Advertise on podcast: Design Futures

In this second episode of season 5, I talk with Casey Ligon, an associate creative director at VML, where she concepts, builds, and animates content for major brands including Wendy’s, Nintendo, Disney, and Netflix. Casey is also a lettering artist, food stylist, chalk muralist, photographer, and prolific maker of tactile images. Casey is a 2012 graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design. We trace Casey’s creative origin story, from growing up with craft-heavy Klutz books to initially pursuing dentistry before realizing that drawing, making, and experimenting felt far more natural than chemistry labs. She talks candidly about transferring into art school, navigating Ringling’s advertising program, and learning how presentation, storytelling, and confidence became essential tools in her professional life. Much of the conversation centers on Casey’s unconventional career path and how self-initiated work—especially daily Instagram posts—became a living portfolio. She shares the story of landing an agency role by printing her Instagram feed, asking a company to invent a job for her, and then building a career around the kind of tactile, lettering-driven work she wanted to be known for. We dig into the realities of large-scale production, from food styling and stop-motion animation to whiteboard murals, chalk art, and in-camera brand work. Casey walks through projects for Wendy’s, Disney, Publix, and Netflix, explaining how patience, craft, and hands-on experimentation play a central role in her process. Time to fix yourself a charcuterie board and have a listen.   Show Links Casey’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileVMLPublixHallmarkStop-Motion AnimationEglin Air Force BaseRingling College of Art & Design  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this episode, I talk with Soleil Paz, a 2018 graduate of The College of Saint Rose and an associate designer at Macmillan Publishers who specializes in book cover design for non-fiction, social justice, and popular science titles. We trace the origins of Soleil’s creativity, from drawing to survive summer math workbooks to discovering typography through early computer graphics classes, and how those early experiences led to a focused interest in book design. Soleil talks about choosing Saint Rose, navigating design school with a clear professional goal, and persistently networking her way into an internship at St. Martin’s Press. We dig into the realities of designing book covers: editorial pitches, author expectations, tight timelines, and the importance of making a cover an “instant read.” Soleil shares stories behind several meaningful projects, including designing for themes of synesthesia and racial injustice, as well as her thesis project The Other Side, an interactive book that visualized the randomness and inequities of the immigration process. We wrap up with talk printing techniques like LithoFoil, discuss daily routines in publishing, and end with Soleil’s most important advice for emerging designers: build relationships and keep them alive. Enjoy the story. Show Links Soleil’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileMacmillan PublishersThe College of Saint RoseSt. Martin’s PressSt. Martins Press InstagramChip Kidd InstagramHaruki MurakamiSynesthesia  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Hey future and current designers, it’s been a minute, but I’m back with Season 5 of Design Futures. Starting in January you’ll hear all new stories from former students. In this season I talk to designers that are probably the most diverse in terms of their experiences. On one end of the spectrum there’s a designer who makes type and image with food, among other non-traditional materials and on the other end I talk to designers who work with NFTs and virtual reality. All my guests have amazing careers in the areas of advertising, branding, publishing, packaging design, streaming services, and UX Design. It’s time to go back to the Future of Design. Make sure to subscribe to the podcast to catch up on the first four seasons of Design Futures. Thanks for listening —Chris

