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About
JennAir Disrupting Design

JennAir Disrupting Design was built not only to challenge the status quo in Canada’s interior design industry but create solutions that make real progress.

The Disrupting Design mission is to take on the structural barriers that Black, Indigenous and people of colour face when studying and working in the design sector – because meaningful inclusion drives stronger, more diverse design work.

Our programs create greater access to design education through scholarships, and foster connections among established and emerging designers through mentorship.

JennAir Disrupting Design is the result of research, listening and community input. We’re committed to continuously understanding the gaps in the interior design sector and taking action to bridge them.

Our Advisory Board

Disrupting Design is guided by the expertise of an Advisory Board, a committee with a wealth of expertise in the design sector and the diversity, equity and inclusion space in Canada. Made up of industry leaders reflective of Canada’s diversity, the Advisory Board provides guidance and recommendations on the JennAir Disrupting Design program’s implementation, to ultimately move the needle for diverse designers in Canada.

Jason Hurd

Jason Hurd

 Chanelle Tye

Chanelle Tye

 Jeanine Webster

Jeanine Webster

 Yasmien Fadl

Yasmien Fadl
Yasmien Fadl

Yasmien Fadl

Originally from Sudan, Yasmien grew up in the UAE & Canada. 

She is a creative strategist with 19 years of multi-disciplinary interior design, thought leadership, workplace strategy, change management and project delivery experience on the consulting and client side. She has worked overseas and in Canada in multiple design sectors (mainly retail, hospitality and workplace), and is currently the Head of Workplace Design, Experience & Change Management for TD Enterprise Real Estate. 

Her core focus is crafting people-centric workplace experiences that are resonant, inclusive, responsive and meaningful: “The workplace experience should be the product of thoughtful, proactive decisioning that meets the moment – Diversity is our collective strength, and our workspaces, policies and leadership should reflect that.

Yasmien Fadl STORY
JASON HURD

JASON HURD

Jason Hurd is a principal and partner of aodbt who offers over 20 years of architectural experience. Following achievement of a Bachelor of Environmental Studies in 2004, Jason received a Master of Architecture from the University of Waterloo in 2007. Jason has a diverse and international background of experience working on cultural, recreational, educational, mixed-use, institutional, healthcare, commercial and multi-family residential projects in Saskatchewan, Calgary, Montreal, London, Melbourne, New York, and California. Jason is the Managing Partner and Principal Architect of aodbt’s Prince Albert Northern Studio.  

Jason has deep family roots in North-central Saskatchewan and Manitoba and a specific connection to beauty of the Canadian landscape. As a member of the Métis Nation–Saskatchewan, a 2SLGBTQ architect, and a proud father of three First Nations children, he brings an inherent understanding of Indigenous culture and a key sensitivity to working with Indigenous communities and leaders, as well as representatives of other marginalized groups. Through his work with First Nations communities, Jason has become adept at collaborating with large, diverse client groups and skilled at connecting with them and making sure that all voices are heard and respected. He believes that the most successful spaces and places are nurtured through active listening to clients and stakeholders, fostering a spirit of openness and cooperation.

CHANELLE TYE

CHANELLE TYE

Chanelle Tye is an equity consultant and educator who works at the intersection of justice, identity, and space. With deep roots in anti-racism and queer inclusion, she partners with public institutions to reimagine systems from the inside out—helping leaders move beyond representation toward real transformation.  

As a creative, Chanelle designs processes, policies, frameworks, and learning experiences that embed equity into everyday decision-making. She believes that equity work, much like great design, should be immersive, intentional, and built to last. Her work invites organizations to shift perspectives, rethink who is centered, and build with those long left at the margins.

Jeanine Webster

Jeanine Webster

Jeanine Webster is the Academic Coordinator for Toronto Metropolitan University's School of Interior Design. She earned a certificate in Community Health Work while working at Anishnawbe Health Toronto, has a Bachelor of Health from York University and a Master’s Degree in Culture and Communication.  

Being of mixed heritage, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Canadian, Jeanine's interest have led her to contribute to the Indigenous community at TMU through various initiatives including the First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Community Group, Community Learning Circles and the Rebirthed Teachings. She has also been involved with the School of Medicine since its inception as a member of the Menoeeshechekaywin Indigenous Communities Council and the Indigenous Admissions Pathway Working Group.

