About Isenberg Projects
Founded in 2011, Isenberg Projects is a creative consulting agency based in Boston that specializes in place-based work and community engagement. We provide creative public realm advisory throughout the lifespan of a real estate project, helping to solve the complex challenges that reside at the intersection of community, business operations, and the built environment.
We work alongside clients to uncover an engagement plan that brings the most shared value — to a neighborhood, community, the City at large, and the various teams involved in building. We believe that the best communities are hyper collaborative and inclusive.
In every project we undertake, we strive to funnel as much of the production budgets to small minority owned businesses as we possibly can. Through our relationships with cities, districts, developers, artists, small businesses, musicians, nonprofits, and cultural institutions, we are committed to amplifying voices and varying perspectives to foster shared value and active places.
Our Team
Isenberg Projects was founded in 2011 and is a certified women-owned business in the State of Massachusetts. We are an integrated team of community strategists, creatives, tastemakers, deal makers, producers and artists – all obsessed with culture and driven by insatiable curiosity. We pride ourself on producing logistically complicated solutions that lead to a more engaging, more inclusive, and a more equitable Boston.
Jennifer Emiko Kaplan, AICP
Community Impact Manager
BIO
As Community Impact Manager, Jennifer builds relationships with local organizations, grows IP’s community engagement practices, develops frameworks for civic and cultural programs tied to real estate development, and measures shared value created for both IP’s clients and partner organizations.
Jennifer is especially passionate when it comes to thinking of innovative ways to tackle equitable community development. When Jennifer isn’t working she loves exploring waterfront spaces and trying new restaurants, constantly on the search for a great bowl of ramen.
Jennifer holds a BA in English Lit and Landscape Studies from Smith College and Masters in Urban Planning from Harvard Graduate School of Design. She currently lives in the North End.
Temishi Onnekikami
Urban Planning + Design Coordinator
BIO
Temishi Onnekikami is the Urban Planning + Design Coordinator at IP. She works to uncover what the particular priorities, gaps, challenges, and strengths of a community are to inform our partners and create positive impact.
Temishi is passionate about fostering spaces for arts and culture in our communities and the built environment’s role in that process. After hours, you can find her perusing the local library shelves for her next great read and discovering new printmaking techniques.
Temishi studied Studio Art, and Urban Studies at Vassar College. She recently relocated from California and now lives in Brookline.
Stud Green
Senior Account Manager
BIO
As the Senior Account Manager at IP, Stud leads projects to keep them running smoothly, manage workflow, and build lasting relationships with clients and vendors. With over 10 years experience working in operations with small businesses and nonprofit organizations, Stud brings a broad base of business management and advocacy to our practice. Outside of work, Stud keeps active surfing, hiking, and playing music.
Stud holds a Bachelors of Music from Berklee College of Music and lives in Jamaica Plain.
Samantha Bestvina
Account Manager
BIO
Sam is a project manager, a wizard of events, and an action oriented dynamo. At IP, Sam leads with enthusiasm, energy, and creativity to mold the client’s visions into reality. Sam brings a decade of theatre production, acting, and directing experience to IP, leading her to create dynamic, engaging programs for our clients and the neighborhoods they operate in. Sam’s organization, attention to detail, and inventiveness are visible in everything she touches. Outside of work, don’t be surprised to find her exploring Boston’s newest hotspots, restaurants, or events (or you might just catch her at a bakery searching for Boston’s greatest almond croissant).
Samantha received her B.A from Emerson College in Theater Studies. She currently resides in Lower Mills.
Jenny Nguyen
Project Coordinator
BIO
Jenny is the Project Coordinator at IP. From researching new artists, building relationships with vendors, and assisting in on ground production, she keeps the show on the road. Jenny is passionate about supporting the local creative scene and creating connections between different community members in fun and innovative ways.
Outside of IP, you can find her enjoying long walks around Boston, taking care of her overgrown monstera plant, and freshening up her birding skills.
