Biography

Jessica Teal is a feminist interdisciplinary artist, educator, researcher, and designer committed to fostering an environment of learning and designing for futures through acceptance, empathy, and trust. As a Mental Health Advocate and supporter of trauma-informed care, Teal’s primary areas of interest are accessibility, speculative futuring, and multisensory experience design. Her research is framed through a psychological feminist lens. As a result, she aims to create an atmosphere of inclusivity and knowledge where students can learn and design freely. Jessica has 18 years of industry experience in design, art direction, and community collaboration in Arkansas and the US, including Walmart, Slack, Salesforce, Canopy NWA, Medium, and Amazon. Her work has been featured in national and international exhibitions, conferences, and publications. She received a Bachelor’s in Studio Art in Graphic Design from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and a Master’s of Design in Communication Design from the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. While at the University of Arkansas, she taught for two years as an instructor of record. She aspires to cultivate creative connections and foster collaborative opportunities through her design practice, pedagogy, and research. Jessica co-presented a group panel at the AIGA DEC Symposium titled The View from the Delta: Immersion in Design Education as part of the AIGA National Conference in 2023. This collaborative effort underscored her active involvement in design research, design futuring for underserved communities, and her passion for design education.