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Ellen McGirt

Ellen McGirt is an author, podcaster, speaker, community builder, and award-winning business journalist. She is the editor-in-chief of Design Observer, a media company that has maintained the same clear vision for more than two decades: to expand the definition of design in service of a better world. Ellen established the inclusive leadership beat at Fortune in 2016 with raceAhead, an award-winning newsletter on race, culture, and business. The Fortune, Time, Money, and Fast Company alumna has published over twenty magazine cover stories throughout her twenty-year career, exploring the people and ideas changing business for good. Ask her about fly fishing if you get the chance.

More from this author

An image of hurricane aftermath, including mud-laden streets, fallen trees, and a car nose-down, halfway submerged in muddy water

Equity Observer

Ellen McGirt|Design and Climate Change

What will we do when all the levees break?

Design of Business | Business of Design

Ellen McGirt|Audio

S11E8: Poetry is Anti Capitalist with Tracy K. Smith

Design of Business | Business of Design

Jessica Helfand|Audio

S11E7: Using Design to Show the World Your Truth with Dionna Dorsey and Production Designer Olivia Peebles

Design of Business | Business of Design

Ellen McGirt|Audio

S11E6: Why an Inclusive Global Economy is a Redesign Project with Mastercard’s Shamina Singh

Design of Business | Business of Design

Ellen McGirt|Audio

S11E5: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert on Talent, Activism, and the Business of Basketball

Design of Business | Business of Design

Ellen McGirt|Audio

S11E4: Richard Buery and Robin Hood Are Building a Coalition to Tackle Poverty in NYC

Ellen McGirt|Essays

How to give peace a chance at the office

Design of Business | Business of Design

Jessica Helfand|Audio

S11E3: The Healthy Materials Lab says Everyone Deserves a Healthier Home

Equity Observer

Ellen McGirt|Essays

Wanna make a movie?

Equity Observer

Ellen McGirt|Essays

What does it mean to observe the observer?

Equity Observer

Ellen McGirt|Essays

College administrators have failed a basic leadership test

Design of Business | Business of Design

Ellen McGirt|Audio

S11E2: How Franklin Leonard is using The Black List to Redesign Hollywood