Rob Giampietro is an independent Creative Director in New York. Until 2023, he worked at Google, where he was co-founder and acting Chief of Staff for Insight＋Innovation, a multidisciplinary human-centered design team applying long-term, broad-based research to key strategic questions — including the needs of new and emerging users, responsible AI development, ecosystem coherence, competitive platform shifts, and journeys to support lifelong user learning and well-being across Google’s consumer products.
Other key efforts at Google included the inaugural SPAN Design & Technology global conferences, the launch of the Google Design website, an overhaul of the Google Fonts directory including new typeface commissions, and a Google-branded customization of Material Design system components. Rob was also a Design Lead at Google AI/RMI, where he co-founded AI UX, launched AI STEM learning kits (AIY, now Coral), and scaled outreach for PAIR (People+AI Research).
From 2018–20, Rob was Director of Design at MoMA, re-imagining a holistic design system and visitor experience with in-house and agency creative teams across environmental, digital, and retail channels in support of the museum’s historic 2019 reopening.
He has taught at RISD’s MFA Graphic Design program, served as VP of AIGA/NY, and worked as an Advisor to the Aspen Ideas Festival. A graduate of Yale, Rob’s work has received recognition from MacDowell, the American Academy in Rome, and the National Design Awards for his work at Project Projects.
Editorial contributions
Aperture, Art in America, BusinessWeek, CNBC, Core77, Design Observer, Dot Dot Dot, Emigre, Eye, Idea, It’s Nice That, Kaleidoscope (Italy), Mousse (Italy), New York Times, New York, NPR, Performa, Print, Power Plant (Canada), Serving Library, Walker Art Center
Speaking engagements
AIGA/NY, Apple Store Soho, Artists Space, Build Conference (Ireland), DesignThinkers (Canada), The Kitchen, Fillip (Canada), General Assembly, New Museum, NY Art Book Fair, Responsive Projects (Australia), Type Directors Club
Exhibited works
Art Berlin Contemporary, Art Institute of Chicago, Art in General, CCA Wattis, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, Gwangju Design Biennale (Korea), Hammer Museum, Modern Institute (Scotland), MoMA PS1, Museum of Art and Design, Museum of Finnish Architecture, RISD Museum, Utrecht Manifest Biennial (Netherlands) Venice Biennale (Italy), Walker Art Center
Guest critiques
Columbia GSAPP, Cooper Union, Harvard GSD, Maryland Institute College of Art, Otis College of Art & Design, Pratt Institute, Princeton University, School of Visual Arts, UniBZ Bolzano (Italy), UConn Storrs, UT Austin, Yale School of Art