Yeab Kebede is a visionary digital media artist committed to leveraging design thinking, innovation, and art as powerful tools for storytelling, creativity, and experimental processes. Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and currently residing in San José, CA, Kebede has cultivated a distinctive style characterized by playfulness, boldness, and intricacy. Through extensive collaboration with departments, faculty, and staff at San José State University, she actively engages in the development of visual content, always striving to amplify narratives of individuality and culture.

In her recent project, "Black Spartans (1907 - 1948)," Kebede curated an exhibition featuring a series of 19 portraits. This collection served as a conduit for an ongoing research initiative led by San José State University's Special Collection and Archives, dedicated to identifying and documenting the Black experiences throughout the university's history (SJSU News Center). Kebede's work transcends conventional boundaries, underscoring the transformative potential of design thinking and innovative storytelling.

Looking ahead, Kebede envisions herself as a catalyst for change in education, with a focus on achieving real equity. Intent on pursuing graduate studies, she aims to further explore how art and research can play pivotal roles in fostering equity within educational systems. Her long-term aspiration is to teach in higher education institutions and establish a non-profit school in Ethiopia, creating an environment that encourages youth to seamlessly integrate art, technology, and design thinking paving the way for a future generation of creative thinkers and change-makers.