Jennifer Kolstad
global design & brand director
Ford Motor Company

As the Global Design and Retail Brand Director at Ford Motor Company, and the first design executive to establish a cohesive vision for brand experience and environmental design, Jennifer Kolstad has crafted a global design strategy unifying 200+ million square feet of portfolio assets—including a retail network of 10,000+ dealers—while consistently driving business results through innovative design.

Her expertise spans architecture, design, branding, strategy, and sustainability. She has built an award-winning team at Ford, collaborating with leading experts in product design, UX, CX, technology, and marketing. Her projects have earned recognition from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), The International Interior Design Association (IIDA), The World Architecture Festival, Sandow Media, and other esteemed institutions. She has received accolades such as the ASID 2023 Luminary of Distinction and the “Beyond Automotive Design” Award for Car Design News and is widely published in top-tier industry media.

In addition to her executive role, Jennifer is pursuing academic research as a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Calgary, exploring the intersection of business and design. She holds a Master of Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology and was the SOM Graduate Fellowship recipient. She has undergraduate degrees in Interior Design, Art, and Art History. Prior to her role at Ford, she designed for leading firms like SOM, Gensler, HKS, ALDAR, and TDIC in the United Arab Emirates.

Jennifer also contributes to the design community as a board member, keynote speaker, lecturer, and juror—engaging audiences on platforms such as PBS Newshour, NBC News, Fortune’s Brainstorm, and Microsoft Envision, as well as at events hosted by NASA, Johns Hopkins University, and the United Nations General Assembly Brain Capital Alliance. Her recent tenure as Chair of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) further underscores a commitment to advancing the industry.