Mara is an award-winning graphic designer, photographer and illustrator and the founder of Mara Kurtz Studio. Her work has been published in numerous periodicals including Metropolis, New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, and Travel and Leisure and appears in Design Annuals for the AIGA, Communication Arts, Graphis, Art Directors Club, Type Directors Club, Society of Illustrators, and Society of Publication Design. Mara is actively involved in the international design community and has served as the Director of the New York Design Experience (an international graphic design conference) since 2004. She was President of the Type Directors Club from 1996-98 and frequently collaborates with other designers and creative firms such as Jim Wagner at Certainly Studio. Mara has been a Part Time Assistant Teaching Professor at Parsons School of Design since 1990 and the New School Media Studies program since 1995. Other teaching positions include New York University's International Telecommunications Program (ITP) and the School of Visual Arts Digital Photography MPS. Mara is a graduate of New York University and Parsons School of Design, and received an MA from the New School in 1995.