Christina Mallon


Lead, Inclusive Design
Microsoft

Biography


Christina is a woman at the forefront of an important movement towards inclusivity in design and advertising. She has a unique and special voice, championing individuals often ignored by these industries – particularly those with disabilities.

At the start of Christina's professional career, her arms slowly became paralyzed. The transition to “disabled” was challenging but has never slowed her down for a second. As a young digital marketing professional starting her career with a “disability” she felt under-represented as a consumer. Rather than being discouraged, she recognized the opportunity to grow awareness and make a measurable impact within the industry. This realization inspired her to start an inclusive design practice at Wunderman Thompson and lead one of the only incubators focused on wearable tech for people with disabilities called Open Style Lab at MIT & Parsons. She has partnered with brands like Unilever, Macy's, IKEA, Tommy Hilfiger, & Steve Madden on how to make their customer experiences more inclusive. She currently leads Inclusive Design at Microsoft.

Christina’s work around inclusive design has received worldwide attention and has been featured in Fast Company, Vogue, NBC News, Netflix, PBS, Hulu and BBC. Also, she received LinkedIn Top Voice in Design 2020, Smithsonian's Emerging Designer of the Year 2019, Ad Age 40 under 40 and D&I Champion of the Year, Adweek Creative 100, Yahoo’s HERoes Role Model 2020 and Business Insider’s Rising Stars.