Faculty
Jeremy DiPaolo
Jeremy DiPaolo is an independent creator, strategist & entrepreneur. With 20 years experience working and living around the world Jeremy is a bon vivant, bringing a unique, well-traveled, global mindset to his strategy consulting practice, Nomscape, focused on making the good things in life even better. Jeremy blends his experience as an entrepreneur with in-house experience at a Fortune 50 company and top global branding firms to bring a unique perspective to his clients and projects around the world.
In 2019, he launched Mjuk Mjuk, a community-centric experimental soft-serve gelato shop in Stockholm, Sweden. The brand provided Jeremy a chance to test his own ideas and innovation practice and learn many, many lessons along the way. Mjuk Mjuk’s mix of delicious design and best-in-class gelato rose to the top of the lists in Sweden, garnered international acclaim and (more importantly) earned the love of kids, neighbors, tourists, pop-stars and even Michelin starred chefs.
Jeremy’s insatiable curiosity and ability to quickly turn insights into impactful results at scale are his key superpowers. His portfolio of work has transformed the brands of industry leaders such as PepsiCo and Dinequity, rising food stars like Bachan's and retailers such as Target, Walmart, CVSHealth and REI, delivering billions in revenue along the way. Jeremy's unique approach has earned his projects mentions and praise in Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Vogue, FRAME, and additional international press. He is also a writer whose work appears in Brand Bible: The Complete Guide To Building, Designing and Sustaining Brands (Rockport, 2012).
As an educator, Jeremy served two semesters as an undergraduate teaching assistant to Debbie Millman at School of Visual Arts and was a coach / mentor for TED Breaker, a design thinking educational incubator in New York City. He is excited to return to CSUN as a professor and looks forward to sharing his experience and perspective as part of the graduate program team.
Jeremy lives in Philadelphia with his partner, Katie and their two children.
Nick Longo
Nick Longo is an accomplished design professional and educator with a deep passion for fostering innovation and strategic thinking within the design world. As the founder of Longo Designs, a creative studio specializing in brand development, packaging design, and strategic storytelling, Nick has worked with some of the most recognizable brands across various industries, particularly in the food, beverage, and restaurant sectors. His work has always been driven by the belief that design is not just about aesthetics but about creating meaningful connections and solving complex problems.
With over 25 years of experience in the design industry, Nick brings a wealth of real-world knowledge into the classroom, blending creative expertise with a strong foundation in strategy and innovation. In addition to his role as a founder and creative director, Nick has taught design at California State University, Northridge, where he’s mentored the next generation of design thinkers and innovators. His approach to teaching emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem solving, and the importance of an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to design.
Nick’s work spans from print to digital, with a particular focus on packaging design that blends creativity with consumer psychology. He has also developed an extensive portfolio in brand strategy, guiding clients through the complexities of building authentic, impactful brands that stand out in competitive markets. His expertise in Design & Innovation is rooted in a deep understanding of the evolving design landscape and how innovation can drive business success.
With a passion for advancing design education, Nick is excited to contribute to the development of future design leaders through a Master's program that fosters creativity, strategic thinking, and an entrepreneurial mindset. His focus as a professor is to empower students to think beyond the traditional boundaries of design, challenging them to become not just designers but innovators who lead with purpose and impact.
