CONTACT
@jesicarson
jesi [dot] carson [at] gmail [dot] com
Unceded territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations
[aka]
Vancouver, BC, Canada
jesi [dot] carson [at] gmail [dot] com
Unceded territory of the Squamish, Tsleil-Waututh and Musqueam First Nations
[aka]
Vancouver, BC, Canada
BIO
Jesi Carson is a design researcher and interaction designer specializing in community engagement and creative facilitation. Her current roles include Design Technology Lead of Participedia︎︎︎, Co-director and Board President of the Vancouver Design Nerds︎︎︎, and Co-founder of the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation︎︎︎. She has published and presented her collaborative work at various conferences and scholarly events, including the International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference, the Participatory Design Conference and the American Institute of Graphic Arts MAKE Conference for Educators.
EDUCATION
MDes
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2016 - 2018]
Master’s Degree, Interdisciplinary Design Research
BDes
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2009 - 2013]
Bachelor’s Degree, Interaction Design
Professional Development
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2016 - 2018]
Master’s Degree, Interdisciplinary Design Research
BDes
Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2009 - 2013]
Bachelor’s Degree, Interaction Design
Professional Development
- Democracy Fitness Training Certification, 2024
- Canadian History Through the Lens of Indigenous Women (Cohort 3), 2021
- M̓i tel'nexw Leadership Transformation, 2020
EXPERIENCE
Participedia
[2025 - present] Design Director
[2021 - 2025] Design Technology Lead
[2015 - 2021] Lead Designer
info@participedia.net
Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation
[2020 - Present]
Co-founder
Vancouver Design Nerds
[2021 - Present] Co-director & Board President
[2016 - 2021] Co-director & Project Lead
jesi@designnerds.org
Studio for Extensive Aesthetics︎︎︎, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2020 - 2021]
Research Fellow & Studio Manager
Basic Design
[2013 - 2016]
Co-Founder & Design Partner
Cultivate Projects
[2012 - 2016]
Co-Founder & Project Coordinator
Henriquez Partners Architects︎︎︎
[2013 - 2015]
Graphic Designer
CityStudio Vancouver︎︎︎
[2012]
Web-Based Communications Intern
IBI Group Architects︎︎︎
[2011-2012]
Graphic Designer
Emily Carr University of Art + Design︎︎︎
[2011]
Research Assistant
Basecamp International Centers
[2006 - 2008]
Marketing Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
[2025 - present] Design Director
[2021 - 2025] Design Technology Lead
[2015 - 2021] Lead Designer
info@participedia.net
- Design and communications strategy and production
- Design-led engagement and pedagogy for Participedia Partners Conference and Participedia School programs
- Design technology research and production of open source crowdsourcing platform (github.com/participedia︎︎︎)
Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation
[2020 - Present]
Co-founder
- Partnership development and strategic direction
- Process design, facilitation and student facilitation training for multi-week co-design workshops
- Scholarly publications and presentations
Vancouver Design Nerds
[2021 - Present] Co-director & Board President
[2016 - 2021] Co-director & Project Lead
jesi@designnerds.org
- Production of placemaking initiatives and urban interventions, such as Bird Bath and the Vancouver Bubble
- Production of design jam events
- Custom co-design and prototyping projects with clients
Studio for Extensive Aesthetics︎︎︎, Emily Carr University of Art + Design
[2020 - 2021]
Research Fellow & Studio Manager
- Support production of projects and artistic research, including experiments in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
Basic Design
[2013 - 2016]
Co-Founder & Design Partner
- Design and fabrication of upcycled consumer products
- Design and fabrication of custom interior design and furniture for clients
- Production of educational upcycling events and workshops
Cultivate Projects
[2012 - 2016]
Co-Founder & Project Coordinator
- Design and implementation of community-led urban agriculture projects
Henriquez Partners Architects︎︎︎
[2013 - 2015]
Graphic Designer
- Design and production of reports, open house boards, award submissions, RFQs, architectural wayfinding and other projects
- Lead editorial team for Archimemo online publication
- Website and social media management
CityStudio Vancouver︎︎︎
[2012]
Web-Based Communications Intern
- Development of Web-Based Communications Handbook
- Website and social media management
IBI Group Architects︎︎︎
[2011-2012]
Graphic Designer
- Design and production of architectural renderings,slideshows, presentation boards, publication layouts and other projects
Emily Carr University of Art + Design︎︎︎
[2011]
Research Assistant
- Co-designed unique, user-centered research methods to engage stakeholders and inform Lions Gate Hospital foyer space redesign
- Produced comprehensive report for Vancouver Coastal Health and IBI Group Architects
Basecamp International Centers
[2006 - 2008]
Marketing Manager & Volunteer Coordinator
- Redesigned brand identity and produced marketing collateral
- Developed and implemented Campus Representative marketing strategy
- Managed BaseCamp Nicaragua in 2007 and BaseCamp Nepal in 2008, including coordination of volunteer placements, orientation, language training and in-country support
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
2024 Carson, Jesi and Marianna Gonzales. “Ideas, Arrangements, Effects: Toward Design Jutsice.” Participedia School. Participedia, University of the Western Cape and Memorial University. Cape Town, South Africa, June 10-15, 2024.
