Jacob Heftmann

Jacob Heftmann serves as Lecturer for Web Design and Interaction Design at Parsons School of Design, teaching within the Communication Design BA and Digital Product Design Masters programs in New York City. He concurrently holds the position of Graphic Design Director at Grilli Type while maintaining an active industry practice.

His educational background includes:

• Philosophy & Art History studies at University of California – Santa Barbara (2001-2005)

With 19 years of professional experience, Heftmann's teaching centers on Web Design, Interaction Design, and Digital Product Development. His courses—including 'Web and Interactive Design' (SS 2024) and 'Fearless Interaction' (SS 2020)—bridge academic theory with industry practice through real-world projects emphasizing sustainable design principles and technical implementation.

Professional recognition includes features on SiteInspire, Awwards, and The Brand Identity for client work with Google, IBM, Pinterest, and Brooklyn Museum.

Heftmann founded a design studio that scaled to 30+ designers generating $6M annual revenue before its 2020 acquisition by Garden3d. His industry leadership informs teaching through practical case studies, while his fractional work model demonstrates contemporary career flexibility. Workshop engagements at HBK Saarbrücken and speaking appearances at Google Design provide students with direct industry exposure.

Based in Los Angeles after years between NYC and Europe, he maintains active connections to design communities through Instagram and LinkedIn, focusing on projects aligned with environmental sustainability and social impact.