Current job: Founder, Executive Creative Director, Metaleap Creative
3 things you can’t live without: God, the outdoors, my wife
What’s your super power? Listening
Album you listen to while creating: John Coltrane, "Blue Train"
Favorite streaming TV show: Homeland
What (or who) inspires you? People who show up as themselves
Advice for young creatives? Be an anthropologist first, designer second.
What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Be better. Do better.
Current job: Strategic Creative Director of Marketing + Stylist, The Lowry Estate Premier Vintage+Resale Boutique, Farmington-Michigan
3 things you can’t live without: 1. My daughter Amelia (she’s six!) and our endless banter and making one another laugh so hard that we cry. 2. Coffee. 3. People who have always supported and encouraged me to keep my business going, and truly believe in me.
What’s your super power? I have more than one! I’m learning to master the art of responding, and not reacting. Not overpromising by taking on too much work. …and not being afraid to say “no” to things, and just ask for help when I need it! These super powers finally kicked in fairly recently, and they make my life and work a lot easier!
Favorite streaming TV show: No TV in the house…but just got back in to Netflix. Watched “Killer Sally” — I love crime shows.
What (or who) inspires you? Other smart like-minded small business owners. In todays fast paced environment, it is extremely important to follow brands that inspire you and stay on top of things. You will come to realize that you also evolve and inspire others with your fresh, original ideas through your work. It is by far one of the best ways of giving back to your industry.
Advice for young creatives? Listen to your elders.
What’s on your bucket list for 2023? I’ve always wanted a tattoo. Just have no idea of what. Maybe it’ll hit me in 2023!
Current job: Executive Creative Director, Parents and Parents Latina
What’s your superpower? Noticing the tiniest details (comes in handy at work, but my kids hate this)
3 things you can’t live without: Friends’ artwork, chocolate, our sweet rescue dog & cat
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @blackmagcovers
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? See more of the world. Learn to naturally dye fabrics (I'm obsessed with colors).
A mistake you made early in your career: Don't assume anything!
Favorite streaming TV show: Murderous Nordic crime shows (The Bridge, Trapped, etc)
What's your advice for young creatives? Work for talented people you admire and respect -- who will inspire you to grow creatively
What (or who) inspires you? Creative freedom of Gen Z
Current job: Visuals Director & Producer
What’s your superpower? Making spreadsheets.
3 things you can’t live without: Weighted blanket, backup charger, my Dyson
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @coverjunkie
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? To get on an airplane to literally anywhere for an adult only vacation.
A mistake you made early in your career: I booked my bosses car service for the wrong day and not accounting for the different time zones. So she got a wake up call at 3am PST while still in LA., instead of 6am the next day. Fortunately, she was kind about the mishap, and now I’m OCD about checking time zone conversions.
Favorite streaming TV show: That's on right now: Succession & Great British Baking Show
What's your advice for young creatives? Be kind to every person on your team and crew.
What (or who) inspires you? Old magazines
Current job: Creative Director, Fast Company
What’s your superpower? Laser focus
3 things you can’t live without:
Coffee in the morning
Beer at night
Lotsa water in between
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @swissgraphic
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Oh, I would love to design a book. Maybe write some more too. But I’m not very good at the latter.
A mistake you made early in your career: My superpower is also my downfall. I got too focused too early in my career. I should’ve explored more areas of design before committing to publishing.
Favorite streaming TV show: Desus & Mero. It’s incredible (and hysterical) to watch their synapses fire at full blast.
What's your advice for young creatives? in college, they don’t really teach you how to collaborate with other creatives. It’s like a two-person saw. One side pushes; the other pulls. If the two forces don’t flow smoothly back and forth, the results are messy. Tension is required, but it’s good tension. Know when to push, and when to let go.
What (or who) inspires you? Those who came before me and those who will come after. I can’t read enough about the design masters. I’m a process junkie. And now I teach, which is exhilarating. The constant sparks of curiosity that I see within my students keep my own pilot light for design burning.
Current job: Senior Art Director, Centennial Media
What’s your superpower? Trusting my gut
3 things you can’t live without: My iPhone, coffee, and coffee!!!
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: All things interior design related
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Traveling
A mistake you made early in your career: Wouldn't you like to know?
Favorite streaming TV show: Love all suspense, drama, and international series
What's your advice for young creatives? Be yourself, trust your gut and seek great mentors
What (or who) inspires you? My husband and my son
Current job: VP, UX Design Lead, JPMorgan Chase & Co
What’s your superpower? Curiosity. I really like knowing things.
3 things you can’t live without: Phone, coffee, Aquaphor
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: Bisa Butler's incredible work: @bisabutler
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Silk Sonic (Bruno Mars and Anderson .Paak) live in concert. 🤞🏾
A mistake you made early in your career: Ooof.