Jenny studied Communication at UMass Boston and currently resides in Dorchester.
Gina Lindner
Public Art Producer
BIO
Outside of IP, Gina is always catching the latest local art shows and diving into her own artistic, written, and curatorial passion projects. In the warmer months, you’ll find her foraging at outdoor markets, biking, hiking, and camping out for the sunsets.
Gina earned her BFA from MassArt in Studio for Interrelated Media (SIM) and Art History. She currently lives in Somerville.
Elizabeth Ponce
Art + Event Producer
BIO
Outside of IP, you can find Elizabeth checking out new exhibitions at art museums and galleries and at the movies with a bucket of popcorn.
Elizabeth studied Fashion & Art Media and Afro-American Studies at UMass Amherst. She currently lives in Dorchester.
Madeline Jacobson
Senior Designer
BIO
Madeline is the Senior Design Director at Isenberg Projects. From identity suites and marketing collateral to comprehensive digital campaigns and web design, she is a true visual storyteller.
With a passion for problem solving through visual design and building brand integrity, Madeline is responsible for crafting distinctive and impactful visuals that communicate a brand’s values across all touch points. Madeline combines her ability to translate and bring ideas to life with 10+ years of experience on in-house teams, and a whole lot of photoshop wizardry.
When Madeline is not in front of a computer you can find her exploring pop-up shops, Negroni spots, and nooks to watch the sunset.
Madeline received her degree in Graphic Communication from Millersville University. After 10 years in Boston, Madeline recently moved back to her hometown of Philadelphia.
Anna Ferrari
Designer
BIO
Emily Isenberg
Founder + Creative Director
BIO
Emily is a creative force in place based work, As Founder and Creative Director, Emily Isenberg has led the creative vision and framed commitment to neighborhood scale since IP’s inception. Emily’s dedication to connecting people to ideas, and places has been a lifelong passion.
Drawing on over 15 years of social design, community engagement, marketing and production, Emily has overseen and lead creative activations, engagement programs and pop-ups for large-scale corporations, institutions, universities, and brands in both the public and private sectors across the country.
As a leader, Emily focuses on the intersection of real estate strategy and designed experience for the activation of great public spaces. Often working at multiple scales as a translator between with both private and public clients, she works to develop aspirational yet sustainable and implementable solutions.
When Emily isn’t at work, she’s riding one of her vintage road bikes to Cambridge coffee shops, or to check out local art and cultural experiences in basements, bars and museums alike.
Emily holds a BA in Marketing and Communications from Lesley University, has served as a Fellow of the Startup Leadership Program, is currently a contributor to Forbes magazine, and is occasionally as a part time contributor/ teacher to class rooms around the Boston area that have included (Boston University, Harvard University and Massachusetts College of Art and Design).
Liz Woodward
Principal + Director of Strategy
BIO
As a Principal and Director of Strategy at Isenberg Projects, Liz leads our strategic practice and concept development that incorporate new models of collaboration, with the goal to guide future urban development. She is driven by her curiosity for how art and culture can support the liveability and economy of our cities. As a part of that curiosity, Liz aims to challenge the way people gather together, using data to expose hidden patterns and unlock opportunities to build more inclusive and engaging public places. Liz has been with Isenberg Projects since 2016 and has worked in place based work for the past 8 years, in both rural communities out West and large cities and institutions in the Northeast. She believes that every community is a unique ecosystem that benefits participation and creativity in order to make cities more open, inclusive and democratic.
Outside of IP, you can usually find Liz hiking mountains, planning epic backpacking trips, or putting her Master Gardener skills to the test in her flowerbed.
Liz holds a BS in Business from Endicott College and a degree from New England School of Photography. She lives in Jamaica Plain.
Trusted by…
We work with an array of clients ranging from development groups, cultural institutions, cities and neighborhoods, to small businesses.
Clients
Non-Profit Clients
