Emily Kimbro

EMILY KIMBRO

PRESIDENT

Current job: Creative Director, Texas Monthly

What’s your super power? Making a decent cocktail out of just about any ingredients you put in front of me.

Music you listen to while creating: usually streaming my favorite station out of New Orleans, WWOZ

Favorite streaming TV show: Currently down the Sopranos rabbit hole (for the first time!)

What (or who) inspires you? All of you wonderful people!

Advice for young creatives? Go places! See things!

What’s on your bucket list for 2024? Going places! Seeing things! And hopefully a little downtime for making (mediocre) pottery for my friends :)

David Cooper

David Cooper

VICE PRESIDENT

Current job: Illustrator and Photo Director

3 things you can’t live without: My life, my love and my kids. 

What’s your super power? I know how to make a few pencil marks on paper look like a thing. 

Album you listen to while creating: Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis

Favorite streaming TV show: Andor

What (or who) inspires you? The human condition. 

Advice for young creatives? Stay even keeled in life. If someone likes the work you're doing, cool; if they don't, cool, just keep it moving. 

What’s on your bucket list for 2024? To finish illustrating four picture books. 

Dennis Huynh

Dennis Huynh

SECRETARY

Current job: Product Design Director, Editorial — GoodRx, New York NY

3 things you can’t live without: Coffee, bagels, candles

What’s your super power? humor and airtable

Album you listen to while creating: The Calm playlist on Apple Music!

Favorite streaming TV show: Schitt's Creek

What (or who) inspires you? Gen-Z's desire for a better work future

Advice for young creatives? Being patient and try to enjoy the uncomfortable growth phase

What’s on your bucket list for 2024? Hiking trip internationally

Haley Kluge

Haley Kluge

Current job: Creative Director, Variety

Three things you can’t live without: Diet Coke, TSA Precheck, my Kindle

What’s your super power? Enthusiasm

Album you listen to while creating: Any original Broadway cast album

Favorite streaming TV show: The Newsroom

What (or who) inspires you? All the creatives out there sharing their work

Advice for young creatives? A work ethic and good attitude will get you far.

What’s on your bucket list for 2024? Cheering on Michigan State basketball in the Final Four

José Reyes

José Reyes

Current job: Founder, Executive Creative Director, Metaleap Creative

3 things you can’t live without: Negroni's, the outdoors, and my wife.

What’s your super power? Listening

Album you listen to while creating: Afrobeat

Favorite streaming TV show: Severance

What (or who) inspires you? A great interview, regardless of the subject matter

Advice for young creatives? Stay curious, ask great questions, follow through

What’s on your bucket list for 2024? Try running the business—remotely from another city—for a month

Meet The Board: 2022-2023

Each year, the members of the Society vote on the officers and directors of the SPD Board. We’re excited to welcome five new board members this year (Chuck, Josue, Jeanne, Taylor, and Jana) and congratulate our new officers (Emily, Natalie, David, Emem, and Dennis). Special thanks to our outgoing board members for serving on the board.

Get to know the 2022-2023 Board of Directors and SPD HQ by clicking on each photo below!

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OFFICERS

Emily Kimbro
PRESIDENT
Creative Director
Texas Monthly

Music you listen to while creating: 90% jazz, 10% funk

READ MORE…

David Cooper
VICE PRESIDENT
Illustrator + Photo Director

What’s your super power? I know how to make a few pencil marks on paper look like a thing.

READ MORE…

Natalie Gialluca
VICE PRESIDENT
Senior Visuals Editor
Vanity Fair

What’s your super power? Finding items in the house others deem missing 

READ MORE…

Dennis Huynh
SECRETARY
Director of Editorial Product Design
GoodRx, New York

What’s your super power? Secretly knowing how to work a spreadsheet or Airtable

READ MORE…

Emem Offong
TREASURER
VP, UX Design Lead
JPMorgan Chase & Co

Advice for young creatives? Follow your interests. Be kind to your colleagues.

READ MORE…

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DIRECTORS

Katie Belloff
Art Director
The New York Times T Brand Studio

What’s your super power? Forgetting where I put all my Pilot Precise V7 pens

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Jeanne Graves
Director of Photography
Fast Company

What’s your super power? Going warp speed at the 11th hour.

READ MORE…

Taylor Le
Design Director
Los Angeles Times

3 things you can’t live without: Iced soy lattes, spas, cats

READ MORE…

Lauren Brown
Senior Visual Editor
Allure and Glamour

Advice for young creatives? Find your voice and go
all in

READ MORE…

Chuck Kerr
Creative Director
Entertainment Weekly

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? A proper, unplugged vacation.

READ MORE…

Jana Meier-Roberts
Design Director
Sports Illustrated Germany

3 things you can’t live without: My family, books, the outdoors

READ MORE…

Josue Evilla
Art Director
Fortune

3 things you can’t live without: Pretty sure it'll have chocolate on top.

