Designing What We Don’t Often See: Tiffani Sydnor and the Power of Being Rare

By Chad Eric Smith, Director of Marketing and Communications, Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts

In an industry where representation behind the scenes remains limited, Tiffani Sydnor is part of a remarkably small cohort helping to shift what—and who—we see. A production designer and scenic designer working across film, television, theatre, and immersive experiences, Sydnor is one of roughly two dozen Black women in the country working at the level of art direction and production design. Within her union, United Scenic Artists Local USA 829, African American membership remains under two percent.

She is clear about what that means, not as a point of personal distinction, but as a reminder of what is possible.

“When I was brought to Howard, I was told I was a unicorn,” Sydnor shared. “Not from a place of ego, but to highlight that this is a viable career path—and one where we can excel.”

 

That perspective is grounded in a career that spans some of the most visible platforms in contemporary media. Sydnor has contributed as an art director on The Night Agent and has worked on major projects with studios including Netflix and Disney. Her credits also extend across commercials, live events, and theatrical productions, where her work as a scenic designer continues to shape the visual language of performance.

Across mediums, her approach is consistent: design is not simply about building a set, it is about building a world.

“I think about designing a world within a stage, rather than designing a stage within the world,” she explained—a distinction that speaks to how environment, story, and audience experience converge in her work. It is also where her creative identity takes shape, something she captures with a phrase she often uses to describe herself: 

Tiffani with an ‘I’—an eye—for design.

 

At the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts, that philosophy becomes a framework for teaching. As an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts, Sydnor brings her industry experience directly into the classroom, helping students understand both the creative and practical dimensions of design. Her work emphasizes collaboration, visual storytelling, and the role of design as a form of communication—skills that translate across disciplines and industries.

Equally important is what students see when they see her.

In a field historically dominated by white men, Sydnor is intentional about expanding her students’ sense of possibility. She challenges them to imagine themselves in roles they may not have previously considered and to recognize that the pathways into design—film, television, theatre, experiential work—are both real and accessible.

That commitment extends beyond Howard. Sydnor serves as a mentor through Equity Through Design Mentorship, where she supports emerging designers in navigating the industry, developing their portfolios, and building sustainable careers. She is also an active speaker and panelist, engaging with students and early-career creatives across the country.

 

Her work, both in and out of the classroom, reflects a larger goal: to ensure that the environments we see on stage and screen are shaped by a broader range of voices, perspectives, and lived experiences.

At CABCoFA, that impact is already taking hold. Students are not only learning how to design; they are learning that they belong in the rooms where creative worlds are imagined and built.