Lunch Talks

Chelsea Mauldin

Executive Director, Public Policy Lab
April 20, 2018

We have to think all the time about the way in which our work is actually justifiable on the primary grounds of, is it actually helping and not harming the people for whom we're designing?

Chelsea Mauldin is a social scientist and designer with a focus on public-sector innovation. She directs the Public Policy Lab, a New York City-based nonprofit organization that designs better public services for low-income and at-risk Americans.

Prior to co-founding the Public Policy Lab, Chelsea led a community-development organization, oversaw government partnerships at a public-space advocacy nonprofit, and consulted to municipal and federal agencies. She is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and the London School of Economics.

  • A group of people are seated closely together in chairs, facing away from the camera. Some are eating off plates, others are looking at their phones. One person wears a red beanie, another a black beanie, and multiple others have jackets on the backs of their chairs.
  • A woman in an orange dress is speaking with three people in a dimly lit room. Two individuals have long hair and one person is wearing a checkered shirt. A projection screen is in the background with posters that have the word "HISTORY" partially visible.
  • A person stands in front of a room of seated people, presenting a slideshow with an image of individuals in orange uniforms. The presenter is wearing an orange outfit and gesturing towards the screen. The room has a desk, computer, and coats hanging on hooks.
  • A woman in an orange dress is giving a presentation. She appears to be speaking passionately, holding a small device in one hand, with the other hand on her hip. She is standing in front of an audience seated indoors, with a stool and a projected screen behind her.
  • A woman in an orange dress stands at the front of a room, speaking to an audience seated in chairs. The audience is attentive, with some taking notes. A screen behind the speaker displays the text "What kinds of things do you design?" The setting appears to be a modern workspace or seminar room, featuring desks with computer monitors, a bookshelf, and framed artwork on the walls.
  • A woman in an orange dress is presenting to an attentive audience in a modern conference room. The audience is seated on chairs and some are holding notebooks. The presentation slide on the screen lists topics related to design and ethics.
  • A presenter stands next to a screen displaying various black-and-white headshots and text that reads "Lunch Talks." The audience, seated in rows, attentively watches. The setting is a modern room with a computer on a desk, a potted plant, and coats hanging on a rack.
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