THE CHALLENGE
Los Angeles Community Fridges (LACF), a volunteer-driven mutual aid organization, relies heavily on Instagram for communication and engagement. While effective on social media, their website falls short in capturing the organization's vibrant personality, mission, and unique story.

Much of LACF’s key content is scattered across external Google Docs, creating a fragmented user experience that redirects visitors away from the site. This disjointed approach makes it challenging for users to find essential information and hinders potential engagement with volunteers.

As a student-led initiative, this project aims to reimagine LACF’s website, addressing these pain points with an innovative, user-centered design approach.

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THE SOLUTION
The redesigned website will serve as a centralized hub for LACF, eliminating the need for external platforms and ensuring seamless access to vital information. It will reflect the organization’s dynamic personality, community-first mission, and inspiring story while offering an intuitive, cohesive user experience.

By enhancing accessibility and usability, the new design will empower volunteers, increase engagement, and better support individuals relying on LACF’s services.

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TIMELINE
5 weeks

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MY ROLE
Team Lead: UX Researcher + UI Designer, Visual Designer, Copywriter

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PARTNERS
Josh Soult, Duane Ledin

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TOOLS
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Slides, Screen Recorder

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LINK TO PROTOTYPE

THE CHALLENGE
We used design thinking to address an e-commerce “wicked problem” centered on theme of connectivity. A wicked problem is a complex, multifaceted issue with no straightforward solution. For this e-commerce app, the wicked problem lies in bridging the gap between independent businesses and the rapidly evolving digital marketplace.

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THE SOLUTION
By taking advantage of a shared customer base, independent businesses or organizations can join forces to benefit from this collaborative e-commerce platform to sell print-on-demand branded merchandise, eliminating the need for high upfront costs and individual e-commerce sites.

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TIMELINE
3 weeks

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MY ROLE
Team Lead: UX Researcher + UI Designer, Visual Designer, Copywriter

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PARTNERS
Marlon Miller, Prince Franklin

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TOOLS
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Google Slides, Screen Recorder

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LINK TO PROTOTYPE

ARTCRANK started as an annual show of bike-inspired posters in Minneapolis, grew into a touring show featuring the work of local artists in cities across the U.S. as well London and Paris, and has evolved into an online shop that showcases designs by independent artists from around the world. I’m a partner in the company, so I had the combined function of being both the designer and the client for this website redesign.

From a design perspective, the challenge was to create a site experience that was visually appealing and easy to navigate, but also allowed customers to preview a gazillion different framing options for the art. And the site isn’t just a store: it’s the information hub for ARTCRANK pop-up shows both past and future, as well as stories about cycling culture and creative expression.

This wasn’t just a creative challenge, either. We switched to a new e-commerce platform (Shopify) and added new products to complement original handmade posters, including framing and digital prints. I spent more time working with spreadsheets than any graphic designer in history, and now know more about shipping costs than any sane person should.

artcrank.com

PARTNERS:
Derek Kirchoff, Coconut Interactive
CKY — Charles Youel, copywriting

MOBE partners with insurance companies to connect people with health professionals who work with them to develop personalized health and wellness plans that help them feel better, physically and emotionally. MOBE’s Ask The Pharmacist program is designed to put people who are taking multiple prescriptions in touch with a pharmacist who can help them better understand and manage their medications. It’s a serious subject, but I didn’t want the information to feel intimidating. So I created this direct mail piece using bright colors and playful format that invites people to explore the content. A tip-on refrigerator magnet keeps the pharmacist’s contact info close at hand.

PARTNER:
Peggy Arneson, copywriting

This “Vision Forward” kit helps Aveda salon owners plan for professional development and on-going employee training. Inside, a catalog of offerings can be updated as necessary — giving the exterior pocket folder a longer shelf life. Also included are planning calendars and write-on posters to display upcoming classes and seminar dates for staff.

Because of its universal acceptance in surgeries and other urgent care situations, Type O blood is always in short supply. I designed these posters as part of an ongoing campaign to recruit Type O blood donors across North Central Blood Services region which includes Minnesota and parts of South Dakota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Simple typography and color are used to draw attention to the need for Type O blood. Space at the bottom of the posters allows organizers to customize the posters with date, time, and place of local blood drives.

PARTNER:
CKY — Charles Youel, copywriting

MHP advocates for equitable housing policy, produces data-informed research, and delivers community development services across the US. MHP’s efforts are rooted in the tenet that everyone should have a safe, stable place to call home.

A brand refresh: MHP liked their existing logo but it needed to be refined and extended to include other departments under their primary umbrella. Choosing a color palette was key—we needed the four departments to look different from each other, yet have a cohesive feel. The on-screen Contrast Ratios of the colors was a primary concern and needed to work within Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to be more accessible to people with disabilities.

