Role: Creative Director, Typeface Designer, Legacy Timeline Display Designer, Copywriter

THE KENNEDY LEGACY
Our story starts with eight siblings - each incredibly gifted in their creative abilities. Pastels, acrylics, watercolor, poetry, sculpture, jewelry, florals, cartoons, the human voice, pencil, fashion, teaching & business - just the beginning of creative expression. Marks left by one generation now carried by the next. The Kennedy family makes a strong case for the value and ability of our work to make a mark on the world around us. Since the Kennedy family set their roots in Marion, they have left their mark—from early beauty shops in our downtown, a thriving countertop & cabinet business, education, the arts, and now the Kennedy Art Center.

OUR MANIFESTO: UNIQUE STROKES
A paintbrush laden with paint glides across the canvas, a pencil scratches gently on the surface, clay molds to the shape of the potter’s fingers, iambic pentameter reveals itself in the rhythm of a poem, notes swell from the lungs. Each reveals a unique stroke—recognizable to the medium with which the mark is made. And from all these unique marks, unique stories are told by unique artists—showcasing a world once visible only to them. The Kennedy Art Center is where art is made visible—where each stroke before lays the ground for new strokes to come.

BUILDING A UNIQUE IDENTITY
To support the brand, I developed a unique typeface for the letters KAC. This typeface allows the letters to stand out and leave their own unique mark. These letters are built from a square and can be implemented in creative ways as the brand is used—for instance, through framing corners and showcasing artists’ names in exhibitions.

Using a nine-by-nine grid and simple circle shapes, the letters are formed and brought to life. Their distinctive shape makes KAC stand out and ensures their strokes and marks are like no other.

Role: Acting Creative Director, Lead Designer, Copywriter

When the university merged its two independent marketing departments into a single, unified organization, the need for a cohesive and comprehensive brand identity became immediately clear. The new structure required a robust brand guide that could clearly define every aspect of the university’s visual and verbal identity—from tone of voice and logo hierarchy to color systems, photography style, and video standards.

As the acting Creative Director during this pivotal transition, I led the development of a 188-page brand guide built entirely from scratch. I collaborated closely with our teams to gather input and ensure that the guide met the diverse needs of colleges, departments, and administrative units across the university.

Beyond developing the overall framework and visual system, I designed and wrote the majority of the content. One of the most critical challenges was establishing a clear and scalable logo system to define what types of marks different entities were allowed to use—creating a structure that balanced flexibility with consistency.

The result was a comprehensive, user-friendly brand guide that unified the university’s voice and visual identity, providing a lasting foundation for brand integrity and creative excellence across all communications.

Shown here is a sample of the document’s 188 pages.

Role: Creative Director and Project Lead - Managing a team of fourteen designers and copywriters.

Before Marion Design Co. began creating branding material for Marion Health, we sought an understanding of the company’s history, values, and presence to ensure we were designing with empathy. To accomplish this, we began by performing an internal audit in which we interviewed and surveyed Marion Health employees, patients, and community leaders. As we learned more about Marion Health, forming relationships with the people that daily shape Marion Health into what it is, we came to understand the attitudes, visions, and experiences of Marion Health’s own community.

An employee of 30 years shared with us, “[Marion Health] desires to serve the community well by being proactive with the services they provide to meet the changing needs of healthcare...They are committed to making the patient the focus for the decisions they make.”

In addition to an internal audit, we also performed a competitor audit of healthcare networks offering services similar to Marion Health to better understand the industry itself. We visited Marion Health’s various facilities, grounding ourselves in the place we would represent. We witnessed Marion Health’s values--quality, patient service excellence, effective communication, resource management, teamwork, and community-driven--come to life around us as we intentionally incorporated these values into our design process.

After developing a thorough understanding of Marion General Hospital, we began sketching potential marks for the brand. Inspired by healthcare symbolism, organic patterns, and soft shapes, we created various iterations of what the brand could be. After proposing three focused designs, we worked with Marion Health to finalize the mark.

The final mark, the Pulse, maintains a steady embrace around the center and welcomes patients into a similar embrace. Forming a compassionate network of growth, it remains rooted in Marion Health’s integrity, innovation, and holistic care as it reaches more patients and their communities. At its core, the Pulse alludes to the foundational legacy of the Red Cross as an icon of quality care, and the strong blue color is reminiscent of Marion Health’s long-standing history throughout the region. Like the undulation of an ambulance siren, the Pulse’s ripple-like movement embodies Marion Health’s ever-expanding influence on the community.

