Hi, I’m Susan.

I’m an art director, designer and creative leader who has spent my career helping brands turn complex ideas into clear, thoughtful experiences.

My career has taken me from hands-on graphic and web design into creative leadership, with experience spanning brand identity, design systems, digital experiences, campaigns and events. Along the way, I discovered that I’m happiest in the space between strategy and execution: defining the direction, building the framework and staying close enough to the work to help make it better.

I’ve led designers, partnered across disciplines and helped teams navigate projects with a lot of moving parts. I care deeply about the reasoning behind the work and believe good creative leadership should give people both clarity and room to contribute. I’m at my best bringing structure to complex ideas and helping teams turn them into thoughtful, scalable work.

I’m especially drawn to projects that require a strong point of view and a flexible system. The kind of work that can feel cohesive across a website, campaign, event, presentation or physical space without becoming rigid or repetitive.


HOW I WORK
I lead with curiosity, clarity and collaboration. I enjoy asking the questions that help a team define the right problem, creating enough structure for people to do their best work and making space for productive debate along the way.

I’m equally comfortable shaping the big-picture strategy and working through the details that make an experience feel cohesive. The goal is not simply to make good-looking work. It is to create something intentional, useful and memorable that can hold up across teams, formats and touchpoints.


BEYOND DESIGN
Outside of work, I’m a photographer, traveler and lifelong Chicagoan at heart. Photography was one of my earliest creative outlets and continues to influence how I think about composition, storytelling and the small details that make an experience feel real.

Let’s work together.

I’m currently exploring opportunities to lead and shape ambitious brand work alongside collaborative, curious teams.

View my résumé
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GET IN TOUCH
susan@cmykchicago.com
708.408.2970