Changing Lives by Design: The Story of Designs for Dignity
In this episode, Designs for Dignity CEO and i+s Designer of the Year Jennifer Sobecki and D4D founder Susie Fredman discuss the non-profit's mission of empowering lives through pro bono design work.
Find out how you can help support and celebrate D4D's 20th anniversary of changing lives one project at a time.
About our Guests:
Jennifer has overseen the growth trajectory of the organization—with the expansion of project capacity and warehousing of in-kind donations to nearly quadrupling the operating budget of the agency since it’s founding in 2000. She was also named interiors+sources 2020 Designer of the Year.
Susie has earned many awards over her four decades in design and some of her favorites include the nod as one of the 100 Women Making a Difference by Today’s Chicago Woman and her Fearless Leader award from the Ms. Foundation. Her work has been featured in Traditional Home, Chicago Tribune, Chicago magazine, Chicago Home + Garden, LUXE, CS, CS Interiors, HGTV, and NBC-TV among others.
Listen to next: VR Part 2: Behind the Design of Snowsound's new 'VeoCon' VR Showroom
About the Author
Robert Nieminen
Chief Content Director
Chief Content Director, Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources
Robert Nieminen is the Chief Content Director of three leading B2B publications serving the commercial architecture and design industries: Architectural Products, BUILDINGS, and interiors+sources. With a career rooted in editorial excellence and a passion for storytelling, Robert oversees a diverse content portfolio that spans award-winning feature articles, strategic podcast programming, and digital media initiatives aimed at empowering design professionals, facility managers, and commercial building stakeholders.
He is the host of the I Hear Design podcast and curates the Smart Buildings Technology Report, bringing thought leadership to the forefront of innovation in built environments. Robert leads editorial and creative direction for multiple industry award programs—including the Elev8 Design Awards and Product Innovation Awards—and is a recognized voice in sustainability, smart technology integration, and forward-thinking design.
Known for his sharp editorial vision and data-informed strategies, Robert focuses on audience growth, engagement, and content monetization, leveraging AI tools and SEO-driven insights to future-proof B2B publishing.