EDUCATION
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, Fall 2005–Spring 2008
Master of Architecture
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, Fall 2000–Spring 2004
BFA Industrial Design & Graphic Design
One year of engineering studies.
EXPERIENCE
TJOKEEFE, Chicago, IL, Fall 2009–Present
Owner & Principal
Design & Manufacturing Company
Furniture Design, Lighting Design, Graphic Design
Responsibilities
Design, Material-Sourcing, Prototyping, Construction Drawings, Manufacturer-Sourcing, Manufacturing (Woodworking, Finishing, LED Electrical, Wiring), Shipping, Site-Scouting, Photography, Graphic Design, Copywriting, Promotion, Customer Service
Press/Interviews
The New York Times, FRAME, Details, Dwell, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, CS Interiors, Wallpaper, Chicago H&G, Icon, LUXE Interiors, Various Digital
Select Clients
Nike, Bergdorf Goodman, Ann Taylor, Ace Hotel, Poliform
University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Design, Chicago, IL, Fall 2012–Present
Clinical Assistant Professor of Industrial Design
Roles
Undergraduate and Graduate Studio Instruction
Committee Activities
Chair, UIC Design Studio Renovations Committee
Co-Chair, UIC Design Student Competitions
Design Archive Committee
Member, UIC School of Design, Personnel Committee
ICFF Student Show Committee
Graduate Design Lecture Series Co-Chair
Extra-Curricular Academic Contributions
Design House + Matot Partnership Competition, Fall 2016: Directed a 5-week, extracurricular competition partnering with a Chicago-based design hub and local, female-owned and operated metal fabricator, Matot. Twelve junior ID students participated, developing functional prototypes which were presented to Matot for the selection of two winning designs to move forward with production.
IHA Competition Juror, 2016, 2017: Represented UIC as a juror for the International Housewares Association student design competition, which led to an integration with a UIC Design studio curriculum enabling all students to end their semester with a submission to the international competition.
ICFF Student Show, 2016, 2017: Served as committee member and traveled to New York to direct a student team in the installation of the UIC Design exhibition at the International Contemporary Furniture Fair.
Daley Pop-Up Library, 2018–2019: This is an ongoing project in partnership with the UIC Richard J. Daley Library in which students design and produce a mobile, “pop-up” library to better engage with the campus community with library resources. This project will be run similar to the Design House + Matot competition.
Lend Lease Chicago River Birdhouse Project, Spring 2019: In collaboration with my UIC colleague Felicia Ferrone, I am directing a partnership with the architectural development company Lend Lease on a large, South Loop mixed-use development located on the Chicago River. We will be running a curriculum-integrated competition where a class of UIC Industrial Design juniors will design birdhouses to be fabricated and installed as permanent fixtures within the development’s nature preserve river walk.
Thoughtly Crew, Chicago, IL, Spring 2011-Present
Freelance Ideation & Product Development
Capital One, Lipton, Miller/Coors
COMMON, Boulder, CO, Spring 2012
Consultant
High-Level Ideation and concept development for Wolfsonian Design Museum, Miami
SHARCHITECTURE, Chicago, IL, Spring 2009 - Spring 2010
Designer/Fabricator
Design, Fabrication, Installation
HWKN Architects, New York, NY, Spring 2008
Design Consultant
Design Development
ECOBRAS, Eco-Museum, Brazil
MINI Cooper Manhattan Rooftop
MoTo Designshop Philadelphia, PA, Summer 2007
Design Associate
Design Development/Physical Model
Anthill Concept Rowhome
Graphic Design
Firm Identity Booklet
Orange Skin Chicago, IL, Summer 2006
Design Associate
3D CAD Modeling/Design Work
Murphy/Jahn Architects, Fordham Spire, Kreme Restaurant/Club
Graphic Design
Product Tearsheets
EXHIBITION
Gallery Aesthete, Chicago, IL, Dec. 2018
H & Vertical 3, Window Installation
Ace Hotel, Chicago, IL, Dec. 2018
SERIES, Gallery Installation
Salone del Mobile, Milan, Italy, Apr. 2016
45 Light Featured in Poliform Exhibit
Poliform Catalog, Como, Italy, May 2016
45 Light Featured in Product Catalog
MAD Museum Ball 2016 Auction Donation, New York, NY, Sep. 2015
Loop Side Table Prototype
Maison et Objet, LM/d Gallery, Paris, France, Jan. 2015
Museum Tinguely, Basel, Switzerland, Fall 2015
Haroon Mirza/hrm199 Ltd.
Other featured artists: Mattia Bosco, Alexander Calder, Anish Kapoor, Jeremy Deller, Francesca Fornasari, Gaia Fugazza, Alexander Heim, Gary Hill, Channa Horwitz, Guy Sherwin, Richard Sides, & Jean Tinguely.
Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London, UK, Mar. 5 – Apr. 21, 2014
Martino Gamper: Design Is a State of Mind
Product booklet feature by guest-curator, London-based Italian designer Martino Gamper.
International Contemporary Furniture Fair, New York, NY, May 2013,‘14,’15,’16
Full feature exhibition space displaying current product offerings.
Guerrilla Truck Show, Chicago, IL, Jun. 2012,‘13
Full feature exhibition space displaying current product offerings.
QUBIQUE Design Tradeshow, Berlin, GER, Oct. 2011
Full feature exhibition space displaying current product offerings.
Only American Company to Show
RECOGNITION
History Channel’s ‘City of the Future Competition’, Atlanta, GA, Jan. 2008
IBM Innovation In Technology Award (Architecture)
222 Gallery, The Evolving Drawing Philadelphia, PA, Feb. 2007
German Design Awards, May, 2017
Nominee, Excellent Product Design
Circuit Lounge Chair
Architizer A+ Awards, May, 2015
Winner, Popular Vote, Outdoor Furniture
Circuit Lounge Chair
Works Featured in Select Periodicals
Print
The New York Times, FRAME, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest, Details, CS Interiors, Chicago H&G, Icon, LUXE Interiors
Digital
Wallpaper, Dwell, Design Milk, SwissMiss, MocoLoco
Podcast Interview
Summit, Architecture & Design Podcast, Stockholm, SWE