Danielle Townsend

Danielle Townsend is a designer, educator, and strategist dedicated to advancing design as a centre of excellence while supporting early-career graduates. As the founder of BOUNCE, Danielle has created an event that explores experimentation, process, and critical discourse, inspiring design professionals and fostering connections across the creative community. She also serves as a Board Director at the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and works as an independent design and education consultant, focusing on enhancing professionalism, academic standards, and bridging the gap between education and industry. Danielle co-founded The New Now graduate platform with Kim Mackenzie-Doyle, a directory that connects early-career designers with employers. Her extensive experience in education includes leading design programmes, serving as an external examiner, and shaping curricula for design degrees and Masters across Ireland. An advocate for design excellence, Danielle regularly assesses prestigious awards, including the ISTD Student Awards, IDI Graduate Design Awards, 100 Archive, Universal Design Awards and the European Design Awards. Her work extends to the Commercial Creative Sector Forum under DETE and Creative Ireland, where she develops initiatives addressing professional accreditation, and graduate opportunities. With a strong background in graphic design, Danielle has led commercial projects while remaining a lifelong learner, actively participating in educational programmes. Danielle’s commitment to innovation, education, and fostering talent continues to inspire the next generation of creatives and drive progress in the design sector.