i’m kd. an art director. a designer. a creative leader. a mother. an artist. a fan of curated cheese plates. let’s chat!
For the past 16 years, I’ve always found beauty in whatever I'm working on. Be it credit cards or cream cheese I'll find what makes it special. A simple insight is all we need. Well, a simple insight and some tasty looking work to bring it to life.
I was an expat kid that was raised in Asia and Europe (Japan is home) so I come with a global perspective, unique eye and top notch travel recs. Throughout my career, I’ve designed logos for big brands like Kraft and Blue Cross Blue Shield and smaller clients like my cousin’s yoga studio. I shine brightest when raising creatives. I try to give them the experience, tools and communication I craved while coming up. Honored to have joined some judging circles (AICP, AICP NEXT, The Drum, and Chip Shop Awards) and am grateful for my own awards (D&AD, Clios, One Show, ADC, Chicago International Film Festival amongst others).
Outside of advertising I lend my design and art direction expertise to elementary school projects. My passion for crafting has impressed many (of my children’s) teachers. Life is busy at the moment but I see myself returning to my art in the coming years. For now cutting hair and interior design are my creative outlets. My family and I live in Brooklyn where we love having friends over for a nice meal and few rounds of Uno.
—
vccp new york, group creative director | 10.21 - 06.23
brands: white claw, google partnerships, tate’s cookies
+ Right hand to the CCO.
+ Responsible for hiring, shaping a department and mentoring a team that grew from 8 to 20+ in under 2 years.
+ Improved agency culture by creating a learning series with our production partners called “Ad Chats”
+ Won 2 out of 2 fresh pieces of new business (Mike’s Hard Lemonade & Tate’s Cookies) in addition to helping expand the agency’s White Claw portfolio
+ Led multiple successful product launches for White Claw
bbdo new york, creative director | 02.14 - 10.21
brands: fedex, visa global olympics, visa, exxonmobil, aarp foundation
awards: one show, d&ad, andy, effies, fab, numerous adweek finalists and one show shortlists.
+ Part of the pitch team that brought AARP in house - a $100 Million account
+ Led a nimble social pod for Visa’s Tokyo 2020 Olympics with access to 20+ Team Visa’s Global Olympians.
+ Led projects for FedEx and helped shaped three years’ worth of award-winning campaign work and creative while
overseeing multidisciplinary teams.
+ Served as a design leader for creative teams when needs like logos and brand guidelines arose.
mcgarrybowen chicago, associate creative director | 10.10 - 02.14
brands: blue cross blue shield, kraft, bud light, sears home appliances, lyric opera of chicago
awards: effies, chicago ad federation, chicago international film festival, hugo awards, communication arts.
+ 50% of the pitch hitting team that helped bring in BlueCross BlueShield, Bud Light, Sears, and The Lyric Opera of Chicago
+ Worked on Bud Light’s 2011 Superbowl Spot “WeGo“ which won #1 in USA Today’s Audience Favorite AD Meter Poll.
+ Designed a Brand System including a campaign logo for BCBS which is still in use today
+ Designed a logo for Kraft’s Philadelphia Cream Cheese which was eventually adopted and integrated into the product packaging
fcb chicago, art director | 05.07 - 10.10
brands: dow, moneygram, state farm, humane society
awards: chicago international film festival, effie, hugo award, echo award, communication arts.
—
chicago portfolio school: art direction & design
awards: cmyk, archive, communication arts.
new york university: communications & studio art
awards: b.a., founders day scholar, cum laude.
american school in japan
awards: national honors society
—