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Haley Kluge
Art Director
Netflix

Album you listen to while creating: Any original Broadway cast album

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Ryan Mesina
VP, Creative Services
Martha Stewart Living

3 things you can’t live without: There is only one thing....PRINT MAGAZINES

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José Reyes
Founder, Executive Creative Director
Metaleap Creative

What (or who) inspires you? People who show up as themselves

READ MORE…

Corliss Elizabeth Williams
Creative Director + Stylist
The Lowry Estate Premier Vintage + Resale Boutique

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!

READ MORE…

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SPD HQ

Keisha Dean
Executive Director
SPD

What’s your superpower? Being a Jedi.

READ MORE…

Chelsey Lamwatt
Communications Director
SPD

3 things you can’t live without: Family, my phone, and a good book.

READ MORE…

Emily Kimbro

EMILY KIMBRO

PRESIDENT

Current job: Creative Director, Texas Monthly

What’s your super power? Making a decent cocktail out of just about any ingredients you put in front of me.

Music you listen to while creating: 90% jazz, 10% funk

Favorite streaming TV show: We went alllll in on Better Call Saul (and then rewatched Breaking Bad, someone send me palatte-cleansing recommendations!!)

What (or who) inspires you? All of you wonderful people!

Advice for young creatives? Go places! See things!

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Going places! Seeing things! And hopefully a little downtime for making (mediocre) pottery for my friends :)

David Cooper

David Cooper

VICE PRESIDENT

Current job: Illustrator and Photo Director

3 things you can’t live without: My life, my love and my kids. 

What’s your super power? I know how to make a few pencil marks on paper look like a thing. 

Album you listen to while creating: Sketches of Spain by Miles Davis

Favorite streaming TV show: Andor

What (or who) inspires you? The human condition. 

Advice for young creatives? Stay even keeled in life. If someone likes the work you're doing, cool; if they don't, cool, just keep it moving. 

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? To finish illustrating four picture books. 

Natalie Gialluca

Natalie Gialluca

VICE PRESIDENT

Current job: Senior Visuals Editor, Vanity Fair

3 things you can’t live without: sleep, a tangible planner, camera

What’s your super power? Finding items in the house others deem missing 

Album you listen to while creating: When creating in the morning, I listen to Adele or John Legend. Come afternoon I change to Taylor Swift or Lizzo for some fun upbeat tunes to get me reenergized! 

Favorite streaming TV show: Favorite current shows are Succession & The Great British Bakeoff

What (or who) inspires you? Looking at old magazine issues

Advice for young creatives? Be kind to every single person in your crew and department.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Carried over from 2022's bucket list: To get on an airplane to go literally anywhere for an adult only vacation.

Dennis Huynh

Dennis Huynh

SECRETARY

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

Emem Offong

Emem Offong

TREASURER

Current job: VP, UX Design Lead, JPMorgan Chase & Co

3 things you can’t live without: Music, Coffee, Phone 

What’s your super power? Curiosity

Album you listen to while creating: Assortment of Spotify playlists: Nigerian Pop, Indie Folk, Pop, etc 

Favorite streaming TV show: Abbott Elementary 

What (or who) inspires you? Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York)

Advice for young creatives? Follow your interests. Be kind to your colleagues. 

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Santa Fe, New Mexico 

Katie Belloff

Katie Belloff

Current job: Art Director, The New York Times T Brand Studio

3 things you can’t live without: My Spotify playlists, my cat Kenny, and kettle corn

What’s your super power? Forgetting where I put all my Pilot Precise V7 pens 

Album you listen to while creating: 3 Cheers for Sweet Revenge by My Chemical Romance OR Historian by Lucy Dacus 

Favorite streaming TV show: Over the Garden Wall. I think I watched it 4 times this past fall. 

What (or who) inspires you? Matt Wiley, The New York Times Magazine, Retro advertisements, Risograph printing, Woodtype, old-school photo booth strips, and so much more! 

Advice for young creatives? Be patient with yourself. Everyone moves at their own pace throughout life and through their career. Don't let what your peers are doing make you feel like you're behind/failing. 

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Finally take a solo trip to Ireland! (COVID and Airlines permitting)

Lauren Brown

Lauren Brown

Current job: Senior Visual Editor, Allure and Glamour

3 things you can’t live without: Camera, friends, movies

What’s your super power? Foresight 

Album you listen to while creating: Currently it’s the new Beyoncé, Sasami and Sextile

Favorite streaming TV show: White Lotus, Abbott Elementary

What (or who) inspires you? Charlie Engman, Harley Weir and Carlijn Jacobs

Advice for young creatives? Find your voice and go all in

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Trips to Egypt and Brazil

Josue Evilla

josue evilla

Current job: Art Director, Fortune

3 things you can’t live without: Pretty sure it'll have chocolate on top.