2024 Carson, Jesi, Bettina Von Lieres, Matthew Wingfield, Marco Adamovic and Mukisa Mujulizi. “Research & Practice Opportunities with the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation (GCDI).” Participedia Partners Conference. University of the Western Cape. Cape Town, South Africa, June 5-7, 2024.
2023 Wingfield, Matthew, Jesi Carson and Mukisa Mujulizi. “Critical Analysis of Design Thinking as a Transformative Pedagogical Tool.” International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (ISSOTL 2023). Utrecht, Netherlands, November 15, 2023.
2023 Carson, Jesi and Tara Mahoney. “Creativity & Futurity: Designing & Imagining a Deeper Democracy.” Participedia School. SFU Community Engaged Research Initiative (CERi) & Participedia. Simon Fraser University. Vancouver, BC, June 4-10, 2023.
2022 Wingfield, Matthew, Marco Adamovic, Bettina Von Lieres and Jesi Carson. “International Collaboration Through Design Thinking: A Case Study of the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation.” International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (ISSOTL 2022). Kelowna, BC, November 3-5, 2022.
2022 Carson, Jesi. “Participedia: Crowdsourcing Democratic Innovations.” University of the Western Cape, June 21, 2022. (video recording)
2022 Carson, Jesi. “Participedia: Community & Crowdsourcing Platform.” Simon Fraser University,
Health Sciences, August 22, 2022.
2021 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Feminist HCI x Participedia.net.” Methods, Theories and Taking Action Through Gender and Feminisms in Computer-Human Interaction (HCI). University of Kassel, Germany. August 9-10, 2021.
2020 Patrick Scully, Bonny Ibhawoh, Amber Frid-Jimenez, Julien Landry, Bettina Von Lieres and Jesi Carson. “Crowdsourcing Global Knowledge about Democratic Innovations - An Introduction to Participedia.” DemocracyXChange Festival. Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Toronto, Canada. Oct 19, 2020.
2020 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Participedia: Crowdsourcing Participatory Democracy for the Public Good.” Prix Forum Digital Communities. Ars Electronica Festival, Linz, Austria. September 9 - 13, 2020.
2020 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Designing Participedia: A Collaborative Research Platform.” Participatory Design Conference, Manizales, Colombia, June 15-19, 2020.
2019 Hay, Sarah and Jesi Carson. “Design Thinking Methods for Engagement.” Dialogue & Civic Engagement Certificate. SFU Public Square. Simon Fraser University. Vancouver, Canada, 2019.
2019 Frid-Jimenez, Amber. “Participedia Reloaded: the power of open source.” Participedia Partners Conference. Southampton University, UK. June 10-13, 2019.
2017 Carson, Jesi. “Design Thinking x Democratic Innovations.” 17th Conference of the International Observatory on Participatory Democracy, Montreal, Quebec, June 16-19, 2017.