In episode 10, the last episode of season four, I talk with Jonny Ouellette, the co-founder and creative director of the motion design firm, Kill 2 Birds and 2002 graduate of the Massachusetts College of Art & Design. We talk about our interactions in the graphic design program at MassArt and our passion for making type move on screen. Jonny shares stories of his client work that involve some of the most watched series and movies in recent years and I dig into our design collaboration on some DVD intros for Aspect Magazine. He also discusses taking that entrepreneurial leap of faith with a friend to start Kill 2 Birds. Additionally, Jonny educates me on some of the industry-specific terminology, like key art, upfonts, MOGRTs, and lower thirds. This episode is full of amazing motion graphics, so be sure to check out the video on Youtube. Let’s do this one more time. Enjoy the show.   Show Links Jonny’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileResponsible Business Initiative for JusticeAfter EffectsBostonMassachusetts College of Art & Design  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In episode nine of season four I interview Ringling College of Art & Design graduate and Director of Product Design at BILL, Greg Tariff. We discuss his appreciation for design’s role in the business world and how to navigate a career in Silicon Valley. Greg talks about how his interest in cars led to an internship at General Motors, how networking in New York City led to an agency job in Hilton Head, South Carolina, and how a side project with some agency friends led to a career in product design. Greg also shares insights about working on start-up projects, advising start-up companies, and mentoring young designers. We also discuss collecting 1990s pop culture (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and Shepard Fairey art. And of course we talk about the dogs — Shelby, Sookie, and Salem. If you are at all interested in design, business, networking, and dogs you’ll want to have a listen. Time to download episode nine and get to work. Show Links Greg’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileBillToyota SupraShepard FaireyTeenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesRingling College of Art & DesignThe Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In episode eight I interview 2015 graduate of Russell Sage College and Director of User Experience at Upside Collective, Krystal Hinckley. In our discussion Krystal shares details of working on large-scale websites for the state of New York, including the attorney general’s website that she spent two years working on. She also talks about scrolling through the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society photos for project research that ended with her adopting her third cat. We also discuss our time together at Sage which included a trip to Boston to visit design firms and the Boston Aquarium because that’s what you do when you go to school in Albany. Krystal shares her love of paragraph styles that she gained in high school that led to her interest in the organizing aspects of UX design. And of course we talk about home projects including stripping paint from stairs, putting up wallpaper, as well as getting excited about a new roof and gutters. Now that’s adulthood! Oh yea, cats are mentioned multiple times in this episode. So sit down with your favorite pet friend and have a listen.   Show Links Krystal’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileUpside CollectiveThis Old HouseMohawk Hudson Humane SocietyDrupalRussell Sage College  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this episode I talk with 2016 graduate of the College of Saint Rose, Rachel Suflita McKee, about her path from intern to art director at the Boston-based design studio, Pinkergreen. She talks about how the diversity of projects (Boston University Global Music Festival, Flex Rx, Flyte 70, The Bug Club, etc.) at a small studio is special and keeps her engaged with graphic design and the people she collaborates with on those projects. We also discuss a challenging design school assignment, about graphic design style, that had both of us considering some of the ethical questions involved in the creative process. We talk about the wonderful aspects of life outside of work like baking (so much butter), cooking (Bolognese), vacationing (in Maine), and of course yoga where goats climb on you as you try to stretch — it’s mostly about playing with goats. And finally, Rachel shares the wonderful news that she will be a new mom in March. Time to rest up people, episode seven is here now. Show Links Rachel’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfilePinkergreenBolognese recipeNY Goat YogaBoston’s South EndThe College of Saint RoseThe Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Five, four, three, two, one… Happy New Year. In this first episode of 2024 Saint Rose alumni and technical UI designer, Nael Uppal, talks to me about starting a degree in his home country of Pakistan, continuing his education in Albany, NY, and completing his degree back home — it’s called a sandwich degree. Apparently that’s a term. Somewhere in the middle of this culinary delight is some work experience as well. Nael tells us about growing up in a creative family, including hanging out in museums with the older kids in his mom’s art classes. He explains in great detail and clarity the complexity of the development of web and mobile games and his current role at Revolving Games where he works on the user interface side of the process. Nael also talks about the very different experiences of going to school in two different parts of the world. And we learn a little bit of the history and culture of Pakistan. Winter break is over. Time to get listening to episode six of Design Futures. Show Links Nael’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileRevolving GamesSandwich DegreePartition of IndiaLahore, PakistanNational College of ArtsCollege of Saint RoseThe Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

