Shannon Rahkola

MA in Sustainable Design / MCAD (2013)

Shannon Rahkola gained extensive experience working in design agencies and creative departments in both Minneapolis and Denver after she graduated with a BS in Applied Design from the University of Minnesota. Environmental and social responsibility have always been a part of her personal life, but after working several years feeling the need to intertwine her personal values and her design talent into a more fulfilling and ethical profession that created a bigger impact on the thrivability of the planet, she investigated and pursued an MA in Sustainable Design at MCAD. She graduated with a MA in Sustainable Design from MCAD in 2013. Now, she is a founding partner at Humbleweed Creative, a graphic design studio based in Minneapolis, MN that she started with two other graduates of the MCAD Sustainable Design program. Her work with Humbleweed Creative specializes in systems thinking and pushing boundaries to untangle complex problems with easy to understand illustrations, data infographics, and compelling sustainability stories. A large part of the design work she does is in the alternative energy sector.

Thesis title: A Brave New Role