Fran Z. Slutsky

Senior Fellow in Social Innovation

Fran Slutsky is a product developer, innovator and entrepreneur. She has successfully launched new products, marketing programs and businesses in both the consumer and commercial markets for over 20 years.

Throughout the course of Fran's career she has been awarded numerous patents in the consumer health care, home goods and kitchen cooking space. Her products have been honored with a 2009 international Greener Gadgets Award, a 2010 Spark Award, a 2010 Bronze ISDA and a 2012 International Housewares New Product Award.

Fran's early product development work focused on consumer medical products with the goal of finding new ways to help people manage chronic diseases, within the rigors of daily life. This work led to the development of health management products for individuals with asthma, diabetes, chronic pain, medication compliance and women's health issues. Specialty products that resulted have been branded and marketed by Safety First, Sunbeam Health-at-Home, Medport, Schering Plough, Eli Lilly, Health Check and Health Solutions.

Fran's recent work has been geared towards developing consumer products for the home goods sector. By blending divergent ideas with design and human factors, Fran creates products that solve problems throughout our living environments. These products have been branded and marketed by Kitchen-Aid, Maytag, Full-Circle Home, Storebound and Dash Enterprises.

In 2010 Fran brought her passion for design and innovation together to create an inventive social program called The Stitching Studio. The program blends sewing, design and training to meet the needs of newly resettled refugees. The Stitching Studio is a unique start-up focusing on day-one training, micro-enterprise opportunities and personal growth for employment and family sustainability. From a small three-machine space, which provided sewing training for 6 refugees from Bhutan, the program has grown into a 3000 square foot studio and has placed over 85 graduates in jobs during a 24-month period. Fran believes that The Stitching Studio is perfect example of how organic and creative approaches can solve problems to meet individual needs.

Prior to launching her own businesses, Fran worked for both Textron, Inc. and Textron Financial Corporation (TFC). Her positions included Marketing and Communications Manager and in-House Marketing Consultant for TFC's nine divisions.

Fran holds a Masters from Tufts University, School of Engineering and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Missouri-Columbia.