I'm Steve, a creative leader and designer based in Portland, Oregon, obsessed with empowering enterprising companies to forge memorable brand experiences at the intersection where industry, brand expression, and human potential collide. For me, good design isn't a choice, it's a moral imperative.
B A C K G R O U N D
Design is a differentiator
I'm passionate about making a difference. Moving forward, doing what is right and keeping it simple. I champion communication design, visual storytelling, and user experience design to clarify brand experiences that resonate with the audience, foster loyalty, and drive growth.
As a creative professional with a customer-focused approach, I’m attentive to creating successful outcomes, by covering the lifecycle of the customer experience and reducing friction at all brand touchpoints.
My expertise centers on building visual identities, brand marketing communications, and brand experiences that are clear, relevant, flexible, and memorable; and closely aligned with the client’s culture, products and services. It is this alignment that helps build the trust of an audience and creates an authentic brand experience.
This also includes evangelizing industry leading design practices, speaking to those standards and collaborating across geographies to define visual systems, and advocating for brand consistency.
Business results by design
I have extensive expertise in leading strategic creative and visual storytelling for B2C and B2B companies in brand and identity development, marketing and advertising campaigns, product packaging, digital experiences, and branded environments.
Industry experience includes software (SaaS), technology, finance, hardware, healthcare, life-sciences, telecommunications, higher education, outdoor, apparel, and non-profit companies. Additionally, I've had the pleasure of working with a range of leading brands, companies, and organizations.
My work has been awarded and published, and I have had my fair share of accolades, however, I find it far more gratifying to see my work employed as a strategic advantage for those seeking to achieve breakthroughs in brand experience and human potential. I desire to learn what works, what doesn’t, and change it for the better.
I strive for creative excellence. Through listening, learning and mining insights, I support and guide work that directs the brand into amazing places. I’m a firm believer that simple is hard. My aim is to hold this high ground. Great design goes beyond aesthetics; it's about solving problems and making a positive impact on people's lives.
Business acumen meets craft
Sure, I can deliver exceptional design skills, but that's just the table stakes. What truly sets me apart is my ability to bring value, versatility, and a clear vision to every project with two decades of battle-tested business acumen, design and results.
If you crave a team player who understands enterprise business needs and goes the extra mile to contribute to your success, someone that works across product, sales, events, marketing, and communications and collaborates with other cross-disciplinary teams to thoughtfully push the brand forward? Or, whether you’re undertaking a brand related initiative to support the formulation of a new strategy; the announcement of a merger or acquisition; the rise of a new CEO; or the introduction, clarification, alignment or refresh of a product or service... then you're at the right place, and you've found your creative partner. I'm here to help.
Brand experience
Below are a few of the leading global brands I've had the pleasure of contributing to.
Work experience
Corporate, in-house, agency, contractor? — I've done them all and more than once. I have held design and leadership roles at various esteemed startups, agencies, and enterprise companies throughout my career. I'm not so much attached to the titles, as I am about delivering consistently solid work product and the expertise needed despite the limits of a label.
Whether I'm collaborating as an independent contributor, managing the creative team, leading creative development, or working with leadership — I'm always eager to jump into the fray, offer solutions, provide direction, guidance, and support. I'm a straight shooter and doer, all in — all the way, filling the role at whatever capacity is needed to get the job done successfully.
Principal / Senior Art Director
Donatelli, Brand Design Consultant and Contractor (B2B, B2C)
Donatelli, Brand Design Consultant and Contractor (B2B, B2C)
Principal Lead Brand Designer
Talend, Global Brand Design, Corporate Marketing — Data Integration (B2B SaaS Enterprise)
Lead Brand Designer
AWS, Global Brand Design, Brand Marketing — Cloud Services Provider (B2B SaaS Enterprise)
AWS, Global Brand Design, Brand Marketing — Cloud Services Provider (B2B SaaS Enterprise)
Senior Brand Designer
AWS Elemental, Global Brand Marketing — Video Compression Services (B2B SaaS Company)
AWS Elemental, Global Brand Marketing — Video Compression Services (B2B SaaS Company)
Senior Designer
Cambia Health Solutions, HealthTech Marketing (B2B, B2C)
Cambia Health Solutions, HealthTech Marketing (B2B, B2C)
Creative Director
Creative Co., Brand Design Agency (B2B, B2C)
Creative Co., Brand Design Agency (B2B, B2C)
Associate Creative Director
ID Branding, Brand Design Agency (B2B)
ID Branding, Brand Design Agency (B2B)
Senior Art Director
Babcock+Jenkins, Performance Marketing Agency (B2B)
Babcock+Jenkins, Performance Marketing Agency (B2B)
Life experience
When I'm not building brands, you can find me spending time with friends and family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, hiking trails, camping, and venturing the open road to take in the local fare. Or, you may catch me landscaping, gardening, and/or woodworking at the ranch. Just about anything to do with the outdoors brings joy and recharges the soul.
That's enough about me. Let's talk about you and what you're looking for in a creative resource.
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