I created a Brand Standards Style Guide for MHP which included additional department logos, color palette and fonts, typography recommendations, and a variety of document templates for their communications team to customize. I also consulted on the layout and function of their website, which was concurrently undergoing a redesign.

I connected with celebrity chef Michael Chiarello’s restaurant management group on a trip to Napa Valley, and I’ve worked with them on new websites for three of their properties: Bottega Napa Valley, Ottimo, and Coqueta Napa Valley. Each restaurant has its own style and personality, but reinforcing the connection to Chef Chairello and the group’s other restaurants and services was essential. Each site evokes a high-end dining experience with a color palette and photography that capture Chef Chiarello’s Italian roots and cooking traditions as well as the warmth and elegance of the restaurants. A simple, intuitive interface and navigation make it easy for visitors around the world to plan a visit and make reservations.

PARTNERS:
Tubay Yabut, photography
CKY — Charles Youel, copywriting

Aveda offers its top salon employees a chance to enhance their business acumen and professional skills at Career College. I created the “Smart is Beautiful” campaign using the brand's iconic packaging to deliver the message that what Aveda products do for the body, Career College does for the mind. Teaser posters feature Creativity Tonic, Brilliant Idea Formula, Knowledge Lotion, and Brain Revitalizer. I also designed branded apparel and accessories, including organic cotton t-shirts, hemp book bags and recycled paper portfolios.

My work with Alex Freese started in the gym, and evolved into helping him build a brand and launch his own training business. Alex wanted a logo that looked great on workout gear, but also reflected his training philosophy of Mindful Movement — getting the brain and the body on the same page and keeping everything simple. My logo took this no-nonsense approach to heart and interpreted his initials in the simplest form. I art-directed the photos and video clips that Alex uses on his site, as well as guiding the content strategy and copywriting. I also created content for Alex’s social media accounts.

PARTNERS:
Luke Finsaas, website design and development

Braden Lengeling, photography and videography

CKY — Charles Youel, copywriting

After building a new LEED-certified store that helped revitalize a Minneapolis neighborhood, Seward Co-op launched a major re-branding project with Design Replace. I worked with the co-op’s marketing team to extend the new logo, palette of colors, and design elements through everyday store items like shopping bags and newsletters, as well as key communications like their annual report.

PARTNER:
Design Replace

Mrs. Meyer’s makes “uncomplicated products for a clean and happy home,” including aromatherapeutic household cleaners, gifts, and sundries. My designs for the original website, promotional emails, ads, and sales force materials used Werner Design Werk’s illustrations with Mrs. Meyer’s signature packaging, friendly typography and the no-nonsense voice of Mrs. Meyer herself to represent the hardworking, down-to-earth personality of the brand.

PARTNER:
Werner Design Werks

A logo is the simplest, most basic form of brand communication. It’s essential to connecting a brand with its audience and setting it apart from its competitors. These are some examples of logos that I’ve created for clients large and small to do just that.

The folks at this family-run goat farm make soap by hand to sell at local farmers' markets and small boutique retailers. I created a one-size-fits-all belly band label featuring clan tartan plaid (a nod to their Irish heritage) mixed with small town Americana elements. I helped them keep costs down by using various repurposed paper wraps to differentiate soap scents and handwritten stickers to seal the deal.

I designed this corporate brochure in the style of the ubiquitous legal docket for the region’s oldest and largest law practice. Along the bottom of each page of the brochure, a timeline outlines the firm’s history and highlights prominent Vogel lawyers who have gone on to prestigious positions in public service. Customization was important, so the gusset and expandable clasp allow the firm to add attorney bios and other client-specific information. Single pages can be reprinted when content — such as the staff list or practice groups — changes, making updates easy and cost-efficient.

PARTNER:
CKY — Charles Youel, copywriting

I created this program for a fashion show at the American Swedish Institute with an unusual theme: The Nobel Prize. The prize was established in 1895 by the will of Swedish chemist, engineer and industrialist Alfred Nobel. The pieces created for the show by local designers TIM+THOM were inspired by the fashions of the late Victorian era. The event was part of the ASI’s exhibit “Shaping Peace: A Visual, Interactive Exploration of The Nobel Peace Prize.”

PARTNER:
Rhea Pappas, photography

The theme of this candle shade lantern created as a holiday gift for clients is “You are what you think about.” On a conical shade interspersed with die-cut shapes, a poem reminds us that we can be anything under the moon and stars. I custom designed a laser-cut metal stand to hold a beautifully scented candle, a gift that intended to inspire and tantalize the senses.

PARTNER:
Russ Stark, copywriting