Charles Johnson

Charles Johnson is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Carnegie Mellon University's Entertainment Technology Center (ETC), where he teaches courses like Product Design and Innovation: Scaling your idea from inception to mass market. With over three decades of experience in sports, fashion, and tech sectors, he has held executive roles at Adidas, Puma, and Crocs, and founded the design consultancy Driven By Charles LLC. His work bridges Humanistic Design, sustainability, and innovation, focusing on using design to address systemic challenges like climate change and social inequity.

He earned a BFA in Design from Carnegie Mellon University and serves as a jurist for IDEA, iF, and Core77 international design awards. His professional activities include keynote speaking and jury memberships, emphasizing

• empathy in design
• cross-industry collaboration
• AI ethics

Charles is affiliated with CMU's University Libraries, IDeATe, and Sustainability Initiative. His consulting firm works with clients in sports, healthcare, and social impact sectors, aligning with UN Sustainable Development Goals like Climate Action and Reduced Inequalities.