(office hours always available)
About
Tenure represents an approach to creative work—thoughtful, strategic, and collaborative—shaped by two decades of experience leading and contributing to multidisciplinary teams across in-house organizations and agencies. The practice exists to support partnerships grounded in rigor, curiosity, and work that’s built to last.
My background spans brand systems, campaigns, digital experiences, and physical environments across a wide range of industries and scales. I’m comfortable defining strategy, setting creative direction, and driving the details through execution. I bring a senior perspective, clear decision-making, and a bias toward building strong working relationships alongside standout creative.
Capabilities
Strategy
I see strategy as the discipline that gives creative work its spine. It’s about establishing clarity—of intent, audience, and ambition—so decisions can be made with confidence. The depth flexes by engagement, but the aim is consistent: define a point of view that allows the work to perform now and remain relevant over time. Strategy work may include: • Research, discovery, and stakeholder interviews • Competitive and comparative audits • Positioning and narrative development • Brand architecture and portfolio strategy • Identity, campaign, or naming strategy • Strategic frameworks to guide expression and decisions
Creative
Design is foundational to how I think and work, but the practice extends beyond any single discipline. I focus on creative systems—how ideas take shape, translate across mediums, and carry through execution without losing intent. The measure of strong creative work isn’t just how it looks, but how consistently it shows up in the world. Creative work may include: • Brand and identity development • Creative and art direction • Campaign concepting and development • Photography, film, and motion direction • Copywriting, packaging, and product expression • Creative oversight from concept through execution
Digital
Digital is where brands are most often experienced, and I approach it as a system rather than a set of screens. The work aligns identity, interaction, and content so experiences feel intuitive, coherent, and durable—even as platforms evolve. Structure and usability matter as much as expression. Digital work may include: • Website strategy and design • UI/UX and experience architecture • Design systems and component libraries • Ecommerce and content platforms • Social, motion, and graphics packages • Collaboration with development teams
Physical
Physical work demands a different kind of rigor. Materials, scale, and environment have a way of exposing weak thinking, which makes clarity essential. I focus on translating brand systems into tangible experiences—where ideas must hold up through fabrication, logistics, and real-world constraints. Physical work may include: • Environmental and spatial branding • Set design and creative direction for photography and film • Trade show, event, and experiential environments • Wayfinding and exhibit systems • Collaboration with fabricators, producers, and vendors
Selected Experience
IBM
Herman Miller
Kohler
AB InBev
AIGA
Hyatt
Saudi Aramco
University of Missouri
USAA
Whirlpool
Selected Recognition
AIGA
Chicago Snapshot
Dieline
The Shortlist
Graphis
Packaging 10 Annual
HOW
International Design Annual
iF Design
Design Award
NeoCon
Best of NeoCon
Regional Design Annual
Semplice
Showcase Feature
UnderConsideration
Site Feature
Principles
01
Collaboration is key
The work is more than a tactical exercise. Strong outcomes come from shared investment and genuine partnership on both sides of the table. That same mindset shapes how Tenure works with its extended network—bringing together the right collaborators, aligned around clear, common goals.
02
Assume best intent
The goal is always to make the strongest work possible, in service of the client’s best interests. That requires trust—trust that everyone involved is working toward the same outcome, even when perspectives differ. Assuming best intent creates space for honest dialogue, productive tension, and better decisions.
03
Processes over process
There are best practices, but no single playbook fits every engagement. Each project brings its own context, constraints, and opportunities, and the approach should respond accordingly. Flexibility in process allows the work to move at the right pace, in the right way, for the problem at hand.
04
Belief in a bias for action
Momentum matters. Thoughtful strategy and clear intent are essential, but the work ultimately needs to ship. A bias for action keeps projects moving forward and focused on design excellence and durable creative that holds up over time.
05
Sometimes, it takes time
Action doesn’t mean rushing. Certain decisions benefit from pause, reflection, or deeper exploration—especially when the stakes are high or the problem is complex. Knowing when to slow down is as important as knowing when to move quickly.
06
Bravery is often rewarded
The work shouldn't aim for the comfort zone. Effective design is appropriate to the challenge, while still willing to push beyond the obvious in service of clarity and differentiation. When grounded in strategy and craft, a little risk can go a long way.
Numbers
Countries Lived In
States Lived In
Industries Worked In
Years of Experience
Kids + Dogs
Degrees Earned
Letterpress Restored
Super Bowl Commercial Credit
Team
Collaborators
When the work calls for it, Tenure extends through a trusted network of collaborators, each bringing deep expertise in their own discipline. That team may include project management, strategy, art direction, copywriting, motion design, UI/UX, 3D rendering, retouching, photography, videography, editing, development, production, and custom type design—among others. Collaborators are brought together intentionally—flexing to meet the needs of the engagement—so the work has the right mix of focus, craft, and momentum.