Barbara EgelCo-Director, Design Thinking & CommunicationLecturer, Cook Family Writing Program
About
Barbara Egel is the Communication Co-Director for Design Thinking and Communication (DTC). She brings more than two decades of experience in qualitative research, innovation strategy, and high-stakes corporate communication.
In industry, Barbara has directed US and global research initiatives for major brands, specializing in complex and sensitive product areas, and is known as an innovator in the research space. Her work has supported the full development cycle, from identifying unmet needs to successful product launch in the marketplace. She has conducted research globally with local partners to understand the cultural differences that shape people’s experiences and guide responsible design.
As a corporate communication strategist, Barbara has advised senior leaders and teams on communicating clearly and confidently during pivotal moments. Her experience includes devising strategy and messaging for company integrations and organizational change, translating highly technical or regulatory concepts into action-oriented collateral, and training leaders to communicate with credibility and confidence.
At Northwestern, Barbara teaches several sections of DTC each year, has taught Design Thinking and Doing (DTD), and serves as the Communication Coach for the Manufacturing and Design Engineering (MaDE) capstone students.
She is also a published poet and literary critic.
Education
BA Comparative Literature, University of Illinois at Urbana
MALit, Northwestern University