Joey Nakayama
Director of Product Development
American Medical Association
Joey Nakayama is the director of product development at the American Medical Association. He focuses on innovation and design within the organization. He is also an active member of GoodCity Chicago, where he works to encourage the development of community-based entrepreneurs.
Previously, the Rhode Island School of Design alum worked in design consulting with projects ranging from the future of laptops to the future of baked goods; from cultivating hotel guest loyalty to engaging the public in education reform.
His work on consumer and medical products has earned 11 US patents, as well as an International Design Excellence Award for a iRobot Roomba. His work also has been on display at the Consumer Electronics Show and the Chicago Athenaeum.
Radical Departures
As designers, we’re wired for curiosity and born to hunt down interesting problems to solve. But what happens when those traits lead you outside the traditional walls of the design industry?
Joey Nakayama, director of product development at the American Medical Association, will trace his journey from industrial design to innovation consulting to in-house non-profit work—and discuss how the designer’s skill set creates unique value outside design-centric environments.
