Who we are

Jonathan Abarbanel

Designer

Background:

Jonathan’s breadth of life experiences give him a broad view of design problems. A fine artist by training, Jonathan is inspired by the intersection of art and technology—an interest he’s pursued in the fields of music, computer graphics and interactive design. After 16 years of creating virtual experiences, Jonathan felt the desire to create tangible objects, noting that the ability to touch something changes a person’s emotional response to an object.

Passion:

Jonathan is driven by the desire for continuous learning. Never content to rest on his laurels, he looks for ways to push himself in each new project, whether learning about math-based patterns in 3D design or programming a user interface in flash. The fast-paced nature of his work as a designer allows Jonathan to pursue his passion across different industries and user groups.

Education:

Art Center College of Design, Masters of Science in Industrial Design
Oberlin College, Bachelor of Fine Arts

The future?

I always pictured myself living in the future depicted in my elementary school library books – silver jumpsuits, monorails and space stations. So I’m dedicated to making that a reality, and we’re almost there! If I could just get my coworkers to wear their silver jumpsuits…

Jeff Bentzler

Senior Mechanical Designer

Background:

Jeff is drawn to the “hands on” aspect of industrial design, and enjoys the possibilities it offers in terms of scale and project variation. His talent for drawing helps him deliver all projects with precision.

Passion:

Being thorough! Jeff has a passion for executing something properly, without cutting corners, and ensuring that he is delivering work at a high level. He enjoys making sure that clients are satisfied and as a result, long lasting relationships are formed.

Education:

Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, B.F.A. in Industrial Design

Favorite product?

Hannibal tape dispenser.

Rick Blanchard

Director of Operations

Background:

As a child Rick was always building things, taking things apart and making scale models. Naturally, he excelled in technical and precise mechanical drawing classes in high school, which led him to believe he had a talent for design.

Passion:

Rick is a problem solver. He enjoys the challenges of a hands-on problem solving and fixing/making things. Industrial design has allowed him to pursue these passions while seeing his work is realized quickly in the market. As his career has moved him into management, Rick employs his problem solving skills to operational challenges. Today as Director of Operations, he ensures internal and external facing tasks are executed smoothly.

Education

Syracuse University, Bachelor of Industrial Design
S.U.N.Y. at Delhi, AAS in Architectural Technology and

Change?

Nothing is more important than change.

Pam Broadwater

Business Development

Background:

Pam has always enjoyed meeting new people, traveling and taking on a challenge. The word “no” is not in her vocabulary – from learning to pilot an airplane, operating a HD Heritage Softail to earning an EMT license, Pam is open minded and enjoys learning new things.

Passion:

Pam is passionate about people and the connections that exist between them. Whether walking a trade show floor or standing in line at the grocery store, Pam never misses an opportunity to start a meaningful conversation. Working for Karten Design, she uses her interpersonal skills to form relationships and learn about the business needs of potential clients.

Education:

Millersville University, degrees in Geography and Urban & Regional Planning

Optimism?

Ask for what you want. If you do not ask, you will never know the answer.

Paul Cash

3D Designer

Background

Cash’s passion for working with his hands began while working in the film industry creating special effects for movies and TV commercials. Here he learned everything from airbrushing to creating molds and movie set props. He has an affinity for creative, hands-on work where he can see the fruits of his labor quickly come to life.

Passion:

Learning new things! Cash enjoys the fact that he is “old school” in his fabrication process, but he is eager to implement cutting edge technology into his work. His specialty is prototyping and fabrication as 3D Designer at Karten Design, where he is responsible for testing and bringing concepts to life.

Education:

University of California, Los Angeles, Studies in Fine Arts

Innovation?

Setting a new standard without destroying that which came before it.

Stuart Karten

Principal

Background:

After growing up and graduating college on the east coast, Stuart went to Los Angeles for a summer and ended up staying for more than 30 years. He worked for companies including Gould Medical Products, Mattel, and Baxter Medical Products until founding Karten Design. It was at Baxter that he had a transformative experience. He was designing a disposable plastic bone marrow biopsy needle and, when he started researching, he found that doctors would actually wad up cotton pads into their hand to prevent themselves from getting hurt as they pressed the plastic needle into the bone. He started looking at the form factor and the forces at work and redesigned it to be safer and easier for the doctor to use. His experience developed a belief in the power of design research to inform products that create positive experiences for their users.

