Design Director for President Obama's 2012 Campaign
joshhiggins.com
thehaitiposterproject.com
reliefposters.com
Josh is a creative who works across multiple mediums including digital, print, apparel, packaging, identity, broadcast, and environmental design creating consistent experiences between brands and consumers. For over thirteen years, he’s been refining the art of connecting brands to people with a concept-driven visual style that has earned him national honors.
He recently concluded his role as Design Director for President Obama’s 2012 campaign. As the Design Director, Josh built and led the design team for the historic 2012 political campaign in which the web, design, and technology played a pivotal role. The responsibility of Josh and the team was to design the Obama 2012 campaign both online and offline. His main focus was to create a uniform message and consistent visual language across all mediums. With roots in both advertising and graphic design, he has done extensive work for brands including Fender Guitars, The Tony Hawk Foundation, HP, Asics Footwear, CBS Radio, Perry Ellis International, IHOP, New Castle Beer, PF Changs, Yamaha, and Life Technologies.
joshhiggins.com
thehaitiposterproject.com
reliefposters.com
Josh is a creative who works across multiple mediums including digital, print, apparel, packaging, identity, broadcast, and environmental design creating consistent experiences between brands and consumers. For over thirteen years, he’s been refining the art of connecting brands to people with a concept-driven visual style that has earned him national honors.
He recently concluded his role as Design Director for President Obama’s 2012 campaign. As the Design Director, Josh built and led the design team for the historic 2012 political campaign in which the web, design, and technology played a pivotal role. The responsibility of Josh and the team was to design the Obama 2012 campaign both online and offline. His main focus was to create a uniform message and consistent visual language across all mediums. With roots in both advertising and graphic design, he has done extensive work for brands including Fender Guitars, The Tony Hawk Foundation, HP, Asics Footwear, CBS Radio, Perry Ellis International, IHOP, New Castle Beer, PF Changs, Yamaha, and Life Technologies.
Designer – Facebook
www.altitudesf.com
Brian Singer manages the Communications Design team at Facebook. Before joining Facebook, he was the creative director and founder of Altitude Associates, a San Francisco based creative. Altitude has worked with companies such as Apple, Adidas, Stanford Lively Arts, and Chronicle Books, among others.
Brian’s work has garnered recognition from Communication Arts, AIGA 365, Print, How, Graphis, Step, AR100, and he has work in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Brian is also the creator of The 1000 Journals Project, a global art experiment. The journals have traveled to 40 countries, and through every U.S. state. The project is the subject of a book, a feature-length documentary by Andrea Kreuzhage, and was exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2009, and the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in 2011.
Brian is the former President of the San Francisco chapter of AIGA and has taught in both the CCA Extension and Academy of Art University programs. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.
www.altitudesf.com
Brian Singer manages the Communications Design team at Facebook. Before joining Facebook, he was the creative director and founder of Altitude Associates, a San Francisco based creative. Altitude has worked with companies such as Apple, Adidas, Stanford Lively Arts, and Chronicle Books, among others.
Brian’s work has garnered recognition from Communication Arts, AIGA 365, Print, How, Graphis, Step, AR100, and he has work in the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Brian is also the creator of The 1000 Journals Project, a global art experiment. The journals have traveled to 40 countries, and through every U.S. state. The project is the subject of a book, a feature-length documentary by Andrea Kreuzhage, and was exhibited at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2009, and the Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles in 2011.
Brian is the former President of the San Francisco chapter of AIGA and has taught in both the CCA Extension and Academy of Art University programs. He also serves on the Advisory Board for the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery.
President, Executive Creative Director
TOKY
www.toky.com
Eric Thoelke is the founder and Executive Creative Director of TOKY, a multimedia creative and strategy firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Just in 2012, TOKY won a Webby award for best art website, a platinum award for logo design from Graphis, two winners in the Type Directors Club annual, was published in the Brand New Annual, took home a national ADDY award, and was profiled in Communication Arts magazine.
TOKY only works for organizations that "do no harm". They seek commissions from groups including arts and culture organizations, colleges and universities, hospital systems, and what they call "World Changers", those organizations dedicated to projects that benefit the world. Eric is on the Board of Directors of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. He was elected a "Living Legend" by the St. Louis AIGA Chapter, and was a founding co-chairman of St. Louis Design Week.
You'll find Eric and Mary — his wife and business partner at TOKY — at home on the Mississippi river bluffs outside St. Louis, or in Washington D.C., where they are opening an office in 2013.
TOKY
www.toky.com
Eric Thoelke is the founder and Executive Creative Director of TOKY, a multimedia creative and strategy firm headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Just in 2012, TOKY won a Webby award for best art website, a platinum award for logo design from Graphis, two winners in the Type Directors Club annual, was published in the Brand New Annual, took home a national ADDY award, and was profiled in Communication Arts magazine.