Favorite streaming TV show: Insecure
What's your advice for young creatives? Follow your interests. And ask for help early and often.
What (or who) inspires you? Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General.
Current job: Art Director, The New York Times T Brand Studio
What’s your superpower? Super last-minute redesigning.
3 things you can’t live without: My Spotify playlists, sugar cereal, and my cat Kenny.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @elliotisacoolguy
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Go on an international solo trip (COVID allowing)
A mistake you made early in your career: Not triple checking with editors about information in a layout. This will almost always result in a monumental trash fire that you will have to put out.
Favorite streaming TV show: Nathan for You
What's your advice for young creatives? Listen as much as you can, learn as much as you can, try as hard as you can, but accept failure as it comes. "Failure" does not define you, it simply gives you the opportunity to do better next time.
What (or who) inspires you? When looking for design inspiration, I almost always go to Bon Appétit, National Geographic, Wired UK, and Fast Company. Other sources include but are not limited to: Indie concert posters, the swiss grid, The Beatles, Guy Fieri, coffee packaging, and old school national parks pamphlets.
Current job: Senior Visual Editor, Allure and Glamour
What’s your superpower? Perception
3 things you can’t live without: Quilting, Cinema, and rock ‘n roll
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @colorpositiveco, @untitledinspiration, @alessiaglaviano
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Travel to Egypt, make a queen size quilt and learn to propagate my house plants
A mistake you made early in your career: Crew credits mishap
Favorite streaming TV show: Seinfeld
What's your advice for young creatives? Perseverance, courtesy and commitment are all you need
What (or who) inspires you? Innocence, madness, obsession and history
Current job: Photo Director, Health Magazine
What’s your superpower? I can survive on about 5 hours of sleep a night.
3 things you can’t live without: Pen, ink and paper.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @nowness
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Write a children's book!
A mistake you made early in your career: Not asking enough questions.
Favorite streaming TV show: Chapelwaite
What's your advice for young creatives? Stay calm and be prepared for anything.
What (or who) inspires you? Floating in the ocean.
Current job: Creative Director, Women's Health
What’s your superpower? Eating at the same restaurant without getting bored.
3 things you can’t live without: My phone, Coffee, and Sunscreen!
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @yoshitomoyoshiike_design
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Take more days off!
A mistake you made early in your career: Taking criticism too personally.
Favorite streaming TV show: Midnight Diner
What's your advice for young creatives? Be curious and look outside of design for inspo.
What (or who) inspires you? Walking around the city
Current job: Director of Editorial Product Design at GoodRx, New York
3 things you can’t live without: Coffee, Apple Watch, post-its
What’s your super power? Secretly knowing how to work a spreadsheet or Airtable
Album you listen to while creating: Focus playlist on Apple Music
Favorite streaming TV show: The Other Two, The White Lotus, Ring of Power
What (or who) inspires you? The typography in movie title sequences
Advice for young creatives? Bring your whole authentic self to work, don't be afraid to speak up for your ideas, and listen.
What’s on your bucket list for 2023? More International Travel
Current job: Creative Director, Texas Monthly
What’s your superpower? Making a decent cocktail out of just about any ingredients you put in front of me.
3 things you can’t live without: The three things currently close by: my pups, a big bucket of coffee, and a speaker playing my favorite radio station out of New Orleans.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: My college professor Dirk Fowler's incredible @posterhistorian feed.
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? After the past two years I'm too afraid to put that list in writing!
A mistake you made early in your career: That time I uploaded the entire contents of my camera to my computer at my first internship... (still sorry about those 21st birthday pics rotating on the screensaver, Liz and Jeff!).
Favorite streaming TV show: Currently in need of a good laugh, so What We Do in the Shadows.
What's your advice for young creatives? Go places! See things!
What (or who) inspires you? Going places! Seeing things!
Current job: Art Director, Netflix
What’s your superpower? Multitasking.
3 things you can’t live without: Diet Coke, Broadway Cast Albums, TSA Precheck.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: The typography on @ticketsplz.
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Cheering on Michigan State basketball in the Final Four.
A mistake you made early in your career: Not asking for enough feedback.
Favorite streaming TV show: Anything Marvel.
What's your advice for young creatives? Be open to direction from others (and save files often.)
What (or who) inspires you? Flipping through old magazines and scrolling on Instagram.
Current job: Creative Director, Psychology Today Magazine
What’s your superpower? Creative problem solving.
3 things you can’t live without: Cute cuddly animals, tasty foods, and my family.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @NYTimes
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Spend more time with close friends and make new ones.
A mistake you made early in your career: Not recognizing setbacks are just part of the process.