Passion:

Stuart sees design and business as two innately intertwined disciplines. He founded Karten Design with the goal of “Connecting Creativity and Commerce™,” creating emotional bonds between consumers and products to help companies build brands and revenue. Today, Stuart builds relationships with our partners and helps them to envision how they can use design strategically. He oversees projects across Karten Design to ensure a focus on meeting clients’ business objectives.

Education:

Rhode Island School of Design, B.A. in Industrial Design

Leadership?

A leader’s job is to enable great work. I’ve done this by building a capable team with the right balance of harmony and creative friction. I set a vision for this team and facilitate a creative environment while maintaining just enough discipline to keep a focus on our clients’ business goals.

Cynthia Kossayan

Design Researcher

Background:

Cynthia has worked as an illustrator, and was exposed to both art and architecture classes in school. She has merged this background in design with her passion for studying people. She is an active observer of culture and likes to study society’s influence on the notion of “self.”

Passion:

Cynthia draws on her education as a sociologist to observe and explore trends, as they manifest at both the individual and societal level. She believes that empathy is a crucial component of responsible design, and is a close observer of behaviors, relationships and emotional connections as seen in users. She is passionate about taking note of trends, and likes to merge what she is seeing with what she is doing. Cynthia’s role as Design Researcher allows her to observe people and trends, and synthesize information into something actionable.

Education:

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. in Sociology

Optimism?

My preferred state of mind, but only within the context of realism, of course.

Bernard Lo

Senior Designer

Background:

A family background in industrial design has cultivated him with passion to create emotional and user-centric designs from concept to development with a keen sensitivity to user and market needs.

Passion:

Bernard has accumulated knowledge of a diverse spectrum of design experience ranging from Transportation, UI Design, Consumer Electronics/Audio/Appliance, Furniture, and Brand Packaging/Graphic design and he is eager to expand his work further in medical product design where best benefit patients as users. At Karten Design, Bernard is passionate about creating compelling designs through functional innovation.

Education:

Pratt Institute, Masters in Industrial Design
York University, B.S. in Kinesiology/Sport Therapy

A successful product?

Should never be weighed on sales volume alone, but by the longevity of its aesthetic or its use through time.

Erin Mays

Design Strategist & Researcher

Background:

As someone deeply curious about people (or as she puts it, just “nosy”), Erin was thrilled in her first anthropology class to discover a whole discipline dedicated to people, their culture, and why they behave they way they do. She has pushed her understanding of people by studying their relationship to media, products, systems and businesses.

Passion:

Erin is addicted to learning as much as possible. As a Design Strategist and Researcher, she’s able to indulge her curiosity as she studies people’s mindsets, values, behaviors and environments to help identify opportunities for innovation. Her MBA in Design Strategy allows her to understand and apply her insights in the context of a client’s business objectives. Always inspired by a challenge, Erin particularly loves her work in the medical industry, where she’s able to improve the patient experience within a complex system with many stakeholders and requirements.

Education:

California College of the Arts, M.B.A. in Design Strategy
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. in Anthropology and Design/Media Arts, minor in Urban and Regional Planning

People?

I am a people watcher, an observer, an anthropologist, a designer – everything I do revolves around people. I guess that would make me a people person. I love the quirky things people do; I love the intuitive and natural ways people move about their environments. But there is nothing I love more than watching people do things that they never knew they did. People energize and invigorate my creative ways. They are the ultimate inspiration.

Eric Olson

Director of Design

Background:

Eric is decidedly a minimalist. Not in the “Wallpaper magazine,” “uncomfortable couch” kind of way, but in the sense that he seldom buys anything (especially electronic gadgets). He believes that being a bad consumer can make a good designer because a bad consumer is not predisposed to buying objects unless they have real value. The bad consumer turned good designer evaluates design through the most critical eyes – their own.

