Co-Founder, Custodian, CEO

Suné Stassen is a designer, educator, social impact entrepreneur, futurist, and STEAM education activist. As the CEO of Open Design Afrika (ODA), she is dedicated to fostering creative intelligence and future-making life skills in people from all walks of life, bringing a unique and highly relevant perspective to skills development for the future.

With over 34 years of experience in design education, Suné played a pivotal role in the 90s in advocating for the inclusion of Design as a subject choice at secondary school level in South Africa. She contributed to the development of the first national design curriculum and was the contributing editor for the first nationally approved design textbooks and teacher manuals for grades 10-12. Back in 2006, South Africa was a pioneer in design education at this education level.

Suné’s notable achievements include the concept development and execution of the Woolworths “Making the Difference Through Design” program, recognised as a finalist in the 2009 INDEX: Project – Design to Improve Life® Awards in Copenhagen. Her passion lies in projects that mobilise change, driving transformation in various sectors to stimulate regenerative economies, flourishing environments, and thriving cultures.

A fervent advocate for creativity’s power, Suné is involved in groundbreaking initiatives such as MyMachine, Girls Make The City, and Girls in Business. She is also a South African Country Ambassador for the Tigullio Design District in Italy.

She was an assistant researcher in preparation for Cape Town’s bid book for the WDC2014 (World Design Capital) and served on the advisory committee for the development of the Western Cape Provincial Innovation policy. She has also contributed to the initial development phase of the Western Cape Design Strategy —a groundbreaking initiative for the African continent.

Suné’s impact extends globally. Participating on numerous global stages and communities in STEAM education and creativity, Suné passionately shares her insights on Creative Intelligence, emphasising its role in developing a society of future-makers who can confidently navigate uncertainty and shape a thriving future for people and the planet.