Building a creative movement within the worlds of
sport, design, and tech.
We've seen what happens when you hand a kid a jersey and tell them to design it. The jersey becomes a hook, an access point. It becomes a canvas for them to express themselves, their dreams, and what they want the world to know about them.
Hundreds of jerseys later, and after nearly a decade working in classrooms across the US and UK, we've seen the power of bringing sport and design together firsthand.
Design FC is a non-profit built on that belief. Through our programs and collaborations with the world's biggest athletes, teams, and brands, we give youth a creative outlet, build their
FOUNDING STORY
What started with 11 students in a small classroom has turned into something I never could have imagined.
Back in 2018, when I was a student at Swarthmore College, I got a grant to launch a social impact project and took a year off school to build it. At the time, I was also a fellow at the Stanford d.school, learning all about the world of design thinking. I started asking myself how I could take what I found most essential to the model and bring it to a younger audience.
Having been a competitive athlete most of my life, I started thinking of ways to incorporate sport as well. I started wondering: what if students designed their own sports jerseys as a way of learning creative skills?
I started volunteering at a soccer nonprofit in Chester, PA, a ten minute drive from campus. The school I was placed at had no arts programming at the time. I started having conversations with students, teachers, principals, and parents, asked for feedback on the idea, and started building a curriculum and program around what I heard.
Nearly eight years later, Design FC has grown from that single classroom in Chester to a creative movement spanning 20+ cities in the US & UK, working alongside some of the biggest names in sport, design, media, and tech. The support of close friends, teachers, students, and parents kept this organization growing, from a small idea into the organization it is now.
Omri Gal.
Design FC xi
Oliver Steinglass is the Executive Director of Design FC. An artist, designer, and educator, he is dedicated to building creative opportunities and access for young people. Since joining the team in 2020, he has helped grow Design FC from a single classroom to a creative movement. He has led the expansion of Design FC’s after school programs and creative initiatives to reach over 2,000 students in 21 cities, and in 2026 led the Youth Creative Collective, bringing Design FC to 37 countries to celebrate the Men’s World Cup.
Lila Travers joined Design FC as Operations Manager after three years as a design coach at our Chester-based programs. In her new role, she supports programming and projects across every city we serve. Lila studied Computer Science and Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore College, where she also played on the soccer team, and she's proud to add another goalkeeper to the Design FC roster.
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Grace’s work lives at the intersection of sport, design, and community. At Design FC, she manages the organization’s after-school programs while developing campaigns and creative experiences that help young people bring their ideas to life. With a background in biology and public health, Grace brings a people-centered perspective to creative work and storytelling. Originally from Georgia, she is now based in Brooklyn.
Omri founded Design FC in 2018 while a student at Swarthmore College. As Executive Director until 2026, he grew the organization from a single classroom in Chester, PA, into a global design non-profit, and he continues to serve as its Board Chair. Omri is a former lecturer at the Stanford d.school and co-owns Bricolage with his family, a Vietnamese-French restaurant in Brooklyn. He now runs Om.co, a boutique consulting practice working with brands, professional sports teams, and athletes on brand strategy, partnerships, and social impact.
Dr. Tarika Barrett is an educator whose career has been devoted to opening pathways for young people, most recently as CEO of Girls Who Code, where she led an international nonprofit that reached more than 860,000 students. She has spent two decades in the field, including at iMentor, the New York City Department of Education, and New Visions for Public Schools. She is devoted to human connection, care, and the work of helping communities become places where everyone can genuinely thrive.
Ayo George is a Senior Analyst at S&P Global covering public utilities. Prior to S&P he was a researcher at the Metropolitan Planning Council and the Yale Program on Financial Stability. His professional interests include public finance, cities, and water. Ayo attended Swarthmore College, and was the first student volunteer for Design FC in 2018.
Nari is a senior program manager at Google, a former lecturer at the Stanford d.school, and has held various positions in the tech world. Nari is an expert in design education, and has taught courses at various universities including Parsons and Fordham. They have served on Design FC’s board of directors since 2021.
Liz is the founder of elseworld, a creative ecosystem building impactful businesses across the key pillars of global culture: sports, art, music, fashion, and hospitality. After nine years at adidas spanning talent acquisition, creative direction, and market strategy, Liz now manages the creative business of professional footballer Isabella Obaze and music artist and writer Eric Penn. She shapes brand and merchandise strategy for women's professional sports leagues and brands, and her sports photography has been featured in Wavy Footy's coverage of Gotham FC and Portland Thorns FC.
Bruce is the head of Marketing at EVEN, a music platform that supports independent artists. He formerly worked at LVMH overseeing the NBA’s Hennessy partnership, and has previously worked for Complex and Wieden & Kennedy. His work focuses on the sports and entertainment industry from partnerships to creator content, and he strongly believes in creating access for the next generation to enter these industries.
Kevin was the first student to join Design FC in 2018 as a 5th grader, and has been with the organization ever since. He’s currently a college student at Thomas Jefferson University, and is the first student in Design FC history to pursue a fashion related degree.
Over the years, Kevin has collaborated with the likes of EA Sports, New Balance, and Kith, and has worked with various professional athletes, sports teams, and non-profits partners alongside Design FC. He returns to our Chester programs to mentor younger students, and continues to be a trailblazer in his city, Chester, PA.
Kevin also launched his own apparel brand, a blank canvas, and continues to design merchandise and apparel for Design FC.