What’s your super power? I survive sans coffee. No small feat for a Colombian.

Album you listen to while creating: I make a lot of playlists and tend to just cycle through those. But when in doubt, it’s always Dylan—to the end of the line.

Favorite streaming TV show: In 2022: If it’s got Star Trek in the name, I’m watching it. 

What (or who) inspires you? There’s always a next wave of talent around the corner and I can’t wait to see what they do.

Advice for young creatives? Be curious. Try to learn as much as possible about everything, even things you don’t care about—it will come in handy when you least expect it.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Surviving my stay at the White Lotus.

Jeanne Graves

Jeanne graves

Current job: Director of Photography, Fast Company

3 things you can’t live without: My beautiful niece, nature, nicorette and my damn reading glasses (ok that's four).

What’s your super power? Going warp speed at the 11th hour. 

Album you listen to while creating:
I must have absolute quiet to listen to my thoughts. I do like to burn a candle or Palo Santo.

Favorite streaming TV show: My fave of all time is The Wire.

What (or who) inspires you? Nature, vibrant color (though I only wear black), the art of Mickalene Thomas and Marcus Brutus.

Advice for young creatives? Persist (in both practice and outreach). Show up each day and keep making. Your personal practice is just as important if not more important than your professional gigs, those will come. Also, be kind to everyone, remember that the intern may be the boss one day.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Taking my kid abroad for her first time.

Chuck Kerr

Chuck kerr

Current job: Creative Director, Entertainment Weekly

3 things you can’t live without: Breakfast tacos, Spotify Premium, and Evie (my dog).

What’s your super power? Writing cover lines.

Album you listen to while creating: Too many to count! (Again, shout-out to Spotify Premium.) 2022's most-played albums were from Spoon, Big Thief, Cate Le Bon, and Beyoncé.

Favorite streaming TV show: In 2022: "The Bear," "Andor," "This Fool," and "Severance." Some all-time faves: "Mad Men," "Halt and Catch Fire," "Better Call Saul," "RuPaul's Drag Race," and "The Venture Bros."

What (or who) inspires you? Albums with zero skippable tracks. 

Advice for young creatives? Ask as many questions as you can. You most likely work with people who have already solved some of the same problems you'll encounter, so learn from their experience. Bonus: if you're industrious enough, you may also discover gaps in your organization that could turn into opportunities for someone with your skillset and unique POV.  

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? A proper, unplugged vacation.

Haley Kluge

Haley Kluge

Current job: Art Director, Netflix

Three things you can’t live without: Diet Coke, TSA Precheck, Apple Watch

What’s your super power? Enthusiasm

Album you listen to while creating: Any original Broadway cast album

Favorite streaming TV show: Only Murders in the Building

What (or who) inspires you? All the creatives out there sharing their work

Advice for young creatives? A work ethic and good attitude will get you far.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Cheering on Michigan State basketball in the Final Four

Taylor Le

Taylor Le

Current job: Design Director, The Los Angeles Times

3 things you can’t live without: Iced soy lattes, spas, cats

What’s your super power? Building teams and coaching them towards greatness.

Album you listen to while creating: I let my husband surprise me (we both work from home). Otherwise it's NPR or silence.

Favorite streaming TV show: Succession, The White Lotus, The Boys, and more.

What (or who) inspires you? My mom—she escaped a war-torn country by boat to provide our family a life of opportunity. She was an entrepreneur, a creative, and an inspiration!

Advice for young creatives? Failure is OK. It can foster your critical and analytical thinking skills, allowing you to innovate, redirect and develop new strategies to push through obstacles. Don't be afraid to experiment, fail, and pivot.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? After micro-dosing travel in 2022, I think it's about time for a big trip overseas!

Jana Meier-Roberts

jana Meier-Roberts

Current job: Design Director, Sports Illustrated Germany, Munich

3 things you can’t live without: My family, books, the outdoors

What’s your super power? Patience

Album you listen to while creating: Miss Anthropocene, Grimes

Favorite streaming TV show: Andor

What (or who) inspires you? Print magazines and books
Peter Mendelsund: https://www.petermendelsund.com/
Gail Bichler and her team: https://www.instagram.com/gailbichler/?hl=en

Advice for young creatives? When you’re thinking about where to apply for jobs consider more whom you will be working with than where you will be working. You can find lots of amazing talent outside of NYC, too. You should be looking to land somewhere where you will possibly find a mentor.

What’s on your bucket list for 2023? Take more time to step away from the screen and find inspiration offline, learn new things, and work on projects outside of my comfort zone

Ryan Mesina

Ryan Mesina

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.