Last week, SVA President David Rhodes announced the appointment of Randy J. Hunt as chair of the College’s MFA Design program, effective July 1. Hunt, a 2007 alumnus of the program, succeeds founding co-chairs Steven Heller and Lita Talarico (MFA 2007 Art Criticism and Writing), who retired this spring after nearly 30 years at the helm. Hunt’s connection to the program as an alumnus and a lecturer brings a sense of continuity and personal investment in the program’s future.

In addition to being a frequent lecturer at the College, Hunt has also acted as a thesis advisor to several MFA Design students. He brings a wealth of experience and an impressive track record in design leadership to this role. In addition to his MFA in Design from SVA, he holds a BFA in Design from the University of Central Florida and completed an executive education program for creative leaders at Yale School of Management.

Hunt’s professional journey is marked by significant contributions to the design field. He is currently the head of design at Notion, leading the team designing tools for productivity and creativity. Previously, he served as chief product officer at Morning, where he led product, design, engineering and marketing efforts. His tenures as head of design at Grab, head of design at Artsy, and VP of Design at Etsy highlight his ability to scale design teams, integrate design into business strategy and expand its role in an enterprise.

Hunt received the National Design Award for Corporate and Institutional Achievement from the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, recognizing his work at Etsy, where he grew the design team from a small group to more than 110 members, significantly enhancing the company’s global design presence. His work has earned him numerous other accolades and his thought leadership is well-regarded, with keynotes and presentations at prestigious events such as IXDC in Beijing, Leading Design in London, and at MoMA in New York. Randy has also served as an advisor and mentor in various capacities, including for the Singapore government’s experimental development team, Open Government Products.

“The MFA Design program has made a substantial mark on the design practice, profession, and me personally,” Hunt says. “As we evolve MFA Design together with the design community, students, and alumni, we aim to commit to its roots while adapting to prepare future design leaders to shape the world in the way we hope and dream it can be.”

The MFA Design: Designer as Entrepreneur program is designed to both link and bridge a broad set of visual, verbal and textual approaches in a course of study that inspires students to conceive, produce, brand and market their own innovative content. Through the holistic teaching of knowledge and experience combined with contemporary best practices, MFA Design students invariably develop the confidence that enables talent to reach their highest potential. Students are immersed in the entrepreneurial start-up world through courses in business, intellectual property law and fundraising. Many go on to found their own start-ups, design firms and studios. Some become partners in businesses and individual projects. Graduates have started over 50 design studios around the globe.

For more information on the MFA Design program at SVA, visit the program’s website.

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Hunt, an alumnus of the program, succeeds founding co-chairs Steven Heller and Lita Talarico.