DIRECTOR, THE PATIENT REVOLUTION, NEW YORK NY
Maggie Breslin is director of The Patient Revolution, an action and advocacy movement for careful and kind patient care; arming patients and the public with the tools, resources and support they need to tell their stories and wrestle with uncertainty in the clinical and public spheres. She has spent over a decade as a designer and researcher in the healthcare space, including 7+ years at the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Innovation. She collaborates with patients, doctors, clinics, hospitals and other researchers across the globe on the development of communication tools and programs that aim to foster conversations in exam rooms, hospital rooms, homes and public spaces about our lives and our health. In addition, Maggie teaches in the Design for Social Innovation program at the School of Visual Arts and recently led the high-profile SVA Design for Social Innovation summit on how to measure the impact of design for health care and, more generally, socially responsible design. She has published in journals ranging from Design Issues to Archives of Internal Medicine and had a previous life in film/tv/animation/motion graphics.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? WHERE DO YOU LIVE NOW?
Born in Texas. Live in Brooklyn.
DID YOU GO TO DESIGN SCHOOL?
A Masters of Design (MDes) from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in Mass Communications, Film and Television, from Miami University of Ohio
LEFTY OR RIGHTY?
Righty
MORNING PERSON OR NIGHT OWL?
Morning
FICTIONAL OR HISTORICAL CHARACTER YOU’VE ALWAYS IDENTIFIED WITH?
Elena/Lenu in Elena Ferrante’s My Brilliant Friend
ARE YOU MUSICAL AND/OR DO YOU PLAY AN INSTRUMENT?
I’m a good whistler
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDHOOD TV SHOW?
It’s Garry Shandling’s Show
LAST BOOK YOU READ?
Changing my Mind by Zadie Smith
ANY PETS?
Yes. A dog named Linus.
WHAT LANGUAGES ARE YOU FLUENT IN?
English
FAVORITE MOVIE?
Airplane, it totally holds up
FAVORITE FINE ARTISTS?
Agnes Martin, Ellsworth Kelly
FAVORITE CHARITY?
My own ‑ The Patient Revolution ‑ followed by The Moth, Donors Choose, Planned Parenthood
FAVORITE FREE TIME ACTIVITY?
Walking the dog and listening to podcasts
WHAT’S THE LAST COMPLIMENT YOU GOT?
That was a great story.
DO YOU COLLECT ANYTHING?
Books
COLOR USED MOST OFTEN IN YOUR DESIGN?
Blue
TYPEFACE USED MOST OFTEN?
Gotham
DO YOU HAVE A DESIGN MENTOR OR INSPIRATION?
I got the chance to work with Bill Drenttel, who could talk about serious things with such lightness. I look for ways to bring that skill to my work.
GREATEST STRENGTH/WEAKNESS AS A DESIGNER?
I’m at my best when I’m collaborating. A fault is that I say yes to too much stuff.
ADVICE TO A YOUNG DESIGNER JUST STARTING OUT?
Learn how to build and maintain relationships, especially with those in other disciplines.
IF YOU WERE NOT A DESIGNER, WHAT WOULD YOU BE?
TV writer
A MANTRA OR SAYING YOU LIVE BY?
Trust your instincts. Choose your battles.
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