2017 Carson, Jesi. “Design Thinking x Participedia.” Participedia Summer School. University of Montreal, Montreal Quebec, June 12-16, 2017.
2016 Carson, Jesi and Amber Frid-Jimenez. “Mapping the Democratic Innovations of Madrid.” Collective Intelligence for Democracy. Media Lab Prado, Madrid, Spain. November 27 - December 2, 2016.
2016 Hay, Sarah and Jesi Carson. “Design Thinking for Facilitators.” Skillful Engagement Series. SFU Public Square, Vancouver, Canada, 2016.
2024 Carson, Jesi, Bettina Von Lieres, Matthew Wingfield, Marco Adamovic and Mukisa Mujulizi. “Research & Practice Opportunities with the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation (GCDI).” Participedia Partners Conference. University of the Western Cape. Cape Town, South Africa, June 5-7, 2024.
2023 Wingfield, Matthew, Jesi Carson and Mukisa Mujulizi. “Critical Analysis of Design Thinking as a Transformative Pedagogical Tool.” International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (ISSOTL 2023). Utrecht, Netherlands, November 15, 2023.
2023 Carson, Jesi and Tara Mahoney. “Creativity & Futurity: Designing & Imagining a Deeper Democracy.” Participedia School. SFU Community Engaged Research Initiative (CERi) & Participedia. Simon Fraser University. Vancouver, BC, June 4-10, 2023.
2022 Wingfield, Matthew, Marco Adamovic, Bettina Von Lieres and Jesi Carson. “International Collaboration Through Design Thinking: A Case Study of the Global Classroom for Democracy Innovation.” International Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference (ISSOTL 2022). Kelowna, BC, November 3-5, 2022.
2022 Carson, Jesi. “Participedia: Crowdsourcing Democratic Innovations.” University of the Western Cape, June 21, 2022. (video recording)
2022 Carson, Jesi. “Participedia: Community & Crowdsourcing Platform.” Simon Fraser University,
Health Sciences, August 22, 2022.
2021 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Feminist HCI x Participedia.net.” Methods, Theories and Taking Action Through Gender and Feminisms in Computer-Human Interaction (HCI). University of Kassel, Germany. August 9-10, 2021.
2020 Patrick Scully, Bonny Ibhawoh, Amber Frid-Jimenez, Julien Landry, Bettina Von Lieres and Jesi Carson. “Crowdsourcing Global Knowledge about Democratic Innovations - An Introduction to Participedia.” DemocracyXChange Festival. Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), Toronto, Canada. Oct 19, 2020.
2020 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Participedia: Crowdsourcing Participatory Democracy for the Public Good.” Prix Forum Digital Communities. Ars Electronica Festival, Linz, Austria. September 9 - 13, 2020.
2020 Frid-Jimenez, Amber and Jesi Carson. “Designing Participedia: A Collaborative Research Platform.” Participatory Design Conference, Manizales, Colombia, June 15-19, 2020.
2019 Hay, Sarah and Jesi Carson. “Design Thinking Methods for Engagement.” Dialogue & Civic Engagement Certificate. SFU Public Square. Simon Fraser University. Vancouver, Canada, 2019.
2019 Frid-Jimenez, Amber. “Participedia Reloaded: the power of open source.” Participedia Partners Conference. Southampton University, UK. June 10-13, 2019.
2017 Carson, Jesi. “Design Thinking x Democratic Innovations.” 17th Conference of the International Observatory on Participatory Democracy, Montreal, Quebec, June 16-19, 2017.
2017 Carson, Jesi. “Design Thinking x Participedia.” Participedia Summer School. University of Montreal, Montreal Quebec, June 12-16, 2017.
2016 Carson, Jesi and Amber Frid-Jimenez. “Mapping the Democratic Innovations of Madrid.” Collective Intelligence for Democracy. Media Lab Prado, Madrid, Spain. November 27 - December 2, 2016.
2016 Hay, Sarah and Jesi Carson. “Design Thinking for Facilitators.” Skillful Engagement Series. SFU Public Square, Vancouver, Canada, 2016.