Karen Hofmann

Karen Hofmann is the President and CEO of ArtCenter College of Design, assuming this role on July 1, 2022. She is the sixth president of ArtCenter and made history as the first woman, alumna, and Provost to hold this position. Prior to becoming president, Hofmann served as ArtCenter's Provost from July 2018 and as chair of the Product Design department from 2010. She began teaching at ArtCenter in 2002, establishing herself as a long-standing faculty member.

Hofmann's significant accomplishments include recruiting an experienced executive leadership team, creating a more cohesive and inclusive Chairs Council, leading the 'Future of Education 2030' initiative, and overseeing an academic realignment that centralized administrative oversight under five divisions led by deans. She successfully guided the College through the pandemic transition to remote learning and ensured a safe return to campus.

Karen Hofmann's research and professional interests span industrial design, product design, design research and strategy, color and materials exploration, wearables and soft goods design, and design education. She emphasizes developing curricula that integrate critical thinking, business understanding, teamwork, and leadership skills alongside traditional design competencies. Hofmann champions the development of both a traditional design portfolio and an 'experience portfolio' that demonstrates real-world application of skills.

• Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) Education Award (2018)
• Most Admired Educator by DesignIntelligence (2010)

As an academic leader, Hofmann has founded the DesignStorms® project model (three-day creative immersions with corporate partners) and co-created ArtCenter's executive education programs focused on design-driven workshops and creative leadership seminars. She serves on the advisory board of the MADWORKSHOP Foundation and as a board member of Full Circle, which provides scholarships for ArtCenter students.