Passion:

Part of Karten Design for 15 years, Eric is passionate about about being a leader for the design team. As Director of Design, he blends his design sensibilities with a keen understanding of technology integration to ensure the highest quality of work is being delivered. He enjoys directing studio projects and conducting reviews with both our internal team, and often while visiting local design schools around Los Angeles.

Education:

Art Center College of Design, B.S. in Product Design,
University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. in Design

A successful product?

I often catch myself weighing the value of a new product against its potential to screw up my life in some tiny way. Very few products offer potential benefits that make the risk of an ugly side worth accepting. Most gadgets I own are either mandatory (cursed cell phone) or gifts (I returned the digicam/watch for a jacket).

Eunji Park

Design Researcher and Designer

Background:

Eunji is a self-described “multicultural nomad” who spent her childhood in Gwangju, South Korea, before moving to multiple cities around the world with her family. As a middle child in a family of educators, she formed a personal identity around art, incorporating eclectic influences from global music and fashion. After teaching English at a boys’ high school in South Korea for three years, Eunji went on to pursue her lifelong interest in art and design in the United States.

Passion:

Eunji’s early travels and her experience as a teacher have fueled a deep interest in people and culture. She loves to study people and find connections between their needs, motivations and desires across different cultures. Her position as a researcher and designer allows her to marry her interests in people and aesthetics, introducing need-based solutions for people’s lives.

Education:

Art Center College of Design, B.S. in Product Design
Chonnam National University, B.A. in Education and English Education

Los Angeles?

LA is like a friend who is hard to get along with at first, but you love it once you get to know them.

Ron Pierce

Director of Design Strategy and Research

Background:

Design came to life for Ron when he bought an electric Braun razor by Dieter Rams. “It spoke to me,” Ron says. “I was so proud of that product.” It exemplified for him the ability of a utilitarian object to inspire an emotional connection. From that point, Ron’s career has traversed product design, retail, marketing and sales. Working at design consultancy Hauser, Ron noticed a shift in companies’ needs. They were no longer worrying about how to design, but what to design. Ron helped to launch a design research practice at Hauser to address this challenge. Since then, his focus has shifted from products to people– a subject he finds deeper, richer and more challenging.

Passion:

For Ron, it is more exciting to understand a problem than to find a solution. At Karten Design, he enjoys helping companies define the right problem. This inevitably leads to people. Ron believes that the answers to all design problems lie with people and his passion is for understanding all of the people who interact with a product. Now, leading a team of researchers, Ron is also passionate about introducing Design Research to a new generation of practitioners.

Education:

Kent State University, B.S. in Industrial Design and Graphic Design

Your Influences?

I was lucky enough to learn about industrial design in the 8th grade. I visited the office of Harper Landell in Downtown Philadelphia. His studio was full of models of airplane transponders, fishing kits, washers and dryers. I fell in love. Landell became my mentor and I worked for him during summers through high school. Early in my professional career, I had the opportunity to work at JC Penney alongside leaders in design thinking like Jay Doblin, Bob Smith and Cooper Woodring. They taught me how to think in a different way that I learned in school, incorporating people and business into the design process.

Anne Ramallo

Manager of PR & Marketing

Background:

Anne is a journalist, author and publicist who has merged her communication skills with an interest in design that took root when a college roommate introduced her to Trading Spaces. Before joining Karten Design, she worked with many of LA’s top architects, interior designers and furniture manufacturers at a boutique PR agency.

Passion:

Writing. Anne believes that good writing makes everyone’s ideas more accessible. She loves the process of listening to someone and understanding the heart of an idea or issue, then expressing that to people in a way that’s interesting, relevant, eloquent, authentic, and sometimes a little unexpected. As Manager of PR and Marketing, Anne enjoys connecting Karten Design’s story with people around the world and communicating the exciting advancements and innovations happening in our studio.

Education:

University of Redlands, B.A. in English: Creative Writing, minor in Government

Innovation?

Innovation is the realization that the future is not set in stone.  It begins by taking a step back from the obvious, letting your inner eye slip out of focus, and gazing at the infinite realm of possibilities. I achieve my best work in this state, but it rarely happens at my desk.

Heather Rongerude

Studio Manager

Background:

An inherently social person, Heather realized she likes being around people and surrounding herself with exciting opportunities and events. It is through this social immersion that she began event planning, while also keeping up with local happenings.

