About
GOOD DESIGN > GOOD BUSINESS
Every act of design has consequences.
It shapes people, organizations, communities, systems, and the broader ecology they share.
That's why good design is more than good business. It is a moral obligation.
This belief traces back to Herman Miller founder D.J. De Pree and was reinforced throughout my career by mentors — including Bill Stumpf — who regarded design not as styling, but as stewardship.
When meaning, value, and impact are unresolved, I help those responsible for what comes next discern what shouldn't be left to chance.
This is where thoughtful structure creates room for better decisions.
PERSPECTIVE & PLAY
'Original Tombola' is an anagram of 'moral obligation.'
Discovering that anagram led to the name itself.
It reflects how I work: with curiosity, rigor, and a belief that seriousness and play are not opposites.
“Gretchen was the Studio’s leading Actionist — continuously navigating our studio toward a new organizational future, building inspired systems of support with exacting and caring delivery.”
— Michael Cicetti, Massive Change Network coworker/ direct report
LIVING SYSTEM
Design does not exist in isolation. It lives within living systems that must remain healthy if the work, the people, and the broader ecology are to thrive.
“I’ve seen it time and again; Gretchen delivers spirited and iconic ideas that elevate outcomes.”
— Steve Perkins, Founder and CEO, Greenhouse Coaching, client
For a deeper reflection on what a living design system taught me about responsibility, judgment, and scale, read
Designing Judgment at Scale (.pdf)
Original Tombola creates the conditions in which better decisions — and more meaningful outcomes — become more likely.
This work begins wherever meaning, value, and impact are still taking shape, when momentum has begun but clarity has not yet settled.
Because there’s a good chance. And then there’s good design.
What shouldn’t be left to chance? Let’s talk.