Libby Cole

Creative Director, The Work Department

Libby Cole is a designer, creative director, and advocate for democratic design—an approach that invites participation, values equity, and builds sustainability into every decision.She joined The Work Department in 2010 and became partner in 2014, helping guide its evolution into a transparent, flat studio built on shared leadership. Over the past 15 years, her work has spanned nonprofit, corporate, and community contexts, always grounded in design as a tool for public good.Libby graduated from the College for Creative Studies, where she later taught graphic design. In 2017, she co-curated Footwork: The Choreography of Collaboration, an exhibition of Detroit design at the Saint-Étienne Design Biennale in France. She continues to support cultural institutions locally, including the Detroit Sound Conservancy.Her leadership blends systems thinking, visual design, and a belief that creative work can advance justice when practiced collaboratively..