For our fourth installment of Ford and IDSA's 'Designing Innovation' series, we've invited a diverse group of experts panelists to discuss ways designers can innovate to fortify the relationships between a brands' products and the consumers who enjoy them. Moderated by Rama Chorpash, the Director of MFA Industrial Design at Parsons, tonight's conversation highlights the broad influence of design in today's marketplace and features Ingrid Fetell, Design Director at IDEO; Steve Schlafman, Principal at RRE Ventures; our very own Allan Chochinov, Chair of MFA Products of Design at SVA; and Craig Metros, Exterior Design Director of the Americas at Ford Motor Company (read our recent Q+A with him here.)

The discussion kicks off at 7pm EST. Remember, you can join the conversation by submitting a question on Twitter using the hashtag #DesigningInnovation—we'll be selecting a few to ask the panelists live on stage. Tune in below to see the 'Designing Innovation' panel live from New York City's Cooper Union.

Read up on the panelists onstage:

» Moderator: Rama Chorpash
Director of MFA Industrial Design, Parsons the New School for Design

Rama Chorpash focuses on exchange between people and everyday things. His designs have traversed a wide spectrum of project types, from innovative office furniture for Herman Miller to a humble potato masher. Embedded in each project is an exploration of social use. As a generalist industrial designer, developing benchmark products challenges him to express not only what role he plays in creating the useful and sublime, but in articulating complex frameworks of practice. His work has been exhibited coast to coast, from the Museum of Modern Art to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and Design Miami/Basel Art Fairs. He has had feature profiles in publications such as: Co.Design, The New York Times Style Magazine, and The New Yorker. Elle Décor also listed him as one of the 10 most influential people in design. While engaged in his creative-practice, he is an Associate Professor and Director of a new Industrial Design MFA at Parsons the New School for Design. As an educator he cultivates a critical inquiry exploring what products are, what they could be, and how they might tangibly posit positive change in an uncertain world.

» Panelist: Craig Metros
Ford // Exterior Design Director, The Americas

Craig Metros is Exterior Design Director for The Americas, overseeing the exterior design teams developing new vehicles in North and South America. Metros previously was Design Director for Ford Asia Pacific, based in Melbourne, Australia. During his tenure he led the design concepts and themes around the Ford Everest utility, Ford Falcon sedan and Ford Ranger truck, highlighting his versatility across a wide range of vehicles.

Metros was born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan. The son of an automotive engineer, Metros was exposed to car culture at an early age and began drawing cars almost from the time he learned how to hold a crayon. He is a graduate of the College for Creative Studies in Detroit.

» Panelist: Allan Chochinov
SVA MFA Products of Design // Chair

Allan Chochinov is a partner of Core77, a New York-based design network serving a global community of designers and design enthusiasts, and Chair of the new MFA in Products of Design graduate program at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Prior, his work in product design focused on the medical, surgical, and diagnostic fields, as well as on consumer products and workplace systems. He has been named on numerous design and utility patents and lectures widely on design and contemporary culture.

» Panelist: Ingrid Fetell
IDEO // Design Director

Ingrid Fetell is a Design Director in IDEO's New York office and founder of the blog Aesthetics of Joy. Pairing insights from neuroscience and psychology with a passion for human-centered design, she advocates for design's ability to promote greater wellbeing in the world. She puts this lens to work helping teams design products and services that cultivate happier, healthier, and more sustainable lives.

Ingrid brings over ten years of experience in design and branding, having led design programs for Target, Eileen Fisher, American Express, Diageo, Pepsico, and the US government, among others. Her writings have been published by Core 77, Psychology Today, Brandchannel, and Libertine, and she has been featured as a design expert by many sources, including The New York Times. She speaks regularly on the power of design to change the world.

» Panelist: Steve Schlafman
RRE Ventures // Principal

Steve is a Principal at RRE Ventures, focused on early stage investments in mobile services, hardware, and marketplaces. Prior to joining RRE, Steve was a Principal at Lerer Ventures, one of NYC's most active seed funds. 

Steve was previously VP of Business Development at Stickybits Inc. /Turntable.fm and Director of Venture Investments at The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company focused on sports and entertainment, paper and packaging, real estate development, and private equity. Steve started his career at Massive Inc. and Microsoft in a variety of Business Development, Strategy and Corporate Finance roles. He regularly teaches at GA and Skillshare, and has guest lectured at Columbia Business School, Wharton, and Harvard Business School. Steve graduated with highest honors from Northeastern University. You can follow him on Twitter at @schlaf.