustainability.

RESOURCES AND FURTHER READING

· Women in Design: Building Diversity in Industrial Design (IDSA)

· “Shrink It and Pink It”: Gender Bias in Product Design (Harvard Advanced Leadership)

· PROWL – A Female-Founded Industrial Design Studio

· GOB EARTH – Regenerative Material Innovation

· The book Jon and Verda are reading: Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.