The client wished to establish affinity in the Esports education space, and more importantly elevate the conversation around the role of Esports in schools. The training program began in August for participants, who would be recognized as global Esports education leaders and form a networked global community. This training program would serve as a soft launch for the lockup, which will be rolled out internationally in schools later this fall.

There aren’t enough words to describe all the amazing things teachers do. But we tried anyway.

With a scrappy budget, our team set out to create a video that would truly resonate with teachers on a deep and meaningful level. To honor their lasting impact, we invited community members from all walks of life—people whose worlds had been shaped by teachers—to share their stories. Filmed in various locations throughout a local middle school, the setting itself added authenticity and heart, grounding those powerful reflections in a place that felt both familiar and resonant.

Microsoft is on a mission to enable equitable education for all. Through inclusively designed tools and products, they are accelerating learning and fostering well-being in classrooms across the globe, for students and educators alike. Over the last few years, I’ve had the opportunity to design more than 300 social posts for Microsoft’s education sector, bringing innovative tech to a wider audience while promoting upcoming events and spotlighting industry partners.

As a leader in the field, it is important for Microsoft’s digital footprint to reflect the innovative nature of the products and services it is promoting. Therefore, I have continuously made it my goal to elevate the creative to new heights, utilizing cutting-edge design techniques and forward-thinking conceptual ideation.

The video honors the everyday magic that unfolds in classrooms by showcasing plaques engraved with stories of small but powerful moments. Each plaque highlights the ways teachers shape lives—whether by bringing the wonder of chemistry to life, encouraging students to question the status quo, or sparking confidence in their own potential. Through these glimpses, the video captures how the quiet victories and personal connections within schools become lasting legacies, reminding us that teachers’ influence extends far beyond the classroom walls.

“We want our employees to be themselves every day. We embrace diverse perspectives. We value inclusive behavior. We are passionate about Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) because it fuels innovation, drives engagement and attracts talent. D&I is a fundamental part of our culture aspiration to be curious, inspired and unbossed. “

As a company representing 149 nationalities, leading with strong LGBTI support, and boasting an almost 50/50 split between men and women in management and within the company as a whole, it was very important to Novartis to create a program that represented their passion for diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Our job was to dream up a campaign that spoke to employees from all walks of life, while avoiding painting their experiences with a broad brush. And since Novartis is a global healthcare company, we wanted to tie into the science behind the sociology. After conducting some preliminary research and tapping into a number of diverse cultural perspectives, we came up with a concept we called “Elements.”

This idea focuses on the individual, and all the diverse elements of which they are composed. For instance, someone may identify as a “out and proud” but also describe themselves as a strong “Boca FC supporter” and a “curious scientist.” Not only did we seek to encourage a sense of pride in one’s skin color, language, their sexual orientation, gender, age, etc., we also wanted to take a deeper dive into what special things make them tick. And from this came our tagline: “Show what you’re made of.”

When all of these elements come together, they create a strong, unique bond that forms the Novartis compound.

We sought to launch this campaign through a series of tactics including a live podcast called “On Paper/In Person”, a show and tell style event series called “Alchemy”, social media organic posts and stories focused on getting to know Novartis employees and their unique backgrounds and interests, an internal magazine, hallway signage, proprietary team-building software, personalized desk signage, etc.

Local musical artist, David Meyer, approached me about creating album art for a studio project he was working on. The songs have a dreamy, 70’s-inspired quality that he wanted reflected in the overall design. We decided to lean into the psychedelic vibe, first creating a wavy, retro logo, then bringing in some obscure collage work, allowing the viewer to interpret their own meaning. The ellipse design in the center of the record incorporates concentric circles, adding to the hypnotic feel when the record is spun.

General Snus, a Swedish tobacco company with a long and storied history, needed fresh creative every month for both email and social. While the brand has a primarily 21+ male audience, we took measures to appeal to the female demographic, as well. Oftentimes, I had the opportunity to see concepts through from initial ideation to final execution. The goal was always to spark interest and/or audience participation, so I tried to keep concepts topical, useful, or unusual enough to garner attention. Because there wasn’t always enough budget for stock, I styled and photographed elements for a number of posts. I also used my illustration skills wherever I could to save on costs.

PM360 2020 TRAILBLAZER AWARD FINALIST

In 2018, Avion launched Balcoltra® (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous bisglycinate tablets), a branded combination oral contraceptive (COC) with a low dose combination of hormones that HCPs recognized to be effective. Previously, the Balcoltra brand team had focused all marketing efforts on HCPs. This was now their chance to move forward with a patient campaign.

Target Audience: Women 18-45, with a sweet spot of 18-34.

