Good call, Eva Zeisel, how could I miss her!
I do think it is important to have role models out there. In recent years I think we have downplayed role models culturally due to a little bit of cynicism out there. I do think they are important for kids and teens, and even us older types to point the way like a beacon of possibility.
There are lots of different types of male designer role models, from corporate leaders like Dieter Rams (Braun), Jay Mays (VW nor Ford), John Hoke (Nike), Tinker Hatfield (Nike), and Eliot Noyes (IBM), Jonathan Ive (Apple) and Peter Schreyer (Audi now Kia) to the founders of consulting groups like Hartmut Esslinger (frog), Gianfranco Zaccai (Continuum), Loewy, Teague, Dreyfus, Giorgetto Giugiaro (ItalDesign), to the international stars like Stark, Rashid, Newson, to the crop of relatively younger designer like Scott Wilson and Yves Behar… plus all of the more boutique designer… anyway you get the idea.
My point is that I hope there are some in this generation of female industrial designers with en eye on working hard enough to become a role model for others. I think there already are in research, interaction, and strategy, and it would be fantastic to have more in product design.