018: Michele Cooper & Kelly Holohan of AIGA Philadelphia
S2 #18

018: Michele Cooper & Kelly Holohan of AIGA Philadelphia

Design leadership with heart—and a healthy dose of activism. Michele Cooper and Kelly Holohan dive into how they transformed AIGA Philadelphia from nearly invisible to a powerhouse of community, mentorship, and thoughtful fun. Expect stories of financial discoveries, grassroots programming, and leadership that’s as thoughtful as it is rebellious.

Key Takeaways
  • How two Philly designers turned a chapter with little visibility into a thriving creative hub
  • Why uncovering hidden membership funds changed everything for programming
  • The origin story of the Philadelphia Design Awards and how it elevated local work
  • What really happened at the Miami retreat hot tub (and why Kelly thought, “I’m too old for this”)
  • How chapter skits, stunts, and T-shirt performances built camaraderie across cities
  • The leadership secret: motivating volunteers by tapping into their personal “why”
  • How Philly grew its membership from the 500s to nearly 800 with bold, people-first strategies
Episode Chapters
  1. 00:46 – Meet Kelly Holohan: Designer‑activist, educator, former AIGA Philly president focused on LGBTQ+, women’s rights, and environmental justice.  
  2. 01:15 – Meet Michele Cooper: AIGA stalwart since 1999, diversity champion, design director, and partner at Cooper Graphic Design.  
  3. 02:59 – How they joined AIGA: Kelly joined via a committee invite post‑Manhattan; Michele got propelled into leadership just months after attending.  
  4. 07:50 – Money moves: Amy Davis discovered where the membership revenue was hiding—suddenly, AIGA Philly finally had funds.  
  5. 09:27 – Programming boom: New funds launched student tours, “New to You” series, sustainability talks, community‑selected speakers like Saul Bass’s designer and Michael Bierut.  
  6. 11:48 – Philadelphia Design Awards born: Post‑presidency, Michele teamed up with Alan Espiritu to launch PDA—the first of its kind.  
  7. 24:51 – Retreat life: Leadership retreats were highlighted as “fun college days” compared to the seriousness of conferences.  
  8. 25:52 – Miami magic: Kelly remembers an epic hot‑tub night so wild even she thought, “I’m too old for this.”  
  9. 28:31 – Chapter playtime: From performance skits to recreating the “Love” statue with chapter T-shirts—the Philly room was the place to be.  
  10. 36:17 – Leadership lessons: Kelly discovered how to motivate volunteers by understanding their “why”—a skill that leveled up her teaching leadership.  
  11. 47:40 – Membership surge: Through their energetic recruiting and programming, Philly soared from the 500s to nearly 800 members.  

About Our Guests

Kelly Holohan – Designer-activist, educator (Tyler School of Art), and founder of movements like We the Women and Sisters in Solidarity. Her design work spans exhibitions and collections—from LGBTQ+ advocacy to global exhibits. As AIGA Philadelphia’s president (2007–2009), she melded activism with community.  

Michele Cooper – Longtime AIGA Philly leader (since 1999), past president, founder of the Philly Design Awards, and 2019 Fellow Award recipient. Co-founder of Cooper Graphic Design, Michele champions social justice through projects like Sisters in Solidarity and postcard campaigns for change. 


Featuring
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