Objectives: Build brand awareness for Balcoltra, educate potential patients about the benefits of Balcoltra, and drive consumers to visit the Balcoltra website and take on-sight actions such as taking a quiz to see if Balcoltra is right for them.

Balcoltra didn’t have broad awareness or a big media budget, but it did have a name that stands for something: Balance and Control. In other words, BC. Which is also an abbreviation for birth control. And thanks to texting, Balcoltra’s target knows BC means “Because.” Instead of being sexy and provocative like competitors, we focused on empowerment, with research insight-based messaging such as “BC predictable periods.”

Results

900% traffic increase over baseline

97% paid search traffic from unbranded searches

49,078,361 total impressions

132,830 total clicks

23% more paid search clickthroughs than industry benchmark

60% more programmatic display clickthroughs than industry benchmark

1,822 quiz starts on the website with minimal prompting, signaling potential patients’ desire to speak to their doctors about Balcoltra

For the annual Hy-Vee Wine and Cheese Entertaining Guide, I was asked to spearhead the design from initial concepting to final print. After rounds of brainstorming, we went with a clean, high-end approach, utilizing simple black and white surfaces to keep attention focused on the food. During this process, I designed the layouts, worked with photographers, assisted in food styling and communicated needs with our color and accuracy teams. This guide was distributed in stores across the country. 

Just three months before the 2019 annual meetings of the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) and the American Academy of Optometry (AAOPT), Novartis announced the massive acquisition of Xiidra® (lifitegrast ophthalmic solution) 5%, the only FDA-approved medication to treat signs and symptoms of dry eye disease (DED).

Commercial exhibits are not the main attraction at either congress —learning and networking are. And compared to optic conditions like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, DED may seem like more of a nuisance. Nevertheless, the newly formed Xiidra brand team was eager to reintroduce Xiidra as a Novartis product with a “must-experience” destination that would inspire healthcare professionals (HCPs) to reconsider their opinion of DED and how to treat it.

Out off 500 booths, 3075 people chose to engage with the Xiidra booth, making up 35% of attendees. 10% of those engaged more than once, with an average dwell time of 9 minutes, 22 seconds. 70% of booth visitors agreed to future contact, far greater than the industry average of >17.5%.

While freelancing in Denver, I worked collaboratively with another designer to create this menu insert for Red Robin. As this was the first insert of the new year, we wanted to keep the look fresh while steering away from any elements that could be considered festive. Keeping within their brand guidelines, I introduced some fun angles, textures and callouts to create a look that is visually stimulating and encourages the customer to try something new.

The client, ZYN, was looking to stock illustrated T-shirt designs as a rewards item on their website. The only ask is that they kept in line with previous T-shirt designs, showcasing bespoke modes of transportation while making a subtle nod to a specific variety of nicotine pouch.

For the Wintergreen variety, I thought an exaggeratedly large mint leaf (mint being a main ingredient in the nicotine pouch) on top of a station wagon would be a fun play on the classic Christmas tree strapped to the top of the car. For the Chill variety, I chose to illustrate an old Winnebago next to a cooler, giving a double meaning to “chill”.

I was approached by a member of District Council 3, a Chicago-based workers union, to create a new logo. They were parting ways with the Teamsters and wanted to avoid using any horse iconography, while still incorporating an animal. We decided a hawk would be the most fitting mascot, as they travel together in numbers and are known for being fierce birds of prey who go after what they want and get it. The logo is clean and badge-like, conveying authority and unity in the face of adversity. The bird flying upwards promotes a sense of progress and intention.

I was asked to create a series of simple illustrations to use across a variety of media for the annual IMT Des Moines Marathon. These illustrations were featured on a series of downtown street banners, informational flyers and goods/accessories that are available for purchase on the IMT website. 

In this new Covid world we’ve been plunged into, many facets of day-to-day life have had to change. And for many, change can be scary. We often wish things could just go back to “normal”. But as we’re beginning to realize, the old normal isn’t necessarily how our new normal will look, nor should it be.

This project takes a look at how those in the healthcare space, including reps who visit medical facilities, might navigate their jobs in the future. We started with a name: Square One. Rather than throwing ones arms up in defeat, we encourage a “fresh start” perspective. Starting at square one could be daunting, but it’s also an opportunity to usher in progress and advancement. It’s a place to build from.

Through things like rep kits, interactive sales aids, VR training, hospital-regulated Covid tracking apps and more, we are able to take a step into the uncertain future with more certainty.

Aldi was interested in revamping the look of their themed ad spreads, so I was tasked with sketching layouts that incorporated all of their desired retails, while staying trendy and on brand. Looking at product descriptions, I noticed that a lot of the items they carried were in repeating colors (pink and blue being two of those), so I decided to incorporate those punchy colors into the design. The client was happy with the direction, so from intitial sketches to final photography, the concept strayed very little. This ad could be found in stores nationwide. 

