Selected Projects:
Present
Rural Development in East Wisconsin 2024 — present (PI)
Voter Engagement in the City of Madison 2025 — present (PI)
Role of Civic Design Activism 2022 — present (PI)
based in Madison, WI
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Past | Design x Gov
Digital Services to Address Unemployment (COVID-19)
New Jersey (state) Office of Innovation (2020)
Research Lead
Multiple locations in NJ
Data Justice for Lower Manhattan (Two Bridges)
NY (state) Dept. of Public Health (2019 - 2020)
Research & Strategy Lead
NYC
Equity-centered Code Enforcement Processes (10 cities in NY)
NY (state) Attorney General’s Office (2018-2019)
Process Lead; Co-lead for two cities
NY (state)
Earned Route Fifty Award (National)
City Budgeting Processes (2 cities; South Bend, IN & San Jose, CA)
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ What Works Cities (2018 - 2019)
Human Centered Design Lead
Multiple locations
Constituent Correspondence Process (Congressional Level)
OpenGov Foundation (2017 - 2018)
Senior Assistant Design Researcher
Multiple locations
Short Term Projects: AARP, US Dept. of Veterans Affairs, Local gov of
NYC, CUNY, and grassroots organizations
Transition Planning for a National Advocacy Network (Federal Level)
White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (2016)
Designer-in-Residence
Washington DC
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Past | Design x Social Innovation
Design Researcher (2015 - 2016)
Center for Social Design, MICA
Baltimore, MD
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Past | Nonprofit & Philanthropy
Program Manager (2011 - 2015)
The Durfee Foundation
Santa Monica, CA
Fellow (2011 - 2012)
The Taproot Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
Short term: Art With Impact, The BizWorld Foundation,
CA Governor’s Race Arts Advocacy
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Past | Arts Admin
Project Manager & Founding Member (2009 - 2010)
City of Chicago, Dept. of Cultural Affairs
Chicago, IL
Staff & Founding Member (2008 - 2010)
The Driehaus Museum
Chicago, IL
Art Conservation Intern (2009)
Art Institute of Chicago, Photography Department
Chicago, IL
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Past | Photography
Photo Intern (2008)
Todd Baxter Photography
Chicago, IL
Member (2006)
Black and White Darkroom Coop
Hollywood, CA
Photo Intern (2005)
The Social Trust Studio
Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Copyright © 2025 Esther Y. Kang. All rights reserved.