Sabba Quidwai

Author, educator, and entrepreneur Dr. Sabba Quidwai believes that cultures of innovation begin with a culture of empathy. In an AI-powered world, she helps organizations build trust, encourage creativity, and inspire a collective vision through her role as CEO of Designing Schools. This work reflects her conviction that learning is a lifelong journey, extending from classrooms to the dynamic landscapes of the modern world.

Her journey into this role, began with the challenges she faced as a new graduate in 2007, which unveiled the discrepancies between traditional education and the demands of a rapidly evolving job market, especially during the transformative era marked by the iPhone's release and a subsequent recession. Dr. Quidwai's career, rooted in her beginnings as a high school social science teacher, evolved to leading innovation at USC and later being recruited as an education executive at Apple.

This transition from the classroom to the corporate world was not just a career shift, but an extension of her commitment to redefining education. These experiences deepened her insights as a social scientist, focusing on designing learning experiences that equip everyone with the skills and strategies to be irreplaceable in a world with AI. She shares this research in her 2020 documentary, examining why and how design thinking is the human advantage in an AI world. Sabba also hosts a daily podcast, “Designing Schools,” where you can listen in for daily inspiration.