Deb Johnson has been leading the integration of sustainability and technology into design education, entrepreneurship and research since 1998. She has recently returned to her role as Professor of Industrial Design at Pratt Institute. She served as the chair of the ID program at Pratt from 1998 to 2005, founded the Pratt Design Incubator in 2002, founded and directed the Center for Sustainable Design Studies in 2008 and the Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator in 2013. The CSDS supports the development and integration of sustainable education throughout Pratt’s curricula and twice received the ACUPPC Presidential Award. The BF+DA was a R&D lab for sustainable manufacturing attached to a business accelerator that mentored design and fashion entrepreneurs to build viable companies committed to providing sustainable and ethical products.

Deb was the first woman to win the IDSA Student Merit Award in 1986, served as the IDSA NY Chapter Chair and NE Regional Education Director.