Our Staff
Ennis
Carter (ennis@dfsi.org)
What does any NYU Philosophy Major do after college? Work for a bank or
insurance company? Help sell "corporate ethics" to the public?
Those didn’t seem like good options for me, so I headed to NJ to
start my 10 year tenure with Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs).
I began as a campus organizer and canvass director, moving on to administrative
director, and eventually co-founder and director of Public Interest GRFX.
I consider myself one in the long lineage of those combining the skill
and love of graphic design with service to the community. My favorite
examples of this come from the WPA projects. Other trivia? The answer
is chocolate. Always.
Ali
Brody (ali@dfsi.org)
At first glimpse of DfSI's website, fireworks went off inside. I am proud to be part of the team.
I went to school for Art and Psychology at Eckerd College in sunny Florida. I then crept north for an Americorps program in North Carolina, and still further north to Philly where I have been working in foster care and early intervention. My creative side was crying out for imagery and my heart for social change. So HERE I AM.
Music, nature, food, friends, and randomness also make me smile.
Melinda Essig (melinda@dfsi.org)
I graduated from Syracuse University in Communication Design with a concentration in painting studio arts. I came out of school wanting to have a real inspired purpose to the work I was putting out there, and happily I found it at DFSI. After interning, I am now a full time graphic designer and part of the wonderful family here.
Besides all that, I enjoy random adventuring, yoga, rainbow chard, and trying as hard as I can to be a rock climber.
James Koivunen (james@dfsi.org)
I moved to Philadelphia from the Great Lakes State in 2005. After Ann Arbor I needed a change from the Midwest's mindset and average wave height. My sister Ann opened the door for me at Design for Social Impact, and I began working on the Buy Local Philly campaign shortly after landing in the city. This neighborhood project allowed me to explore my new surroundings and get settled in to the East Coast way of life. Over time my freelance writing became more focused and I now spend the week with the lively crew here at DfSI.
I graduated from Rutgers University with a BA in Environmental Planning Design. For 5 years, I was lucky enough to work for two very successful landscape architecture firms in Philly, both of which were involved in re-imagining this great city. A 5 year turn co-owning a local handmade soap company gave me a taste of the entrepreneurial spirit and showed me that I love to be of service to people. I spent the next 5 years building a corporate accountability research department for the NJ Carpenters Union. Working day in and day out with amazing Union carpenters from all over NJ opened my eyes to the power of Organizing.
I have a passion for sustainable/green architecture, alternative energy sources, and victory gardens. My dream is to travel around the country in a diesel engine bus converted to run on recycled veggie oil (Mmmm. Nothing like the smell of donut grease out on the open road...) to promote sustainability practices.
Until then, I am excited to be a part of this amazing collective of talented folks working & creating together to promote social justice issues.
Alex Peltz (alex@dfsi.org)
The woods of northern Vermont provided excellent stomping grounds for
a young kid growing up. So with eyes wide and ears open I left the
good state for Hamilton College in central NY where I studied anthropology
and studio art, two disciplines full of questions with room for exploration. So
once again I moved onward and found myself in Philadelphia looking for
a community of people who shared a like-minded view of the world.
My work at Design for Social Impact has included research for the WPA Living Archive, website production, project management and now creative Direction.
Our Interns and Extended Family
Design for Social Impact · 215-922-7303 · info@dfsi.org
