Katina Zipay - Creative Director, Classic Exhibits Inc.
In December of 2020, EDPA began honoring young professionals who exhibit strong leadership skills with the “Future Leaders Award.” I was thrilled to be in that inaugural class of Future Leaders with nine other remarkable people. Following a year of extreme uncertainty, this award declared that we, and our entire industry, have much to look forward to.
I have not pursued leadership roles. My goal is to work in a medium that maximizes my innate abilities, involves continuous growth, and allows me to help people in a way that I am uniquely suited to help. Too idealistic? I don’t believe so! Once I focused on that goal, I found my way. And as I gain expertise and connect with like-minded people along my way, leadership opportunities follow.
Design is my passion. Early in my career, I made a wish list of skills to master: graphic design, lighting design, themed environments, and educational spaces. When I discovered the M.A. in Exhibition Design at FIT, and the class list matched my wish list, it was an easy decision to attend FIT. Formal education is not the right path for everyone, but it was a worthwhile investment for me as it jumpstarted my career and introduced me to EDPA. That formative choice continues to provide me with opportunities to be a guest lecturer for FIT classes, to mentor students, and to teach a course as part of the new EDPA+FIT Design Certificate Program.
Sometimes leadership opportunities happen within my full-time job. I started as an Exhibit Designer at my current company, Classic Exhibits, and have progressed to manage a team of designers as Creative Director. More often, leadership opportunities happen outside those bounds. The following are a few examples.
In 2015, I was asked to take on the role of Director for Women In Exhibitions. Although I had no experience leading such a group, I saw incredible value in the group members who generously share solutions to challenges they face in our industry. I agreed to lead with the goal to make that support network accessible to as many women as possible, year-round. In the last seven years, I've created a mentorship program, reorganized the annual meetings into well-attended events with valuable content, secured sponsorships, and formed an advisory committee. In 2020, the need for connection and advocacy for our industry increased dramatically. I reacted quickly to organize and moderate an ongoing series of well-attended WIE Zoom meetings featuring experts who address important industry developments.
I joined a local non-profit board called Court Support for Families in 2019 and currently serve as President. Our services empower those who cannot afford a lawyer to seek justice in family court, learn important parenting skills, and serve court papers to evasive parties. Having experienced difficult family circumstances and overwhelm with the court system, it is cathartic to help other families navigate the process with clarity. Under my presidency, we have rebranded, redesigned the Court Support logo, and are creating automated forms with instruction packets to help families file necessary court documents easily and effectively.
Recently, I was elected to the EDPA Board of Directors. So far, I’ve become active in the Future Leaders, Future Workforce, and University Affiliations committees which hold enormous potential for connecting young people to fulfilling careers. I’m excited to facilitate those connections and to continue exploring many other options for leadership on the Board.
There is no singular path to becoming an effective leader. My best advice: if you want to expand your leadership skills, look for ways to help. Opportunities abound!
Join EDPA’s Future Leaders Group on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12529351/
