The AIGA Fellow award is the highest honor an AIGA chapter can bestow upon one of its members. It is a means of recognizing designers who have made a significant contribution to raising the standards of excellence in practice and conduct within our local and regional design community as well as in our Philadelphia AIGA chapter. The areas of education, writing, leadership and reputation, as well as the practice of design are given equal consideration in measuring significant contribution.

A long-time advocate for graphic design and the power of community, Michele has been involved with the Philadelphia chapter of AIGA since 1999. She has served as President of the Executive Board and founding Chair of the AIGA Philadelphia Design Awards. Before becoming President of AIGA Philadelphia, Michele sat on the Education Committee and served as PR Chair and Vice President. Michele also sat on AIGA’s national inaugural task force for Diversity, and on the Innovate Grant Committee.

Michele Cooper’s career has been defined by her belief that good graphic design can change the world and by her commitment to the community of professionals who share her passion. Having worked her way up from print shop assistant to Partner at Cooper Graphic Design, she has managed every aspect of print and web production from strategy to design. In 2006, she founded Cooper Graphic Design with her husband, Gavin. Their work together has been widely recognized for its distinctive style and strategic insight.

Michele is also known locally and nationally for her tireless activism on behalf of women’s rights in the United States through We the Women Design with partner Kelly Holohan. Other collaborations include: Fight for Human Rights, a t-shirt design initiative in response to family separation with GDLOFT and Second State Press; and Sisters in Solidarity, a monthly postcard writing initiative and online group focused on actionable tactics, co-founded with Rose DiSanto and Margaret Sommer.

Michele’s portrait by Sam Fritch.

Join the party!

Celebrate Michele with us the evening of Thursday, October 10 at the African American Museum of Philadelphia.

Learn more and register

AIGA Philadelphia Fellows

Allan Espiritu – 2017
Mark Willie – 2014
Rosemary Murphy – 2012
Lanny Somesse – 2010
Laurie Churchman – 2009
Frank Baseman – 2008
Joel Katz – 2002
Ken Hiebert – 2001
Hans-U Allemann – 2000
Alina Wheeler – 1999

By aigaphiladelphia

Published December 7, 2018

Philadelphia Fellows Posts