Rachel Elnar
Event ProducerRachel Elnar is a co-founder and producer at TypeEd and the former Interactive Director at Ramp Creative. In 2008, Rachel was named as one of Graphic Design USA’s “People to Watch.” She is a former educator who taught typography, graphic design, interaction design, and user experience at Cal Poly Pomona, Laguna College of Art+Design, and Cal State University Los Angeles, As an avid community-builder, she was a chapter lead of TypeThursday Los Angeles, held a position on the advisory board of AIGA OC, and led and formed a 870-person typography community. She is the Sr. Product Marketing Manager of Engagement at Adobe leading a team who produces virtual Creative Jams and programs for thousands of students and designers alike. Currently she facilitates virtual event productions for the Hoffmitz Milken Center for Typography and AIGA.
Lavinia Lascaris
Exhibition & Graphic DesignerOriginally from Greece, Lavinia is a graphic designer whose area of specialization is spatial and print design. Her work is defined by strong research and conceptual development that often comments on social and cultural matters.
Lavinia’s background is in fine art, with a focus on sculpture and photography. She has lived in Athens, London, Paris, Pondicherry, and Barcelona, working as a designer and artist for museums and galleries. Some collaborations include the Cycladic Art Museum (Athens), a solo exhibition at the Illeana Tounta Contemporary Art Center (Athens), the Auroville Community (Pondicherry), and MAL/FOR GOOD (Los Angeles). Her travels have developed her interest in world cultures and ability to speak four languages: Greek, English, Spanish, and French.
Lavinia recently completed her MFA in graphic design at ArtCenter College of Design, and served as the 2018 HMCT Fellow, working with Lucienne Roberts, HMCT’s Typographer-in-Residence.
Susan Malmstrom
Director, HMCTSusan Malmstrom earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a Specialization in Printmaking at California State University, Long Beach; and was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Arts from the University of California at Irvine. She has worked as an administrator and instructor for arts, cultural, and educational organizations for over 30 years, including California State University Long Beach, Arts Council for Long Beach (formerly Public Corporation for the Arts), Cerritos Community College, the Richmond Arts Council, the University of Richmond, John Tyler College, and Mocean Dance in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Susan works with other artists in the U.S. and Canada to create installations and collaboratively produced printed works. Since 2011, she has been installing her cabinet of curiosities, The Repository of Wonders, whenever and wherever possible, including Southern California pop-up versions at the Pacific Aquarium in Long Beach, and the West Hollywood Public Library.
Volunteer activities have included service on arts and cultural boards including Curated Culture (Richmond, Virginia), Visual Arts Nova Scotia, Annapolis Region Community Arts Council (Nova Scotia), and Pasadena’s Fenyes Mansion.
Clifford Pun
Senior CoordinatorClifford Pun joined the staff of HMCT in 2018. Clifford is an artist, and he works in variety of media. His body of work is about his “Asianicity,” a drag masquerade that explores persona, identity, sexuality, gender, and race. He has exhibited his work at Aljira: a Center for Contemporary Art in New Jersey, Krause Gallery in New York City, the Mills Gallery at the Boston Center for the Arts, and Human Resources in Los Angeles. Before becoming the coordinator at HMCT, he designed the publications “Enter>text: 3 years” and “Concord Press 1.”
Clifford has also worked for other artists, such as Ming Wong’s 2012 project “Making Chinatown” at REDCAT: The Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater, acting as Wong’s body double. In 2011, Clifford worked as a production artist creating 1:1 scale paper models for Thomas Demand’s photograph titled “Control Room.” In 2017, Clifford volunteered for the photographer Laura Aguilar, and has been a performer in Harry Gamboa, Jr.’s projects “The Sixth Expanse” and the Getty Artist Program “See What You Mean.”
Clifford completed his MFA in Photography and Media at CalArts in 2011 and his BFA at San Jose State University in 2008.