Start with the person, not the deliverable.
Before I decide what to make, I want to know who needs it, what they need to understand, feel or do and why it matters. Get that right and the form follows.
Adrienne
Allen
Hi, I’m Adrienne! I’ve spent 20+ years designing for nonprofits, education, publishing and professional services. I love bringing people and ideas together, staying hands-on in the design and building the systems and tools that help teams produce consistent, on-brand work at scale.
Explore my work
Brand identityEditorial designArt directionCampaignsCreative systems
Portfolio
Creative direction and hands-on design across editorial, identity, digital and events. Click any project to open the full gallery.
Three things I keep coming back to
Build the thing. Then build a better way to make the thing.
A small team cannot make everything and it shouldn’t have to. I build systems, templates and workflows that protect the idea and help good work keep happening when there’s not a creative in the room.
Hold the craft at every size.
The same idea may need to work on a phone screen, a name badge and a 296-inch wall. The scale changes, but the standard of excellence shouldn’t. Every version should feel intentional.
Experience in design and creative leadership
StriveTogether
Director of Brand Management · 2019–Present
Built the in-house creative function at a national education nonprofit and led an accessible organization-wide rebrand. Design and creative leadership across publications, campaigns, national events and tools for staff and partners.
Human Capital Media
Art Director · 2012–2019
Art directed three award-winning national magazines, from editorial concepts and page design to illustration and photography direction.
Independent practice
Brand and Web Design · 2009–Present
Develop brand identities and websites for consulting, coaching and small-business clients, from strategy and early concepts through launch.
These are the highlights. I’ve also designed for TCS Education System, Waid Publishing, Adagio Teas and The Sherwood Group and more… see my résumé for the deets!
Let’s make
something better.
I’m happiest around ambitious people trying to create something meaningful: a brand, a team, an experience, a system, an organization or simply a really good idea that hasn’t quite found its shape yet.
I’m less interested in owning every great idea than I am in creating the conditions for more great ideas to happen.