Favorite streaming TV show: Dexter
What's your advice for young creatives? Believe in yourself.
What (or who) inspires you? My children, nature, and kind people.
Current job: VP Creative, Content & Strategy, Foundry 360, Meredith
What’s your superpower? Oddly enough, I'm one helluva salesman...
3 things you can’t live without: My family, the outdoors, and now frighteningly, TikTok.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @svabfadesign...love seeing what the next gen is thinking...
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? In-person meetings & brainstorming with our amazing team...
A mistake you made early in your career: I allowed things to make me angry.
Favorite streaming TV show: I have never, nor will I ever stop watching Adventure Time.
What's your advice for young creatives? Be yourself, hang with people smarter than you, hit the design gym as often as possible.
What (or who) inspires you? The wattage of the team here at Foundry 360 inspires me daily, for sure.
Current job: Photo Director, Martha Stewart Living
What’s your superpower? I'm great with my hands. Whether I'm crafting, baking, or tiling a bathroom, I can usually do a pretty excellent job. Not a surprise I guess, considering where I work!
3 things you can’t live without: There is only one thing....PRINT MAGAZINES
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @mccormickcharlie, @metpaintingsconservation, and @marthastewart48 (she's the real deal...always up to something!)
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Travel. Lots of travel. And I'd like to get back to making pottery, which I took a quarantine break from.
A mistake you made early in your career: I thought I made a mistake by leaving my first job at a great title for a better salary and position at a completely different title I had zero interest in, but it ended up being an amazing experience that really broadened my scope and helped me grow in so many ways. I ended up staying for four years and eventually moved on to a great job at The Wall Street Journal. It's all about what you make of things.
Favorite streaming TV show: I like to watch GBBO or BBC Gardener's World with Monty Don before going to bed. They're like lullabies for adults...and educational!
What's your advice for young creatives? Work hard, stick with it, and be patient — things don't happen overnight. And don't burn any bridges — you never know who you will run into ten years down the line.
What (or who) inspires you? Biographies and backstories — I love hearing about how people got to where they are today.
Current job: Founder, Executive Creative Director, Metaleap Creative
What’s your superpower? Asking questions.
3 things you can’t live without: Coffee. The outdoors. Travel.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: @trendland
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Attempt something so outside of my skillset that I know I will fail.
A mistake you made early in your career: Living in fear.
Favorite streaming TV show: Succession
What's your advice for young creatives? A posture of humility is more attractive to just about everyone than one of pride. Bonus: Find a mentor!
What (or who) inspires you? Deeply curious people.
Current job: Creative Director + Stylist of The Lowry Estate Premier Vintage + Resale Boutique
What’s your superpower? Setting boundaries.
3 things you can’t live without: The sun, coffee, and my daughter Amelia who is the best little human in the entire world.
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: Oy veys. Too many to name. I am bombarded with so many other vintage seller's IGs who are ALWAYS doing new things and reinventing the visions of their brands on a daily basis--it's too hard to nail one down!
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? Taking a trip somewhere far, far away all alone to get over my fear of traveling alone, to a place that is far, far away.
A mistake you made early in your career: Taking it for granted. I look back now at all of the people that were mentors, and the endless talent that I was surrounded by–and often think that I did not take full advantage of what I was exposed to in office environments each and every day. I didn't always live in the moment, I guess--which is what I have learned to do now!
Favorite streaming TV show: Pose
What's your advice for young creatives? Don't think that you should continue to work anywhere because you think that you *should* stay there...open your mind, your heart, and live and work hard towards your passions and dreams, even though you think and other people might tell you that it won't lead to anything. You will be surprised to find that putting as much effort in to what you truly love can also build bridges and open doors to other opportunities that will feed your soul and pay your bills at the same time, which is priceless.
What (or who) inspires you? Other women who have walked similar paths of life that I have, in my personal life and being a woman of color who has owned her own business. Seeing how other women, and women who are mother's thrive during these times is incredibly inspiring. It has also given me the opportunity to share my experience and offer support to those who need it, and are embarking upon similar journeys.
Current job: Executive Director, SPD
What’s your superpower? Being a Jedi.
3 things you can’t live without: My mom (don’t tell her I just referred to her as a thing), TV, Bacon
Name an inspiring Instagram feed: I don’t have time for IG :-)
What’s on your bucket list for 2022? To play beach volleyball without passing out as I pretend that I’m 16 again but my body rejects that delusion.
Favorite streaming TV show: Sense 8
What's your advice for young creatives? Join SPD!
What (or who) inspires you? Kick-ass, bone-crushing, sharp-tongued female leads in TV & film.
1120 Avenue of the Americas, 4th Floor New York, NY 10036 212.223.3332 mail@spd.org