The Pulse’s colors imply tranquility, agricultural roots, and innovation. Blues and greens are often associated with health, growth, innovation, care, and community. We selected these colors to embody Marion Health’s pride in its community, reflecting its hard-working, rural setting. Colored with blues and greens, The Pulse welcomes in and provides comfort to the community.

We paired the Pulse with a typeface selected to reflect its soft edges, ensuring its approachability as a brand. The typeface is open, gently drawing Marion Health’s community in. Its rounded curves make the brand more human and reflect the curves of the mark itself, while the typeface’s sharp points represent Marion Health’s strict standard of excellence. Specifically, the ‘N’ in “Marion” ends on a curve, leaving the viewer with an open invitation to become a part of the Marion Health community.

Using shapes from the Pulse, we also designed icons to represent Marion Health’s values, signify wayfinding in their facilities, and form a common language throughout the brand itself.

Ultimately, the Pulse transforms Marion General Hospital into Marion Health, and transforms the company from a rural hospital to a rural health network. The new brand not only allows Marion Health to expand its identity within the community but it also showcases their identity more accurately, revealing all they are capable of as a health network.

Role: Designer, Design Researcher, Copywriter

What is a community’s responsibility to unity? How does a community strive forward together when dissension and tension are high? In the forefront of my own community is a wound which still festers some 90 years later. The event—the lynching of Abram Smith and Thomas Smith in Marion Indiana—is rarely talked about and is often seemed as something to be “forgotten.” However, wounds so deep do not so easily disappear. Whenever someone brings up the idea of memorializing it, it is shot down. At the same time as I learned of the unrest in my own community, a national debate formed around monuments and memorials, particularly in the southern U.S. around confederate monuments.

How do we, in a culture so polarizing, create space for productive and peaceful conversations in communities seeking not our own personal convictions, but our community’s best interest? In processing these large issues, the Understand. Discover. Act. kit was hatched. It seeks to provide a resource for community organizations to use that contains resources and tools aimed at helping communities to have productive and peaceful conversations about the false memories, abrasive memories, or longed to be forgotten memories within our own communities.

The kit contains three units for a community to process together.

Understand catches the community up to the broader story in context of national dialogues and urges them to press forward.

Discover allows the community to grapple with the specific issues in their own community making sure to listen to diverse voices around the community.

Act pushes the community to come to their own solution since the same solution won’t be right for every community and set in motion a plan and path forward.

All in all, the desire of the kit is to grapple with the question: How do we as a community navigate a past we would rather forget?

Now take a breath.
It’s okay that this is a hard task.
A hard task, however, does not mean it is a task not worth doing.
This task is worth doing.
So... take a step back and breathe.
Find a crew to move forward with you.
Find people to move forward in the public square.
Memory and Reconciliation are worth it, because...
People are worth it.
Conflict is sure to arise and obstacles will be sure to find you.
But keep on stepping forward.
Begin discovering.
Let reconciliation begin.
All you have to do is take the next step.

Role: Lead Designer, Layout

As Lead Designer, I guided the creative direction and visual execution of the 2024 President’s Report for Indiana Wesleyan University, a refined and visually engaging publication that highlights the university’s momentum and mission.

Built around President Kulaga’s strategic framework — People, Partners, and Pathways — the report is organized into distinct, compelling sections that communicate both the present impact and the future direction of IWU. The design reinterprets the university’s bold, collage-inspired brand through a more elevated lens using subtle layering, clean edges, and intentional whitespace to create a sophisticated reading experience for stakeholders and donors.

I developed custom graphs and data visualizations to translate complex financial information into clear, visually consistent elements. Rich photography and narrative storytelling spotlight the people, partners, and pathways driving IWU’s vision and values. A specialty silver ink on the cover adds understated elegance, reinforcing the report’s presidential tone.

More than a retrospective, the piece shines a light on what’s emerging — showing how IWU is finding The Way Forward through innovation, collaboration, and unwavering purpose.

Role: Designer, Typeface Designer

Boka’s story begins in the late 1950’s or 60’s as far as I can tell. Although little remains in terms of the history of the Boka brand except for the existence of the Sabovich Brothers who were grape growers in Bakersfield California. In fact, it’s a wonder I even stumbled upon the Boka brand myself.

