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Christie ShinProfessor, SUNY FIT;
Partner and Design Director, Cynda Media LabChristie Shin has more than 30 years of professional experience as an educator, creative consultant, and design director specializing in UX/UI design, digital product design, and branding. Shin is among the most award-winning designers receiving over 60 international design awards since 2012. Her clients include Hearst, UNESCO APCEIU, Sony, GUND, WeWork, and MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Her design work has won numerous international awards from The Type Directors Club, Communication Arts, Print Regional Design Annual, and HOW Magazine. Shin has lectured and discussed her creative work and research internationally at some of the world’s most prestigious art schools. Currently, Shin is an associate professor at FIT, where she was awarded the 2017 FIT Faculty Excellence Award.
C.J. YehProfessor, SUNY FIT;
Founder and Executive Creative Director, Cynda Media LabC.J. Yeh is a creative director, artist, educator, and author. Yeh is the founder of Cynda Media Lab, an award-winning interdisciplinary design studio. Cynda Media Lab’s list of clients includes Google, legendary composer Alan Menken, and GUND. As an expert in digital branding and visual identity system design, Yeh has been awarded the Communication Arts Typography Award, the HOW International Design Award, and the iF Design Award. Yeh has had solo exhibitions at the Queens Museum of Art, The Museum at FIT, and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei. He has also lectured extensively around the world, speaking at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, Cornell University, the United Nations, and TEDx.
David MendezSenior Software Engineer, Warner Bros. Discovery/CNNDavid, a seasoned developer with over a decade of experience, began his career at Scholastic, creating educational games. At Code and Theory, he led the code base for high-profile projects like PGIM’s website and CNN’s Magic Wall. Transitioning to CNN full-time, he developed internal tools. Beyond mainstream media, David has served as a contract senior developer at Cynda Media Lab in NYC, showcasing his versatility in diverse projects.
Hedy DengStaff Developer, WeightWatchersWith over a decade of web development experience, Hedy began shaping high-traffic sites like People.com, Allrecipes.com, and InStyle.com. Fueled by a passion for blending creativity with purpose, she became a contract senior developer at Cynda Media Lab, contributing to the realization of educational concepts through engaging digital experiences. Now a staff developer at WeightWatchers in New York City, Hedy leverages her expertise to empower healthier lives through user-friendly web tools.
Robbie FrankStaff Product Designer, OloRobbie is a seasoned Staff Product Designer, currently at Olo, where he plays a role in driving innovation and executing product strategies. His extensive contributions include leading cross-functional workshops, spearheading product expansions, and identifying product-market fit through generative research. With a background as a graphic designer, then an elementary special education teacher, and now a product designer, Robbie brings a wealth of diverse experiences, in shaping compelling visions, redesigning products, and fostering collaborative environments.
Selected Profes­sional awards2023 NYX Design Awards, Gold MarcomCategory: Logo Design2023 NYX Design Awards, Gold MarcomCategory: Brand Promotion2023 Communication Arts Typography Awards, ShortlistCategory: Logo Design2022 MUSE Creative Awards by ClioCategory: Website Design2022 MUSE Creative Awards by ClioCategory: Publication Design2022 MUSE Creative Awards by ClioCategory: Identity System Design2021 UCDA Design Award, SilverCategory: Publication Design2021 UCDA Design Excellence AwardCategory: Website Design2020 PRINT Design Awards, First PlaceInvitation Design2020 UCDA Design Excellence AwardPoster Design2020 The Internet Advertising Competition (ICA)Category: Outstanding Online Video2019 Communication Arts Design AwardsCategory: Poster Series2019 UCDA Design Excellence AwardCategory: Exhibition Graphics2019 UCDA Design Excellence AwardCategory: Mobile App Design2019 iF Design AwardsCategory: Campaign and Advertising2019 Communicator Awards, GoldCategory: User Experience Design2019 Communicator Awards, GoldCategory: User Interface Design2018 HOW International Design AwardsCategory: Posters2017 Communication Arts Typography AwardsCategory: Trademarks2017 HOW Logo Design AwardsCategory: People’s Choice2016 Print Regional Design AwardsCategory: Experiential Graphics
Selected Student Achieve­ment
2022-20232023 Young Ones PortfolioUX/UI Portfolio WinnerCategory: Web Design & UX/UI
Student: Mariko Dreifuss