ZYN, a tobacco-free nicotine brand, set out to introduce a rewards program for consumers. For this program, I illustrated a line art pattern comprised of rewards items that could be earned through purchase points. This pattern, along with brand colors and fonts, was used to design the packaging that rewards items would be shipped in. Not only would the box be attention-grabbing—upon opening the lid, the eco-conscious brand also encourages consumers to recycle the packaging to reduce landfill waste.

Every month, Schnucks produces a free, in-store magazine introducing fun recipes, tips and tricks for entertaining and expert spotlights. In this issue, I designed, illustrated and helped photo direct this feature highlighting creative twists on simple classics for every meal of the day.

Though I’m now a resident of St. Louis, I grew up in the Peoria metro area in Illinois. So when I was approached by a non-profit in Peoria to design a bag to raise funds and help the community, I was excited to lend a hand. Through simple floral illustration work and a combination of bold, heavy type and soft script, the bag serves as a reminder to the carrier, as well as a call to action to passersby, to Keep Peoria Beautiful. The web address directs to resources for residents to help through acts of service or monetary donations.

In order to make a splash at the 2018 AAO (American Association of Ophthalmology) Conference in Chicago, it was imperative that Novartis’ booth have enough curb appeal to compete with other heavy-hitters in the pharma space. They needed show-stopping attractions to pull attendees in and familiarize them with their products. This resulted in the creation of both the iris tunnel and a robot affectionately known as Opthal Molly.

The iris tunnel served as a fun photo-op for visitors, while also collecting information they entered into the kiosk to personalize their experience. Opthal Molly, an interactive robot, had the ability to guide attendees through information about the brand’s pharmaceuticals, as well as tell jokes, provide a digital map, take visitor’s selfies, and a handful of other options.

Brand Iron, a Denver-based branding/marketing agency (and my previous place of work), is currently in the process of repositioning their company and updating their brand look and feel. In an effort to appeal to their diverse range of vertical markets while conveying their unique value proposition, I married art and technology through clean, edgy visuals. Dark charcoal hues are contrasted with hot pink and orange gradients while leading angles keep the viewers’ eye moving down the page. Tech-y illustrations, animated number counters and punchy mockups provide visual interest and increase potential clients’ confidence in the Brand Iron’s ability produce eye-catching work.

Agency work for Brand Iron.

"Four-for-Four" was a food feature for Diabetes Forecast magazine that I designed, illustrated and helped style. Because the recipes had a fun, summer-y feel, I incorporated the use of playful banners and loose hand lettering to enhance that theme.

The American Diabetes Association reached out, looking for help in designing fun, informational "introduction to diabetes" pamphlets for children and teens. These guides would come as a kit and would explain both how to handle friends and family if you are coping with diabetes, and how to help and reassure another family member if they are the one with the diagnosis. 

They say you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, but oftentimes that’s what we do anyway. After coming across a generic box set of fairy tales with drab, unenticing colors and little to no bookshelf appeal, I decided these iconic tales were deserving of a complete redesign. Drawing inspiration from artists like Mary Grandpre, John Selburg and Irena Siwek, my goal was to bring these stories to life through the use of vibrant, eye-catching illustrations. Each book took on it’s own exclusive series of patterns and colors while maintaining the semblance of a cohesive set. The unique box design was created with a younger audience in mind. On opposite ends, behind magnetically closing doors, a figurine corresponding to one of the book cover characters is housed, adding further value to the overall product.

For the premiere issue of Hey, Healthy Magazine, I was tasked with many different responsibilities in getting the publication off the ground. Some of those responsibilities included:

• Concept ideation

• Organizing outfits, locations and models

• Being flown to Florida to assist in directing the photo shoot

• Delegating articles to a team of designers and organizing timelines for completion

• Providing art direction and aiding in designing cover options and spreads

• Working with the color team and copywriters on photos and content

• Making sure files were print-ready

For this travel article, the client wanted to show an airport security conveyor belt without actually having to photograph it. So we mixed some photographed items (prescription pill bottles, pump, etc.) with some illustrated elements to make the piece more visually appealing and memorable for the reader. 

Abel, Willing & Co. is an all-inclusive estate management group that aims to enhance its clients' lifestyles by providing exceptional service tailored to their unique needs. By managing household duties, construction projects, travel arrangement, event services, legal and financial needs, and more, Able, Willing & Co. gives its clientele the freedom to pursue what they truly value. We provided three logo options that would cater stylistically to the target demographic.

Agency Work for Brand Iron.