TOKY only works for organizations that "do no harm". They seek commissions from groups including arts and culture organizations, colleges and universities, hospital systems, and what they call "World Changers", those organizations dedicated to projects that benefit the world. Eric is on the Board of Directors of the Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis. He was elected a "Living Legend" by the St. Louis AIGA Chapter, and was a founding co-chairman of St. Louis Design Week.
You'll find Eric and Mary — his wife and business partner at TOKY — at home on the Mississippi river bluffs outside St. Louis, or in Washington D.C., where they are opening an office in 2013.
Interactive Creative Director
metajive.com
Dave is the driving force behind metajive since its inception in 1999. Dave headed to San Francisco to become a “hired gun” for a handful of the big agencies in the city. Dave worked on everything he could get his hands on which included Disney, Banana Republic, Gap and Mike's Hard Lemonade. After settling in Del Mar, California, Dave developed metajive. Metajive's high-profile clients include Quiksilver, DC Shoes, NASCAR, Microsoft, State Farm and Virgin America. Metajive also works closely with agencies such as JUXT, Eleven Inc, DDB, Deutsch & Grip Ltd on their top-level accounts.
When Dave isn't working, he's trying to catch a few waves.
metajive.com
Dave is the driving force behind metajive since its inception in 1999. Dave headed to San Francisco to become a “hired gun” for a handful of the big agencies in the city. Dave worked on everything he could get his hands on which included Disney, Banana Republic, Gap and Mike's Hard Lemonade. After settling in Del Mar, California, Dave developed metajive. Metajive's high-profile clients include Quiksilver, DC Shoes, NASCAR, Microsoft, State Farm and Virgin America. Metajive also works closely with agencies such as JUXT, Eleven Inc, DDB, Deutsch & Grip Ltd on their top-level accounts.
When Dave isn't working, he's trying to catch a few waves.
Principal, Sussman/Prejza
www.sussmanprejza.com
Deborah Sussman is recognized as a pioneer of environmental graphic design for creating arresting visual imagery and designing its highly imaginative applications for architectural and public spaces. Deborah’s passion for the marriage of graphics and the built environment has led to extensive collaborations with planners, architects, other designers, and clients.
Her work has found its place in projects for cities, arts and entertainment venues, commercial developments and the private sector around the world. She began to work with architects in the late 60’s and 70’s; then incorporated as Sussman/Prejza & Co., with husband Paul Prejza. Deborah has led the firm with an array of notable projects: the “look” of the 1984 Olympics, which received Time Magazine’s award for “Best of the Decade”; the identity/branding applications for The Gas Company of Southern California; the identity, product exhibits, and corporate interiors for Hasbro Inc.; and award-winning wayfinding systems for Walt Disney Resorts and the cities of Philadelphia and Santa Monica. More recent projects include comprehensive interiors for the Seattle Opera, McCaw Hall and exhibit design for the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.
www.sussmanprejza.com
Deborah Sussman is recognized as a pioneer of environmental graphic design for creating arresting visual imagery and designing its highly imaginative applications for architectural and public spaces. Deborah’s passion for the marriage of graphics and the built environment has led to extensive collaborations with planners, architects, other designers, and clients.
Her work has found its place in projects for cities, arts and entertainment venues, commercial developments and the private sector around the world. She began to work with architects in the late 60’s and 70’s; then incorporated as Sussman/Prejza & Co., with husband Paul Prejza. Deborah has led the firm with an array of notable projects: the “look” of the 1984 Olympics, which received Time Magazine’s award for “Best of the Decade”; the identity/branding applications for The Gas Company of Southern California; the identity, product exhibits, and corporate interiors for Hasbro Inc.; and award-winning wayfinding systems for Walt Disney Resorts and the cities of Philadelphia and Santa Monica. More recent projects include comprehensive interiors for the Seattle Opera, McCaw Hall and exhibit design for the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.
Artist, Art Director, Illustrator, Puppeteer
waynewhiteart.com
Born and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Wayne White started his career as a cartoonist and illustrator for a number of publications in New York City. He quickly found success as one of the creators of the TV show, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, where his work for his set and puppet designs won three Emmy awards and led to more work designing some of the most arresting and iconic images in pop culture. He also worked in the music video industry, winning Billboard and MTV Music Video Awards as an art director for seminal music videos including The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” and Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time.”
Most recently, he has concentrated on his painting career. His word paintings feature pithy and often sarcastic text statements crafted onto vintage landscape paintings, and have made him a darling of the fine art world.
waynewhiteart.com
Born and raised in the mountains of Tennessee, Wayne White started his career as a cartoonist and illustrator for a number of publications in New York City. He quickly found success as one of the creators of the TV show, Pee-Wee’s Playhouse, where his work for his set and puppet designs won three Emmy awards and led to more work designing some of the most arresting and iconic images in pop culture. He also worked in the music video industry, winning Billboard and MTV Music Video Awards as an art director for seminal music videos including The Smashing Pumpkins’ “Tonight, Tonight” and Peter Gabriel’s “Big Time.”