As 2023 comes to a close, I interview Lindsay Agnew, 2010 graduate of the Ringling College of Art & Design and creative director at Panama Jack (She has since moved on to Entertainment Retail Enterprises). In this episode we discuss the trajectory of her career that started at Disney Imagineering working as an environmental graphics designer, where she focused on designing signage and way-finding systems for the Mouse. This in turn led her to working on similar projects for The Villages, a massive planned retirement community, sometimes referred to as the Disney for adults. And we talk about her role at Panama Jack designing packaging and apparel for the sun-care lifestyle brand. If you’re not already there, this episode will make you wish you were at the beach. Grab a cold one and the sunscreen, it’s time for episode five. Show Links Lindsay’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileDisney ImagineeringTest TrackThe VillagesPanama JackOrlando, FlWGSNRingling College of Art & DesignThe Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this episode, Stephanie Pepaj, 2019 graduate of the College of Saint Rose discusses her spontaneous decision, based on an over-heard conversation at a coffee shop, to go back to school to get her master’s degree in marketing from Queens University Belfast in Northern Ireland. Why not? It was the pandemic and she always wanted to live outside the U.S. While living in Belfast she worked for a digital agency, spent time traveling in Europe, and went swimming in ice-cold water. Apparently, that’s a thing. Currently, Stephanie is putting her education into practice with developing social media marketing campaigns for her food and beverage clients. We also talk about avoiding bears on hikes, her family restaurant in Cooperstown, NY, and her commitment to yoga. It’s time to set an intension to listen to episode four of Design Futures. Namaste.   Show Links Stephanie’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileQueen’s University BelfastYoga Benefits (Johns Hopkins)ToscanaCold Plunge Science (NPR)Best Lunch Recipes (Food Network)Later.comBelfast, NIThe College of Saint Rose  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this episode I chat with Lead Product Designer, Alex Gennette, at Netflix Games. We not only discuss his role in designing for the Netflix Games platform, but we also talk about board games and those tiny figurines that come with many multi-player adventure games. We nerd-out about non-linear content and a project in Alex’s portfolio that required him to design a system for livestream motion graphics. Alex also shares insights about being humble when designing for users. Of course we touch on his time at Ringling College of Art & Design, where he learned to write code for Flash animations just as Apple announced they would not support it on the iPhone and spending time at the beach, but only during the evening because he was too busy working on class assignments during the day. Game on people!   Show Links Alex’s PortfolioTwitter ProfileLinkedIn ProfileSony PlaystationNetflixPolaroidFigmaGloomhavenSan FranciscoRingling College of Art & Design  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Heather Argus, a senior brand designer at the tech company Platform.sh, is a founding member for the Asheville chapter of AIGA. In this episode I talk to Heather about her journey from upstate New York to North Carolina and from being a not-so-confident design student to a role as a design mentor. She  talks about the people, her family included, that have influenced her and continue to build her confidence as a designer. Heather also shares some design-adjacent stories about being a booth model and an actor while living in Southern California and some details about creating a home and family (dogs and chickens included) in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina.   Show Links Heather’s PortfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfileAIGA AshevilleAsheville Humane SocietyFigmaBlue Ridge MountainsThe College of Saint Rose  The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

In this first episode of season four of Design Futures I talk with London-based designer Kristie Malivindi of Jones Knowles Ritchie. We discuss her journey from making amazing work and mistakes at the two-person design firm, 2communiqué, to mentoring young designers in her recent role as creative director at JKR, where she works on global brands such as Burger King and M & M’s. We also talk about the in-between years of “being a brat” in Chicago as well as losing her dream design job and the hustle of New York City that led to burnout. We get nostalgic for our time (way back in the 20th century) at Massachusetts College of Art & Design in the graphic design department where I was a grad student and Kristie was an undergrad. And we talk about all the good things in life, like naps, cats, travel, and New York bagels. Jones Knowles RitchieLinkedIn ProfileAlexey BrodovitchHarper’s BazaarNapping: The Do’s and Don’ts for Healthy AdultsClaire Saffitz Makes Homemade BagelsVisit LondonMassachusetts College of Art & DesignDinosaur Jr.The Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)

Hey future & current designers it’s time for Season 4 of Design Futures. Starting the first week of October you’ll hear all new stories from former students. Season 4 is unofficially titled the international season because in this season I talk to a designer who went on to earn her Masters degree in Northern Ireland, a designer who returned to Pakistan to work in the gaming industry, and two designers who live and work in England.   And you’ll hear from other designers living in the states of Massachusetts, Florida, California, New York, and North Carolina. They all having thriving careers in the areas of Branding, Packaging Design, UI/UX Design, Social Media, and Motion Design.   In order to get ready for this trip make sure to subscribe to the podcast so you can catch up on the first three seasons of Design Futures.   As always, Thanks for listening. See ya.

For all those foodies and a designers out there, this is for you. In this last episode of Season 3, Ashley Tucker, 2006 graduate of the University of Denver (DU) and Associate Design Director at Penguin Random House, joins me for a conversation about food, design, and book publishing. She talks about her transition from a pre-med course of study at Northwestern University to studying graphic design at DU. Ashley also shares her enthusiasm for typography, printed books, cooking, baking, and reading; the challenges of reviewing color proofs with only natural sunlight; and enjoying some amazing meals in New York City. And finally, she gives a whole lot of credit to her parents, mom for being an inspiring interior designer and architect and crediting her dad with her drive for precision and craftsmanship. Bon Appétit. Show Links Ashley’s portfolioLinkedIn ProfileInstagram ProfilePenguin Random HouseThe Chef’s GardenDirt CandyLoring PlaceLasagna RecipeDateline PodcastEsquire MagazineUniversity of DenverThe Intro Music Synergistic Effect by morgantj (copyright 2011 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license.)