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Rhea Alexander
Rhea Alexander is a multi-disciplinary — designer, entrepreneur, artist, educator, and changemaker whose praxis is rooted in environmental and social justice. My work has spanned disciplines, institutions, and communities for over four decades, exploring how design and innovation can catalyze systemic change.
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My creative and scholarly pursuits have taken diverse forms—from closing the gender gap for female founders and expanding access to innovation for underrepresented groups, to curating convenings that bridge the gap for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) innovators and entrepreneurs, and participating in art exhibitions on themes of place, waste, and identity.
As the Founder and Director of the Parsons Entrepreneurs Lab at The New School (2014-present), I’ve led the development of extra- and post-curricular programs that empower students to build ventures with purpose. I’ve spearheaded the university’s mapping of its entrepreneurial genome for its centennial. I serve as Co-director of the Impact Entrepreneurship Fellowship and Co-chair of The Faculty Senate (2024 - present), and am a faculty member on the Board of Trustees (2025-27) for The New School. I was also the driving force behind The Design-Driven Guide for Entrepreneurs (Routledge, Spring 2023), a publication that bridges design, systems thinking, and impact entrepreneurship.
As an Associate Professor of Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School of Design, I teach undergraduate and graduate courses that challenge students to think critically, act ethically, and design for equity. Pedagogically, I approach teaching and learning experientially, working in a studio and workshop style, incorporating lectures, guest speakers, field trips, and more, to create a dynamic, interactive learning environment where innovation can flourish and trust can be built.
Beyond academia, I’m embedded in New York City’s entrepreneurial landscape, serving as a board member of the NYC Innovation Collective, a community for startup support entities with over 800 members, including incubators, accelerators, investors, VC Studios, and other support teams. There, I focus on creating more pathways for underrepresented founders. I also advise and mentor emerging startups through Venture Out, serve as a dedicated volunteer at WIN (Women in Innovation), and am a member of the National Arts Club, where I support public access to arts education and programming, with a focus on the intersection of art and technology. I’m proud to say I was part of the team that spearheaded the Emerging Artist Fellowship, focusing on providing access to underserved artists.
Earlier in my career, I was an award-winning serial entrepreneur, pioneering a triple-bottom-line approach at DIGS. The work was featured in many global publications, and I served as a consultant for USAID, bringing my strategic acumen to international development projects in over nine countries. My career is a testament to the power of interdisciplinary practice, and I hope my work continues to inspire the next generation of creative leaders committed to justice, equity, and sustainability
