Kathryn Soter

About Kathryn Soter

Earlier in my career, my job was convincing skeptical marketing directors and media buyers that The New Yorker — one of the most intellectually demanding magazines in America — deserved a place on their media plan. That meant translating audience research into arguments that aligned with a brand\'s market position, and making the case to people who\'d heard every pitch. You learn quickly that the right story, told with the right evidence, is the most persuasive thing in the room. I got good at it.Now I channel that skill into something I care about even more. As Executive Director of the Good Future Design Alliance, I work with residential design and build professionals navigating the shift toward more sustainable, circular, and healthier practice. The subject matter is urgent — over 600 million tons of construction waste is generated in the U.S. every year, and the design community sits at the center of both the problem and the solution. My job is to make this clear, relevant, and actionable for people who are ready to do better but don\'t know where to start.I\'m not a scientist or an environmental engineer. I\'m someone who understands this field well enough to explain it compellingly, ask the right questions, and help practitioners find their footing. The GFDA is my vehicle for that — part consultancy, part platform, entirely focused on moving the industry forward.The journey: three decades in advertising and publishing — Grey Advertising, Gannett, and twenty-two years at Condé Nast across The New Yorker, Traveler, Portfolio, and Bon Appétit. It was in The New Yorker\'s archives that I first encountered Rachel Carson\'s Silent Spring — the serialization that helped launch the modern environmental movement. A full-circle moment I didn\'t see coming. I also studied Interior Architecture & Design and hold a certificate in Building Materials and Human Health from the Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons.I speak at colleges, trade shows, conferences, and corporate events, and have partnered with AIA-COTE, ASID, NEWH, and the U.S. Green Building Council. I\'ve contributed to Technology Designer, Real Simple, SPACES, and Marin Magazine, among others. If you need someone who can connect the dots for a design audience — or if you\'re a design professional navigating this space — I\'d love to connect.

Experience

1. Executive Director

   Good Future Design Alliance Gfda

   Mar 2023 — Present · San Francisco, CA, US

   The design and build industry generates over 600 million tons of construction waste annually in the U.S. — and most design professionals don\'t yet know the role they could play in turning that around. My work is to show them.As Executive Director of the GFDA, I advise design firms, manufacturers, and organizations on sustainable materials, circular practice, and waste reduction — translating complex research into clear, actionable guidance for practitioners in residential and boutique hospitality design. I speak at industry conferences, trade shows, and corporate events, and have presented for the Pacific Design Center, AIA-COTE, ASID, NEWH, and the U.S. Green Building Council. I also write and contribute to trade and consumer publications on sustainability in the built environment.The GFDA is part consultancy, part platform — built on the belief that designers have more power over the waste stream and creating healthier environments than they realize, and more responsibility than they\'ve been asked to take. I\'m here to connect the dots.

Education

• Academy of Art University

  Interior Architecture & Design

• Lewis & Clark College

  Bachelor of Arts, Psychology

Skills

• Digital Marketing
• Email Marketing
• Online Advertising
• Advertising Sales
• Strategy
• E-Commerce
• Advertising
• Magazines
• Integrated Marketing
• Marketing
• B2b
• Branding & Identity
• Marketing Communications
• Media Planning
• Mobile Marketing
• Digital Strategy
• Public Relations
• Marketing Strategy
• Digital Media
• Sales