Most recently, he has concentrated on his painting career. His word paintings feature pithy and often sarcastic text statements crafted onto vintage landscape paintings, and have made him a darling of the fine art world.
Clay artist
corporatepig.com
Meredith Dittmar is an artist living and playing in Portland, OR. Born near Boston, MA, she grew up in a world of pet pigs, horses, hay-forts and spy games. Follow this with an education in computer science, a career in interactive design, a compulsive need to create, and a drive to seek, and you get the major elements of her person and work. Dittmars work shows in galleries in the U.S. and abroad and has been featured in various books on contemporary art, art toys, illustration, and polymer clay, along with numerous magazines and online publications. In conjunction with her artwork, she works as an independent character designer, illustrator, and maintains her company Corporatepig, through which she continues to create thousands of unique handmade characters called "My Guys."
corporatepig.com
Meredith Dittmar is an artist living and playing in Portland, OR. Born near Boston, MA, she grew up in a world of pet pigs, horses, hay-forts and spy games. Follow this with an education in computer science, a career in interactive design, a compulsive need to create, and a drive to seek, and you get the major elements of her person and work. Dittmars work shows in galleries in the U.S. and abroad and has been featured in various books on contemporary art, art toys, illustration, and polymer clay, along with numerous magazines and online publications. In conjunction with her artwork, she works as an independent character designer, illustrator, and maintains her company Corporatepig, through which she continues to create thousands of unique handmade characters called "My Guys."
Landscape designer
www.margieruddick.com
Margie Ruddick is an international, award-winning landscape designer. For over twenty-five years, she has been recognized for her pioneering, environmental approach to urban landscape design. She is currently a nominee in the category of Landscape Architecture for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s 2013 National Design Awards. Recent projects include Margie's transformative design for New York’s Queens Plaza which has won awards for promoting a new idea of nature in the city. Similarly, her work for the Trenton Capital Park restores the connection between the city and the Delaware. Margie’s international projects include the Shillim Institute and Retreat in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India, and the Living Water Park, the first ecological park in China, which cleans polluted river water biologically.
In addition to her recent teaching position at Princeton, Margie has taught at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Yale, The University of Pennsylvania, Parsons School of Design, and Schumacher College in England. Her many accolades include the 1998 Waterfront Centre Award and the 1999 Places Design Award, for the Living Water Park. Her work has received awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the American Institute of Architects.
Margie graduated from Bowdoin College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. She founded and managed her own practice until 2004, when she became a partner at the planning and design firm WRT. Since 2007, she has worked on projects independently, in addition to writing, lecturing and teaching. Her forthcoming book is entitled Wild By Design.
www.margieruddick.com
Margie Ruddick is an international, award-winning landscape designer. For over twenty-five years, she has been recognized for her pioneering, environmental approach to urban landscape design. She is currently a nominee in the category of Landscape Architecture for the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum’s 2013 National Design Awards. Recent projects include Margie's transformative design for New York’s Queens Plaza which has won awards for promoting a new idea of nature in the city. Similarly, her work for the Trenton Capital Park restores the connection between the city and the Delaware. Margie’s international projects include the Shillim Institute and Retreat in the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, India, and the Living Water Park, the first ecological park in China, which cleans polluted river water biologically.
In addition to her recent teaching position at Princeton, Margie has taught at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Yale, The University of Pennsylvania, Parsons School of Design, and Schumacher College in England. Her many accolades include the 1998 Waterfront Centre Award and the 1999 Places Design Award, for the Living Water Park. Her work has received awards from the American Society of Landscape Architects and the American Institute of Architects.
Margie graduated from Bowdoin College and Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design. She founded and managed her own practice until 2004, when she became a partner at the planning and design firm WRT. Since 2007, she has worked on projects independently, in addition to writing, lecturing and teaching. Her forthcoming book is entitled Wild By Design.
Musician
gilgutierrez.com
Oaxaca-born guitarist and composer Gil Gutiérrez’ music and playing have attracted attention throughout North and South America and Europe through his many CD’s, film scores, and concert appearances. After studying classical guitar at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University in Oaxaca with teachers Jose Benitez from Peru and Jose Saldana from Mexico, Mr. Gutiérrez’ interests spread to many musical genres, such as jazz, flamenco, son cubano, etc. Mr. Gutiérrez has toured South America and Spain with Ana Gabriel, Ricardo Arjona, Francisco Cespedes, and Pedro Guerra, and he has composed music for such films as “El Cochero,” Una Causa Noble,” and “El Alcazar de Chapultepec.” Mr. Gutiérrez has directed and performed in more than 60 concerts with trumpeter Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5. In January of 2011, Mr. Gutiérrez and Mr. Severinsen presented their unique program at New York City’s Carnegie Hall accompanied by the New York Pops.
In 2012, Gil Gutierrez performed as a guest soloist with the Minneapolis Symphony and the Florida Symphony. