Brian Skeet, IDSA

Owner, Brian Skeet Design Brian Skeet is an Indigenous (Diné – Navajo) designer born in Tuba City, Arizona and raised on the rim of the Grand Canyon. Skeet is a multidisciplinary designer that strives to cultivate Indigenous initiatives through Design, Research, Technology and Innovation. Strategically, Skeet’s work focuses on energizing future Indigenous creatives to illuminate systemic issues, disentangle bureaucratic dependence and cultivate culturally-centered solutions within Indigenous communities. Skeet holds a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Design Management and an Associate’s degree in Graphic Design. Brian was a 2019 IDSA West District Student Merit Award Finalist while studying at

Activities for Brian

DEI Council | 2020, 2021, 2022
Chapter Officer | 2021, 2022
20/2X Recognition | 2020

Besides being a leader of IDSA DEIC in 2020, Brian Skeet, IDSA has dedicated his time and efforts to community service and advocating for Indigenous Designers. This year he has worked with Catapult Design through IndigeDesign Collab, coming up with creative ways to adapt the CDC guidelines for public health and safety during COVID-19 in the context of the Navajo Community and Navajo way of life. The result was a single-page communications piece that was printed and delivered with each care package through the Navajo & Hopi Families COVID-19 Relief Fund team to visually communicate safe practices during the pandemic; this piece was also delivered digitally through social media.

Brian worked with IndigeDesign Collab again to produce and deliver over 1000 face shields to Navajo and Hopi frontline workers, and worked with Tribal College and Universities, such as Navajo Technical University, to utilize their 3D-printing resources and the skills of faculty and students. Brian also helped IndigeDesignCollab to design the creative direction for RISE 2 VOTE: a poster show combined with a projection show to showcase Indigenous Designers on topics related to Voter Suppression, the Importance of Voting, and Safety while Voting. The event was live-streamed on YouTube with DJ OlyWurld (Otoe, Comanche, Pawnee, and Lakota) from Red Rock, OK supplying the music and ambience. “As a result,” Brian says, “in addition to numerous Indigenous initiatives surrounding this year’s election across the country, we contributed to the momentum that helped flip Arizona.”

On a joyful note, Brian also recently married his “beautiful friend and partner in crime,” Megan Skeet, during a socially distant and safe outdoor wedding in the middle of the desert.

“What do these accomplishments have to do with Industrial Design, you might ask yourself,” Brian says. “Well, each and every accomplishment has used a skill or experience that is commonly found in the Industrial Design process. Industrial Design, in my opinion, is a multifaceted, dynamic, complex, and always evolving discipline that can create cultural and specific community-centered solutions. I call myself an Industrial Designer because there is no other discipline that I can think of that encompasses the skill sets that have allowed me to accomplish what I have accomplished this year.”

SMA Projects, Arizona State University