Başak Altan

Başak Altan is a Principal Design Strategist currently leading innovation initiatives at Blue Shield of California, focusing on transformative healthcare solutions through human-centered design. With over 20 years of experience, Başak has a robust background in design strategy, having previously owned a design consultancy and served in leadership roles with the Industrial Designers Society of America. Notably, as the founder of the Berkeley Turkish School, Başak emphasizes the importance of design thinking in education and community building. Academic contributions include adjunct professorship at California College of the Arts and lecturing at Presidio Graduate School. Başak holds an MBA in Sustainable Business Management from Presidio Graduate School and a Bachelor's degree in Industrial Design from Syracuse University.