Hope Hanafin was an award-winning designer in ballet, opera and theatre before moving her focus to motion pictures. In 2005 she was the recipient of New York Women in Film's career achievement award; Designing Hollywood. Hope was raised in New York and California with her five brothers and sisters, by her mother, Art Historian Therese Truitt Whitcomb. Hope earned her B.A, with Honors from Santa Clara University and her M.F.A from New York University. A resident of Venice, California, Hope is the current Vice-President of the Costumes Designer's Guild, but maintains a residence and union membership in New York. She travels widely with her husband, Dr. Robert Zuber, an human rights and environmental organizer.