Welcome Dawn Mayes, New Director of Design Entrepreneurship and Inclusion!

Kent State’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design welcomes Dawn Mayes, the inaugural Director of Design Entrepreneurship and Inclusion at Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative (CUDC).

The CUDC created the new Design Entrepreneurship and Inclusion initiative to support the development of new design firms and to expand the diversity of design practitioners in Northeast Ohio. The Cleveland Foundation has provided generous funding for this important new initiative. 

After an extensive national search, the CUDC is thrilled to launch the program under the leadership of a Kent State graduate. Dawn has a Masters of Architecture with a Certificate in Urban Design from Kent State, and a Bachelor of Science in Architectural Studies from Florida A&M University.

Dawn has worked for local architecture firms, including Robert P. Madison International and Ubiquitous Design, in addition to running her own business, Designs by Danico. She also served as Senior Program Manager of DEI for the Cleveland Guardians’ Progressive Field Renovations, advising team leadership on meeting and exceeding their goals for diversity and inclusion in large construction projects. 

“It was a struggle as a minority to see myself succeeding in the design industry due to the lack of diversity,” said Dawn. “This new initiative is a step in the right direction to allow room for growth, expansion, and innovation within the DEI realm and design industry.”

In her new position, Dawn will provide coaching and technical assistance for designers starting their own firms, with targeted assistance toward young professionals and Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and Asian-American designers. She’ll also work with local developers, non-profits, and government agencies to expand the diversity of designers in leadership roles on civic, institutional, and private sector design and development projects in Northeast Ohio. She will also create a viable pipeline for more diverse student enrollment through intentional partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU).

“Dawn is a visionary who will work to strengthen pathways into the design professions for women and people of color,” said Terry Schwarz, Director of the CUDC. “We’re excited to see how this new initiative will unfold.”

For more information, contact Dawn at dmayes@kent.edu.