I set out one afternoon in search of old hand-painted type at an antique store. In one of the booths, I stumbled upon an old grape crate with a lovely set of unique letterforms. At the time I knew nothing of its history, but that Boka crate caught my eye and I set to turn those four letters into a whole typeface.

The Boka story begins here.

All that existed was four letters: B - O - K - A. These letters became the foundation for the Boka typeface.

I understood that Boka was unique and rebellious with a flare for showing off. However, in order to create a typeface that worked in context, issues with the baseline and the extravagant flares would need to be adjusted so it could be typed and still appear balanced. The key in all of this was to make sure that it would functionally work but retain its uniqueness, rebellious nature, and flare. However, the rebellious flare carries back much further to ongoings with the Sabovich Brothers. While it’s hard to find much about Boka Brand—beyond the crate where this all started—a search for the Sabovich Brothers led to some results.

Mentions of the Sabovich Brothers are found in the Congressional Record and articles in El Malcriado (The Voice of the Farm Worker) Magazine where they tell of the Sabovich Brother’s involvement in an illegal scab ‘union’ entitled the Agricultural Workers’ Freedom to Work Association (AWFWA).

It was in these magazines that the typeface found a life through old political cartoon illustrations. After finishing and refining the typeface and turning it into a usable font, I began to explore how it could be used and what type of life it could live beyond an .otf file.

In the end, Sad Boy Kombucha was born along with a set of five-suited playing cards. These products allow the typeface to stand out accompanied by parts of the historical illustrations that link back to its deep and scandalous beginnings.

Role: Lead Designer, Concepting, Strategy

As the lead on the conceptual framework, I developed a cohesive, story-driven design system for Indiana Wesleyan University’s 2024–2025 and 2025-2026 admissions materials, collaborating closely with our senior design team to bring the vision to life. The system was designed to guide prospective students through a visual journey—from initial curiosity to confident commitment—using design as a narrative tool.

Built around a three-tier structure, each phase mirrors a student’s stage in the college decision process:

Tier 1 captures the exploratory stage with bold collage compositions, layered shapes, striking typography, and vibrant photography — reflecting the excitement and uncertainty of assembling ideas about the future.

Tier 2 narrows the focus, inviting students to visit campus by spotlighting a single student within their chosen major. This tier creates a personal connection, offering an authentic glimpse into what life at IWU could look like for them.

Tier 3, designed for post-acceptance materials, expands the perspective again to showcase the collective energy and vibrancy of the IWU community—welcoming new Wildcats into something larger than themselves.

Visually and conceptually, the system moves from assembled parts, to focused identity, to collective belonging—capturing the excitement of discovery and the confidence of finding your place. The result is a flexible, narrative-driven design framework that ensures consistency across touchpoints while keeping the student journey at the center of the experience.

Role: Creative Director, Designer alongside Marion Design Co.

Working collaboratively with a team of designers at Marion Design Co., I helped shape a visual system that reflects the organization’s mission to unite creativity, theology, and renewal through thoughtful design.

ECCLÉ is a US-based non-profit dedicated to helping churches and artists discover and leverage their creative potential through training, mentoring, and connectivity. Rooted in the conservation of the Church, ECCLÉ exists to help those committed to creating a just and beautiful world—but who often find themselves creatively stuck—become and stay unstuck. Through partnership and formation, ECCLÉ empowers individuals and communities to rediscover their creative calling as an act of restoration.

The brand draws inspiration from Ezekiel 47:8–12, which describes rivers bringing life wherever they flow. This passage became the foundation for the metaphor of the estuary—a place where different waters meet to create one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on earth. Estuaries symbolize convergence, vitality, and interdependence—perfectly reflecting ECCLÉ’s role in nurturing creativity within the broader ecosystem of the Church.

The logo visually captures this narrative:

The block shape references illuminated scriptural letters and early block printing, bridging theology and artistic creation.

Negative space reveals a subtle “e,” symbolizing both Ecclé and the flowing connection between land and water.

Organic, custom letterforms evoke the natural movement of water and the humanity of creative expression.

A serif typeface adds weight and philosophical depth, grounding the mark in timeless wisdom.

The result is a distinctive and meaningful identity—one that feels ancient yet alive, symbolizing the meeting of faith and creativity. This brand not only elevates ECCLÉ’s visual presence but also embodies its deeper mission: to renew and sustain the creative life of the Church through collaboration, imagination, and grace.

