Valerie Cataffa has been named President and Chief Operating Officer of U.S.-based design, planning, architecture, interiors, and graphics firm DDG.
Cataffa previously served as Vice President and Director of Operations of DDG. She will continue to serve as a member of the firm’s Board of Directors, and has also been a Shareholder since 2003.
In her new role, Cataffa will work closely with DDG’s Chairman and CEO, Ahsin Rasheed, to expand the firm’s award-winning portfolio and solidify its global reputation for design creativity and inspired architectural, planning, and design solutions.
She will continue to handle DDG’s day-to-day operations, business management, and logistics, including strategic planning, staffing, and coordination of professional disciplines, functions, and initiatives.
“Val’s big-picture vision, strong leadership skills, attention to detail, and talent for organization have been evident throughout her entire career at DDG,” says Rasheed.
Ever since her first days with the firm in 1994, Cataffa has been the driving force behind the evolution of DDG | Graphics. As the firm’s Director of Graphics, she spearheaded the growth of its reputation for graphics offerings, which today include logo and identity graphics, branding, print and promotional materials, environmental graphics and signage, convention planning and exhibit design, and web and video direction. 
Rasheed notes that Cataffa has brought that same level of creativity, vision, and strategic thinking to her other roles at the firm. “Val is one of those rare individuals who can bring both left- and right-brain thinking to the table. She is intuitive, thoughtful, and extremely creative, and, at the same time, very logical, analytical, and objective,” he says.
To illustrate his point, Rasheed explains that Cataffa was responsible for creating DDG’s tag line – “Design a Vision | Make an Impression | Create an Experience” – just one of the many contributions helping to take DDG forward as a globally recognizable brand, a mission we call DDG 2.0. Most recently, she handled all aspects of the firm’s move to a new studio space with an extremely accelerated schedule, from negotiating the lease to directing all design features and selection of fixtures and finishes, all while managing DDG’s day-to-day operations.
While conceding that Cataffa’s first love will always be design, Rasheed notes, “Val enjoys and is driven by the challenges of management, and is inspired by the everyday opportunities to continue making DDG a creative and compelling organization. We are extremely fortunate and thrilled to have Val play such a key role on our executive team, and anticipate she will bring that same drive and inspiration to her new position.”
DDG is recognized as an industry leader, with a reputation for producing quality, innovative, and visionary design for more than three decades. Among the company’s many highly successful, commercial endeavors are National Harbor outside of Washington, DC, Istanbul, Turkey’s Istinye Park, Fairfax Corner in Fairfax, Virginia, Pondok Indah in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Easton Town Center near Columbus, Ohio.
About DDG: For more than three decades, U.S.-based DDG has delivered inspired planning, architecture, interiors, graphics, and design solutions that transcend convention, invite and explore new possibilities, and celebrate the power and pageantry of public space. An industry leader with a reputation for innovative thinking and visionary design with more than 180 design awards to its credit, DDG is known for its ingenuity, creativity, and professional passion. DDG has designed sustainable, evocative, and iconic energized environments in more than 50 countries, earning the firm its status as a global leader of design. For more information, visit www.ddg-usa.com.