In just a few short months, the landscape of civic design in the U.S. has undergone immense upheaval – with lots of those shifts being painfully apparent right here in the District. The new administration has both radically reduced civic infrastructure and sent dedicated public servants home, while pouring unprecedented energy into infusing the government with technology (namely artificial intelligence).
What does this reduction in the public service workforce mean for civic designers? What are the dangers of a government service without thoughtful civic design(ers and changemakers)?
Join Ashleigh Axios, former White House Creative Director and former AIGA National President and Chair of the Board of Directors, as well as Aruna Mall, Chief Creative Officer for Teal Media, for an intimate salon about civic design’s current crisis and what it means now, and in the future.
About Ashleigh (she/her)
Ashleigh Axios is a business owner and executive, international speaker, and board leader championing equitable business, healthcare, and civic design. Ashleigh believes that great design and strong leadership can positively transform public services, businesses, and communities. As an executive, she has built and co-led organizations that scaled to $30M+ in revenue while maintaining profitability—prioritizing a values-driven culture, operational excellence, and inclusive innovation. She served as the Creative Director and Digital Strategist in the Obama White House, leading high-impact digital initiatives that made government more accessible, responsive, and effective. Later, she co-established and led a government-focused digital consultancy, partnering with public-sector organizations, foundations, and nonprofits to modernize services and expand social impact. Under her leadership, teams, programs, and initiatives earned national recognition for innovation in government contracting and workplace culture.
About Aruna (she/her)
Aruna Mall has spent her 20+ year career in the design field enhancing and elevating the digital brand presence for some of the world’s most recognizable non-profits and mission-driven organizations. As the Chief Creative Officer at Teal Media Aruna guides the creative vision, methodology, and processes that empower clients and teams to produce inspiring, innovative, human-centric solutions that drive results. Prior to leading the creative vision for Teal Media, Aruna spent her time in Detroit and the Pacific Northwest crafting digital experiences for top-tier clients such as: Audi of North America, Nintendo of America, and Intel. Being a first generation immigrant – she has a passion for the underdog, under-represented voices, and promoting global citizenship.
Accessibility
Teaism Penn Quarter is centrally located in downtown DC and easily accessible from all Metro train lines, along with being accessible by bus and Capital Bikeshare.
If you need any additional accommodations to fully access the event, please send an email to accessibility@dc.aiga.org.
AIGA DC started in 1984 as a craft and design club of 79 members. Today, it includes more than 800 registered members, and hundreds of other designers in the community who are a part of our programs and events.
We are run by an all-volunteer Board of Directors who work to provide opportunities for designers to grow, whether they need mentorship, seek inspiration from other designers, or want to expand their practice in new directions.
DotGov Design, an initiative of AIGA DC, focuses on designers working with or inside government and civic tech initiatives. We’re here to build space and elevate resources for the changemakers that bridge design and impact.
Code of Conduct
All AIGA DC events adhere to our Code of Conduct.
