The 9th Edition of Italian Design Day in the World – Italian Design Day (IDD) will be held on February 12, 2025 and will have as its theme Inequalities. Design for a Better Life that re-iterates the topic of next International Exhibition of the Milan Triennale (May 13 – September 9, 2025), entitled Inequalities. How to mend the fractures of humanity – Diseguaglianze. Come sanare le fratture dell’umanità.
Both the Italian Design Day and the Milan Triennale will offer the opportunity to reflect on the role of design in reducing the impact of inequalities on the well-being of individuals in everyday life. In particular, both initiatives will be an opportunity to reflect on design serving new models of communities, accessibility to facilities and services, sustainability as a form of progress.
Wednesday, February 12 | 6:30 PM
On the occasion of Italian Design Day in the World (IDD), the Italian Cultural Institute of San Francisco presents a panel discussion featuring:
Caterina Falleni, Design Lead Manager, Accessibility & Inclusive Design, Meta
Elena Pacenti, Director of MDes Interaction Design, California College of the Arts
Manuela Zavattaro, Director of Design, Borrow – SoFi
on how innovation in design can improve the quality of life from different points of view:
- design as a tool for solving social, environmental and accessibility issues
- inclusion and gender perspective in design practice
- design and accessibility (how the issues of accessibility for all enter the practice of design in companies).
ABOUT THE PANELISTS
Caterina Falleni
Caterina is a seasoned Product Design Leader, startup mentor, and award-winning Italian designer based in San Francisco. For the past 7 years, she has been leading the Accessibility and Inclusive Design team at Meta, where she has played a pivotal role in developing equitable and inclusive solutions for over 3 billion people using Meta’s products worldwide, including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger.
Over the past 18 years, Caterina has worked in design consultancy, startups, and innovative labs, including the Samsung Research Lab and MIT Senseable City Lab, focusing on digital innovation, social impact, and sustainability. For more information, visit her website or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Elena Pacenti has recently joined CCA California College of the Arts in San Francisco as the new director of the Graduate program (MDes) in Interaction Design. After completing her studies and PhD research at the Polytechnic University of Milan, she spent most of her professional career at Domus Academy in Milan, a renowned Italian institution for postgraduate education. In 2013, she relocated to San Diego, California, to establish the School of Design at the NewSchool of Architecture & Design. In her career, she has pioneered the work on Service Design; she has coordinated European Research projects and directed Domus Academy Research Center (DARC); she has designed and launched programs in higher education; and advocated for the strategic value of design and the arts. Elena Pacenti received the insignia of “Cavaliere” dal Consiglio all’Ordine del Merito della Repubblica” (OMRI) awarded by decree of the President of the Republic of Italy, on December 27, 2020.
Manuela Zavattaro
Based in San Francisco, Manuela is a Product Design Leader with over 20 years of experience transforming complex technology into delightful user experiences. As UX Director at SoFi, she leads the product experience for their portfolio of loan products, driven by the company’s mission of helping people “get their money right.” She is excited to work at the intersection of design, technology, psychology, and economics, where thoughtful UX can transform complex financial decisions into empowering experiences.
She has been a strategic organizational partner throughout her career, bringing stakeholders together to define the big picture and transform visions into market-ready solutions. At Google, she led growth initiatives that enhanced small businesses’ visibility on Maps and Search by establishing a globally scalable platform and simplifying the onboarding experience for millions of businesses.
During her twelve-year tenure at Nokia (2006-2018), she integrated physical and digital elements to create impactful user experiences for mobile phones used by billions.
GENIO TOSCANO
The same day marks the closing of Genio toscano, the exhibition organized by the Tuscany Region on view at INNOVIT that highlights the excellence of Tuscany’s artistic and technological production.