Passion

Heather finds joy in facilitating great experiences for people. She enjoys event planning and coordination, and likes to make sure details are perfect and well thought out. In her role as Studio Manager she ensures that both Karten Design and our clients are comfortable and communicating smoothly.

Eric Schmid

Project Director

Background:

As a child, Eric dreamed of a career as an inventor. His interest in innovation lead him to study mechanical engineering at UC Berkely. But Eric soon found that engineering exercised only one side of his brain. He changed course and pursued a degree in design. Eric’s multi-faceted education allows him to look at design from different angles and understand different points of view from marketing, engineering, design and business.

Passion:

Sometimes, needs may seem diametrically opposed, but Eric enjoys weaving diverse needs together to achieve elegant solutions. During his career, he has come to realize that a solution involves not just an artifact, but a process. Today, as a Project Director, Eric develops processes to facilitate creativity, inspire and motivate creative teams and ensure that the voice of each stakeholder is heard throughout the process, from clients to end users.

Education:

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A. in Design

Optimism?

Optimism is an essential part of the design process. You could say it is the kernel of innovation and creative thought: you have to first imagine that things could be better, and then dream about what that might be.

Dennis Schroeder

Product Architect

Background:

From a young age, Dennis was interested in how things work. He played with Legos and took all of his toys apart, and was only allowed to get new toys if he put the old ones back together.

Passion:

Dennis finds beauty in even the smallest of details. As Product Architect, he is responsible for ensuring a high quality deliverable, complete with elegant details and appropriate manufacturing. Part designer, part engineer, Dennis is the liaison between client and concept. He strongly believes that a positive relationship with a client will bring better results for all involved.

Education:

California State University, Long Beach, B.S. in Industrial Design

Worst product?

The tensionless organic schmoo.

Beate Strobel

Manager of Financial Operations

Background:

With a background in Hotel Management and Financial Operations, Beate quickly learned that she has a knack for numbers and solutions. She enjoys focusing on finding the correct answer even when there is no end in sight.

Passion:

Beate is passionate about succeeding in her career. Her passion for her job at Karten Design as Manager of Financial Operations keeps her focused. She loves what she does and her enthusiasm for her job combined with the drive to go the distance is what makes passion her secret weapon. Another secret weapon of Beate’s is her delectable German Potato salad.

Education:

Associate Degree in Finance (CRTP), Hotel Management in Germany

Work?

Knowledge, brainstorming, challenge, money.

Rob Tennant

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Background:

A longstanding interest in automobiles and motorcycles lead Rob to the study of mechanical engineering. Early in his career, he embraced 3D modeling as an avenue for more artful expression, welcoming the challenge to put ideas into form and complex surfaces. Rob brings an inquisitive mind and experience earned at companies including Hughes Aircraft Co. and Mattel to his role at Karten Design.

Passion:

Rob is driven by the need to figure out how things are made, and how they might be improved. Ultimately fulfilling to Rob is transforming innovative ideas into physical products that move us all a little further ahead. He enjoys working within the creative studio environment, helping bring the order and foundation upon which fresh ideas are built.

Education:

University of Windsor, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering

Technology?

The meter is pegged – let’s be sure we’re measuring the right parameter.

Erin Williams

Communication Designer

Background:

Erin began her education as an Architect when she quickly realized her strength in visualizing information. The transition between stopping a project and starting to communicate it in a presentation became the most enjoyable part of her work. This realization led her to continue her education in the field of graphic design. Whether she’s designing a presentation, a brand or an infographic, Erin’s strength lies in her ability to communicate complex ideas with engaging visuals.

Passion:

Erin is passionate about continually learning new things. She enjoys the quick turnaround in her work as Communication Designer and the ability to learn more not just about design everyday, but about the work and industries of Karten Design’s clients, too.

Education:

University of Washington, Master of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design
University of Southern California, Bachelor of Architecture

The environment?

It’s not enough anymore to just use recycled/recyclable materials! A truly sustainable product has to help streamline the system in which it is used and reduce dependence on non-renewable resources beyond just its own physical form.