Her background in education and work experience has shaped her commitment to uncovering hidden systemic roadblocks faced by Indigenous and marginalized students.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The past few years have sparked significant cultural change and required everyone, including industries, to reflect and seek ways to contribute to positive change and create a more inclusive and equitable Canada. As part of the design sector, JennAir has spent time listening and learning about the inequality of opportunity in our industry and is committed to playing our part to have an impact. There is currently no published data on the number of racialized designers in Canada but Toronto Metropolitan University, a leading educational institution in interior design, reports significant under-representation. In 2019, the University published the 2019 Student Diversity Self-ID Report to set a baseline for representation of students from equity groups (women, racialized people, Aborigional Peoples, persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQ+ people) as well from the three largest racialized groups (South Asian, Chinese and Black). The data showed the School of Interior Design was experiencing low representation of Indigenous, Black and South Asian students. In addition, we know that in Canada, across all programs, there is a significant gap in graduation and employment rates between racialized and non-racialized youth in the sector. These factors have led us to invest in the development of the JennAir Disrupting Design program.

Through this program, our mission is to break the structural barriers for Black, Indigenous and people of colour to have better access to study and work in the design sector. We believe that better representation of racialized Canadians in interior design will drive stronger, more diverse design work.

The JennAir Disrupting Design program is aimed at creating access and opportunities for racialized designers in the industry. As a first step we have formed a partnership with The Creative School at Toronto Metropolitan University to create the JennAir Scholars Award - a $375,000 scholarship over five years to support Black, Indigenous and students of colour in the Bachelor of Interior Design program and planned Masters program. In addition, we have worked with TMU to create a paid internship program for design students offering real world experience to help build their resumes. Finally, for racialized design graduates at TMU, we have created a sponsorship program matching graduates with successful working interior designers. In addition to our work with TMU, JennAir commits to collaborating with three racialized designers each year for kitchen renovations. The designer's work would be featured on the JennAir website and social channels.

Over a year ago, JennAir conducted in-depth interviews with racialized designers in Canada to understand the barriers to better representation in the industry. To ensure the Program’s direction continues to be guided by those with lived experience, JennAir has established a Disrupting Design Advisory Board consisting of Black, Indigenous and industry leaders of colour. This board will guide the JennAir Disrupting Design program’s focus over the short and long term.

The JennAir Disrupting Design program is rooted in our brand history and its value of progress: born to lead, never to follow. We firmly believe that a more diverse industry will drive more progressive designs. Ultimately, we stand for progress and believe in investing in inclusion and diversity (I&D) initiatives to fuel change. At the same time, and as we have heard from design partners and industry leaders, fueling progress is also about taking stock of our internal I&D commitments. To this end, Whirlpool Canada, which markets the JennAir brand, has developed the Stronger Together team. This team of employees, supported by executive sponsors, are focussed on creating a culture where everyone feels comfortable and safe bringing their full self to work. 

After forming in 2020, the Stronger Together committee invited employee input to inform areas of focus. Three work streams were created to foster a culture consistent with Whirlpool Corporation’s values of I&D within all levels of the organization: Celebrating Diversity, Understanding Microaggressions and Diversity Through Recruitment. Since the creation of the Stronger Together committee, Whirlpool Corporation has seen an improvement in the employee experience among equity-deserving groups. 

Whirlpool Canada’s parent company, Whirlpool Corporation has deep rooted values of integrity and respect that drive our commitment to employees and to the communities in which we operate. We strive to provide a collaborative, safe and welcoming environment to ensure that Whirlpool Corp. is the best place to work and a place where our employees truly feel welcomed, valued, heard and respected. Additionally, we are dedicated to improving the quality of life for all who reside in the communities in which we operate. You can read more about Whirlpool Corporation’s ESG efforts in our 2021 ESG/Sustainability Report linked here.

As a brand that pushes the boundaries of progress, JennAir has taken time to listen, reflect and do our own work in order to launch an impactful, sustainable and authentic strategy for Disrupting Design. We recognize that driving change requires time, learning, resources and financial support from businesses across our industry. We are taking steps to do our part, which is why we are proud to say that the JennAir Scholars Award is the largest scholarship with mentorship and job placement programs for racialized youth entering the design sector in Canada. We also realize that there is still a lot to learn. Part of why the JennAir Disrupting Design program is being launched is to further understand the gaps in the sector and what can be done to bridge them. We are committed to leading this program and doing it in a participatory way with the collaboration of Toronto Metropolitan University and the guidance of the Advisory Board. We are dedicated to listening to the designers most affected by underrepresentation - Black, Indigenous and designers of colour—and are creating platforms to bring their voices to the forefront.

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