Meet C77DA 2025 Sustainability Jury Captain Kara Pecknold
If there is one thing Kara Pecknold worries about in the world of design, it is: "that we will avoid some of the deep work and thoughtful intention that is required to be active participants in supporting the shape of a livable future that sustains both people and planet." This concern for sustainability has shaped Kara's career path and motivates her future.
As the VP of Regenerative Design at frog (the reinvention and experience partner part of Capgemini Invent), Kara has spent 20 years helping clients develop new products, services, and businesses – particularly those that will benefit people and planet in the Eco-Digital Era™. Kara serves as the global lead for sustainability and focuses on insights that exist at the intersection of people, products, and systems. Her work has touched organizations across industries, from consumer products and services to health care, energy management, mobility, and education. Earlier in her career, Kara pursued a master's degree in design and operated her own research design consultancy in Vancouver, Canada. Today, she is based in Germany, where she leads a design team and speaks, teaches, and writes about design, sustainability, and building creative capabilities in organizations.
Kara finds herself most enthusiastic about the "intentional and blended emergence of science, nature, and business" in her practice, which she believes is "setting a tone for a refreshed narrative for design." To designers entering projects for consideration in the Core77 Design Awards, Kara advises: "Be intentional with the holistic story of your design. Ecosystems thinking reveals how your design will journey through the world and highlights both social and environmental impact."
If you have a design that could help people and planet thrive together, submit it to the 2025 Core77 Design Awards.
