Seven Pratt alumni from a range of backgrounds and disciplines share their experiences of meeting fluctuations, revelations, and challenges in life and work, and the perspective they’ve gained in the process. Click through to read their stories.

“I Finally Found What I Loved”

Sofia Dumery, MID ’98, head of design at toy company Melissa & Doug

Close-up headshot of Dumery against a light pink backdrop. She wears clear-framed glasses and a black shirt, smiling at the camera.

“Economics was multidisciplinary. Design is even more so. . . . It opened up this beautiful world, and the more you put into it, the more connections you can make. You were given the breadth, the area to explore.” Read more.

Galvanizing a Community in Architecture

Matthew Ferraro, MArch ’07, principal at Weiss Manfredi, cofounder of AIA New York’s LGBTQIA+ Alliance

Black-and-white image of Ferraro, who has short, dark hair, wearing a black shirt and smiling at the camera

“I was just happy to be able to create the visibility for us to have a platform for advocacy. How well received, and how much this was needed, greatly exceeded my expectations.” Read more.

Design as a Launchpad

Elle Liu, BID ’15; MFA Interior Design ’19, founder of THEORÓ

Liu, wearing a black top, sits in front of a desk with her head resting on one hand, her other hand laying over a magazine spread

“My training at Pratt and my experience as a designer gave me the skills to handle so many different aspects of this process, almost effortlessly.” Read more.

Don’t Wait, Just Start

Joshe Ordonez, MPS Design Management ’18, founder and CEO of Airpals

Headshot of Ordonez, who stands in a park with a view of a bridge in the background. She wears a blue blazer with gold buttons, arms crossed, looking at the camera with a neutral expression.

“I had worn many hats, from product design to production . . . in the end, that adaptability worked in my favor.” Read more.

Escaping Gravity

Andrew Reach, BArch ’86, artist working in digital media

“Everything is meant to be. I had a productive career as an architect—I got the satisfaction of that—and I have this other side of myself that I don’t know I ever would have discovered.” Read more.

Finding Her Way to Design, and Pulitzer Prize–Winning Work

Shikha Subramaniam, MFA Communications Design ’17, UX designer, The Washington Post

A headshot of Shikha Subramanian against a gray background. She wears a black shirt with ruffled short sleeves and smiles at the camera.

“In my role, I find myself pitching stories, reporting, strategizing, designing, making illustrations, and art directing, and I love being able to play so many roles in one job.” Read more.

Cultivating a Pivot Mindset

D’angelo Thompson, award-winning makeup artist, educator, and author of The Art of Pivoting

Thompson wears a light blue button-down and leans against a white wall, looking directly at the camera and smiling softly

“I thought, the world has shifted. . . . and then I realized, oh, I don’t have any work. That’s when your gifts come in as a creative.” Read more.