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design Portfolio2023 Young Ones PortfolioUX/UI Portfolio WinnerCategory: Web Design & UX/UI
Student: Kate Ma
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design Portfolio2023 Young Ones ADCDesign for Good Bronze Cube Award
AccessibleNYC AppCategory: Web Design & UX/UI
Student: Mariko Dreifuss2023 Young Ones ADCDesign for Good Bronze Cube Award
AccessibleNYC AppCategory: Design for Good: Interactive
Student: Sara Park, Mariko Dreifuss, Yoojin Song
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT412 Content-centric App Design2023 Young Ones ADCMerit: ERA NYC AppCategory: Interactive: Mobile Applications
Student: Isabelle Kwong, Morgan Hlaing, Max Barbosa
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT412 Content-centric App Design2023 Young Ones ADCMerit: AccessibleNYC AppCategory: Interactive: Mobile Applications
Student: Sara Park, Mariko Dreifuss, Yoojin Song
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT412 Content-centric App Design2023 Young Ones ADCMerit: Period Tracker AppCategory: Interactive: Mobile Applications
Student: Kate Ma, Alice Qu, Margarita Kaplan, Nicolette Constantinides
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT304 Design Systems for UX and UI2023 Young Ones ADCShortlist: CareCo AppCategory: Interactive: Mobile Applications
Student: Hanbyul Kang, Rui Sun, Kate Ma, Alexandra Molta
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT412 Content-centric App Design2023 Young Ones ADCShortlist: Venmo AppCategory: Interactive: Mobile Applications
Student: Alexandra Molta, Rui Sun, Gabriela Sorto, Suebin Kang
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT304 Design Systems for UX and UI2023 Young Ones ADCShortlist: Wayfair Responsive WebsiteCategory: Interactive: Online/Mobile Websites
Student: Sara Park
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT302 Digital Product Design I2023 Young Ones ADCShortlist: Kiehl’s Responsive UI DesignCategory: Interactive: Online/Mobile Websites
Student: Natalie Leriche
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT302 Digital Product Design I2023 Young Ones ADCShortlist: IHop: Dynamic BrandingCategory: Brand/Communication Design: Branding-Branding Systems/Identities
Students: Alexandra Molta, Suebin Kang
Professor: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT303 Dynamic Branding2023 Young Ones TDCShortlist: Lilium TypefaceCategory: Type Design: Single Typeface
Student: Sara Park
Professor: C.J. Yeh
Course: CT372 Advanced Typeface Design2023 Young Ones TDCShortlist: Koro: 3D Display TypefaceCategory: Type Design: Single Typeface
Student: Mariko Dreifuss
Professor: C.J. Yeh
Course: CT372 Advanced Typeface Design2023 Young Ones TDCShortlist: Potato TypefaceCategory: Type Design: Single Typeface
Student: Kate Ma
Professor: C.J. Yeh
Course: CT372 Advanced Typeface Design2023 Young Ones TDCShortlist: CubistCategory: Type Design: Single Typeface
Student: Yoojin Song
Professor: C.J. Yeh
Course: CT372 Advanced Typeface Design
2023 D&AD New BloodYellow Pencil Award: BankMate by BarclaysBriefs: Barclays
Students: Yoojin Song, Sara Park, Isabelle Kwong
Professors: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT400 Digital Product Design II2023 D&AD New BloodGraphite Pencil Award: Barclays at EaseBriefs: Barclays
Students: Hanbyul Kang, Rui Sun, Kate Ma
Professors: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT400 Digital Product Design II2023 D&AD New Blood: The PortfoliosWinnerCategory: Digital Design
Student: Sara Park
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design Portfolio2023 D&AD New Blood: The PortfoliosWinnerCategory: Digital Design
Students: Kate Ma
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design Portfolio2023 D&AD New Blood: The PortfoliosWinnerCategory: Digital Design
Student: Isabelle Kwong
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design Portfolio2023 D&AD New Blood: The PortfoliosWinnerCategory: Digital Design
Student: Angelica Genao
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT460 Brand Experience Design PortfolioCommunication Arts: 2023 Interactive CompetitionAward of Excellence Winner
Ticketmaster: Beyond the Event ExperienceCategory: Student Work
Students: Isabelle Kwong, Sara Park, Harry Lin, Max Barbosa
Professors: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT304 Design Systems for UX and UICommunication Arts: 2023 Interactive CompetitionShortlist: Period TrackerCategory: Student Work
Students: Kate Ma, Margarita Kaplan, Alice Qu, Nicolette Constantinides
Professors: Christie Shin, C.J. Yeh
Course: CT304 Design Systems for UX and UICommunication Arts: 2023 Interactive CompetitionShortlist: Wayfair UI RedesignCategory: Student Work
Student: Sara Park
Professor: Christie Shin
Course: CT302 Digital Product Design I
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