NELSON Worldwide, an award-winning architecture, design, and strategy firm, is proud to announce that principal Karen Daroff will be the recipient of the Moore College of Art & Design’s 2024 Visionary Woman Award. In its 21st year, the prestigious award recognizes Daroff’s contributions to the design field, as well as her commitment to mentoring students and recent college graduates who make up the next generation of designers. 

“This year, we celebrate Moore’s 175th anniversary and our unflagging mission of providing art and design students with the education and skills they need to succeed in creative industries—and there is no better time to recognize the achievements of Karen Daroff,” said Cathy Young, president of Moore College of Art & Design. “Karen has made a tremendous impact around the world, thanks to her incredible vision, talent and ambition, not to mention the impact she has made on young, up-and-coming designers. We invite our friends, neighbors and the broader community to join us in celebrating Karen at this event while supporting the exceptional students in Moore’s prestigious Visionary Honors Program.” 

Daroff is an internationally recognized leader in the global design community. A Philadelphia native and proud graduate of Moore College of Art & Design, she founded Daroff Design Inc. in 1973, assembling and managing an extraordinarily talented team of design professionals. In 2022, Daroff Design Inc. merged operations with Nelson Worldwide, an architecture, interior design, graphic design and brand strategy firm founded in Philadelphia. 

“I’m so honored to receive Moore’s 2024 Visionary Woman Award,” said Daroff. “My time at Moore gave me the foundation to launch my design career. It means so much to me to be recognized for my achievements by my alma mater and to have the opportunity to give back to Moore by supporting the next generation of designers.”

Daroff regularly mentors students and recent graduates aspiring for careers in the design professions. She is a recipient of numerous national design awards, including the prestigious “Designer of the Year” award by Contract Magazine, the “Design Giant” award by Interior Design, and the coveted Hospitality Platinum Circle Hall of Fame award by Hospitality Design. As a successful female business owner, she has also won the Pennsylvania Governor’s Top 50 Women in Business Award and recognition by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a Top Women Owned Businesses. She is currently a board member of the Greater Philadelphia Film Office. Her prestigious client list includes Comcast, NBC Universal, Universal Studios, Disney, Liberty Property, Brandywine Realty Trust, Mohegan Gaming Authority, MGM, Loews Hotels, Marriott, Hilton, St. Regis, Ritz Carlton, Sony and Viacom, JFK, Newark Airport, and the Philadelphia International Airport.

A focus of Moore’s annual fundraising gala, the Visionary Honors Program celebrates outstanding female leaders in art and design and supports a select group of undergraduate students, providing them with tools and real-world skills to pursue successful careers in the industry. The event will take place on May 22, 2024 from 5:30–9 pm at the College, located on 1916 Race Street, on Philadelphia’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway. To learn more, visit moore.edu/vwa.