Role: Lead Designer

In an effort to strengthen brand presence across walkable areas of campus, this initiative was designed to serve a dual purpose: increasing brand awareness among thousands of summer visitors while reinforcing brand language and pride for students in their everyday environments.

As the lead designer, I developed a cohesive system of environmental graphics and large-scale signage that brings the university’s identity into the physical campus experience. From light pole banners lining major walkways to large-format building graphics for Homecoming and interchangeable cable-system banners featuring evolving brand messages, each piece was crafted to connect visually and emotionally with its audience.

These signs allowed me to explore a wide range of print techniques and production methods from multiple vendors to ensure consistency, quality, and impact across materials. The result is a vibrant, flexible signage system that not only enhances the visual character of campus but also amplifies the Indiana Wesleyan University brand in every corner of the community.

Role: Creative Director, Designer alongside Marion Design Co.

When Church 52 set out to refresh their identity, it wasn’t just about a new logo — it was about renewing the way they presented the Gospel to their community. Their mission is simple yet profound: Worship the Lord. Touch lives. Change our world. The church’s name carries a dual meaning—a nod to both Highway 52 in Indianapolis (where they are located) and Isaiah 52:7: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news.” That sense of movement, of bringing good news forward, became the heartbeat of the rebrand.

As Creative Director, I led the project in partnership with the Marion Design Co. team and Church 52’s leadership. My role spanned creative direction, on-site research, concept sketching, pitching, and environmental design, including wayfinding and facade development. Together, we set out to craft a visual language that would speak to young families discovering the church for the first time while still honoring the generations who had built its foundation.

Our team began with a visit to the church—not just to observe, but to listen. We sat in the sanctuary, walked the hallways, and spoke with members about what Church 52 meant to them. One staff member told us, “We want people to have an experience with Jesus every time the doors are open.” That phrase stayed with us. It reminded us that this wasn’t a design project—it was an act of translation. Our job was to turn that spirit of encounter, joy, and movement into something people could see and feel.

The new identity grew out of that experience. The logo became a visual metaphor for the church’s faith in action—a people expectant and ready to move with the Spirit. The custom typography carries layers of symbolism:

The flowing lines above the “C” and within the “5” and “2” mirror tongues of fire at Pentecost—the moment when the early Church was filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2).

Those same lines recall Isaiah 52’s imagery of a banner lifted high, proclaiming good news to the world.

The number 2 takes the abstract form of a person kneeling in worship—a quiet reminder that every act of movement begins with surrender.

Even the numbers 5 and 2 nod to the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand, symbolizing Church 52’s hope to multiply its reach and impact far beyond its walls.

The color palette reinforces this balance of energy and presence—bold reds and burgundies to represent the fire and passion of the Holy Spirit, complemented by cooler tones that evoke peace, stability, and welcome.

Beyond the logo, the rebrand extended into the physical environment. We redesigned the interior and exterior wayfinding, ensuring every touchpoint—from signage to facade—reflected a sense of permanence and belonging. We also developed print materials such as business cards, coffee sleeves, and letterhead, creating a cohesive identity across every platform.

What began as a logo redesign became something much larger: a visual revival. The final identity captures the essence of Church 52—a community alive with faith, grounded in Scripture, and joyfully bringing good news to the world.

Role: Lead Designer (IWU Presentations), Creative Director (Marion Design Co. Presentations)

Effective presentation design is about transforming information into clear, engaging, and memorable visual stories. My approach focuses on helping audiences absorb complex ideas quickly while maintaining a cohesive and professional visual language that reflects the brand and purpose of the presentation.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to design and deliver presentations for a variety of clients, projects, and internal initiatives. Some have been created for me to present directly, while others were developed as visual support tools for leadership teams, board members, or prospective students. Each presentation is tailored to its audience—with tone, layout, and pacing all guided by the message being communicated.

These three featured examples illustrate the range of my presentation design work:

An Admissions Visit Day presentation designed to inspire and inform prospective students.

A Client Brand presentation created to communicate design research and creative direction.

A Partnership Deck built to engage potential athletic sponsors and highlight opportunities for collaboration.

Together, they demonstrate how thoughtful design can elevate presentations beyond simple slides—turning them into compelling visual narratives that connect with audiences and drive action.