Creative thinking meets strategic doing

Lydia Tonkonow (she/her) is a visual artist and human-centered designer. Her work focuses on collaborative, community-driven service and system design.

Tonkonow works as an associate director for a national health policy and research institute. There, her work supports the creation and dissemination of Medicaid resources focused on advancing health equity. Her master’s work explored how human-centered design can support the implementation of public health policy in Baltimore.

She also maintains an active fine arts studio practice. Her art has been shown in galleries across Connecticut and Washington, DC.

Tonkonow received her B.A. in studio art from Wesleyan University in 2017 and her M.A. in social design from the Maryland Institute College of Art in 2021.