Creative Entrepreneurialism Lecture Series

Donna Zaring, Executive Director at Flywheel Social Enterprise Hub. 

Donna Zaring is a dynamic leader dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and innovators who make the world a better place. Donna has held leadership roles in economic development, multi-national new product and brand development, and was a marketing VP at a Fortune 500 bank. She is also an entrepreneur, leading communications campaigns for prominent regional and national brands as founder of her own marketing and PR firm. During her career, she has served on non-profit boards including The Cincinnati Museum Center and Mercy Health, and has been named to the Business Courier 40 Under 40 as well as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year.

Ramsey Ford, Co-Director of XPLANE @ TiER1

Ramsey Ford is a collaborative change facilitator and entrepreneurial leader.  As the Co-Director of XPLANE @ TiER1 he works to build a community of practitioners dedicated to developing human-centered organizations that enable individuals, teams and communities to thrive. Prior to XPLANE, he co-founded and scaled a social innovation non-profit, Design Impact, to co-create solutions to complex social problems with communities and grassroots organizations. Over 13 years, he grew the organization to a team of 12 consultants and led projects across the globe and sectors, ranging from workforce development and senior hunger to children’s health and community development. Ramsey has a Master of Design from the University of Cincinnati, where he developed the concept of embedded design – deeply engaging design as a change process in organizations and communities.

Michael Fischer, Principal and Founder of 8K

Michael Started his entrepreneurial journey with the gut renovation of one dilapidated house on Langland Street in Northside; from that project, 8K was born. The renaissance in Cincinnati’s core neighborhoods has led to expertise across a broad spectrum of development and construction services, such as comprehensive historic renovations, commercial buildouts, and ground-up construction. Over the last decade, 8K has created valuable partnerships with non-profit, mission-driven developers and funders. 8K has excelled at leveraging New Market Tax Credits, Historic Preservation Tax Credits, tax abatements, and governmental debt to finance over $25 Million in project costs since 2016.

Evan Hildebrant, Mural Studio Manager at Artworks

Evan is a multidisciplinary artist, specializing in mixed media applications, large scale murals, and unique art installations. He has completed dozens of large-scale art projects including murals and 3D art constructions. Evan has been a full tie artist since 2008. He has a studio in downtown Cincinnati where he is prolific in creating his artwork. He has worked with many clients and interior designers to create site specific work over his career. He completed 5 large scale murals for ArtWorks, before joining as their Mural Studio Manager. 

Nile Otte, Social Enterprise Manager at Artworks

Nile has gravitated to the business of the arts her entire life. After initially pursuing a career in fashion marketing, she started her own styling business at 21, styling photo shoots, fashion shows, and personal wardrobes. Her photoshoot styling led her to the world of small business retail management, where she won Best of Denver awards in 2019 and 2022 for her work with Velvet Wolf Boutique and Wish Gifts. Her creative interests are heavily rooted in the music world as well. After managing and promoting local bands in Denver, Nile co-founded Rock-n-Doze, a homestay and rental brokerage serving touring musicians. She now serves as ArtWork’s Social Enterprise Manager, helping the worlds of art and enterprise intersect in new and beautiful ways. 

Sam Lucente, Designer + Principal                    Lucente Design

Working at the intersection of design, innovation, and customer experience, Sam Lucente brings proven world-class design approaches to bear on complex problems for society, organizations, and the design profession. As former VP of design, Lucente now consults with various companies and is involved in several entrepreneurial ventures. His work has been recognized with major design awards and is in the permanent collection at the New York MoMA, SFMOMA, the Smithsonian National Design Museum, and other collections. 

Dan Harden, Founder + CEO                            Whipsaw Inc.

Dan Harden is founder and CEO of Whipsaw Inc. where he directs the strategic and conceptual direction of most client accounts. During his prolific career Dan has designed over 1,000 products many of which became big market hits, he's won over 300 design awards including 52 IDEA, and has been granted over 600 patents. His work has been featured in several museums including the Smithsonian. Fast Company selected Dan as “100 Most Creative People”, calling him “design’s secret weapon” and also featured Dan as a Master of Design. His views and work have been featured in many magazines, and he is a host on the TV show “America by Design”. Dan was awarded the IDSA Personal Recognition Award in 2019 for his “outstanding contributions to the field of design”. Before founding Whipsaw in ‘99, Dan was VP and President of Frogdesign, a lead designer at Henry Dreyfuss Associates, and worked with design master George Nelson. 

Amy Tuttle, Executive Director                    WordPlay Cincy

Amy Tuttle serves as a non-profit leader, program administrator, and consultant. Her experiences range from developing protocols for disaster-relief scenarios to training professional practitioners around the globe. Tuttle is a dynamic communicator, motivational manager, and visionary leader with a special gift for implementing practical and effective change. 

Jessica Hemmer, Global Design Manager          P&G (Procter & Gamble) Baby Care

Experienced researcher, designer, collaborator, and innovator who has built a career creating innovative and inspiring products within the sportswear, fashion, and consumer packaged goods industries. Areas of expertise include market research, trend sensing, customer profile creation, apparel design, advanced manufacturing techniques, product development, and product management. Passionate about helping companies bring their best ideas to life through inspiration, collaboration, and strategy.