Empowerment.
Innovation. Diligence.

Kelly Costello and Twisha Shah Brandenburg met as alumni of the Institute of Design.
Kelly, who has a background in business consulting and research, and Twisha, who
specializes in strategic innovation and design, quickly realized that their individual
expertise naturally complemented each other in profound and inseparable ways.

As they collaborated, they found that design was about solving problems and
empowering the next generation to shape the future with empathy and creativity.
This shared vision inspired them to create a practice that seamlessly blends their
skills and passions. They believe that what drives impactful design is the same
passion that nurtures the next wave of leaders.

Focusing on empowering others means they are fully committed to fostering growth
and innovation as if it were their mission. This dedication and energy set them apart,
making them leaders in human-centered design and champions for the next generation.

Get to know our team.

Meet Our Founders

Kelly Costello
Founder

  • Kelly Costello brings a consumer-centric approach to problem-solving. She stops at nothing to gather the most authentic consumer feedback. She designs projects to ensure that her clients' journeys are in their customers' shoes—to genuinely understand their wants and needs.

    In addition to Kelly’s technical expertise in human-centered innovation, her deliverables result in new products and services that strongly resonate with target audiences, increasing engagement and boosting the bottom line.

    Kelly has worked across many industries, leveraging many skills to build innovation capabilities.

    Kelly is an active speaker and lecturer. She teaches at the Institute of Design (IIT) and Chicago's School of the Art Institute. She has also taught classes in the Executive MBA program at Notre Dame, Northwestern University, and Bowling Green State University.

    She has presented for numerous professional organizations, including the AIGA, MRA, EPIC, the Art of Management Conference, and the Design Research Conference at IIT. She holds a Master of Design from the Institute of Design at IIT in Chicago.

Twisha Shah Brandenburg
Founder

  • Twisha Shah-Brandenburg is a design leader, educator, and storyteller who uses human-centered design to drive business impact and organizational change. With over a decade of experience leading in-house design groups at companies like Target, BMW, Venmo, and PayPal, she specializes in digital transformations, building platforms, shaping product vision, and scaling teams.

    Twisha teaches at the Institute of Design and DePaul University, where she mentors the next generation of designers to think critically and lead with empathy. She is also the co-founder of Impact Partners, a talent agency focused on inclusive innovation. When she’s not working, she’s raising her daughter, making art, and reimagining mythology through modern narratives.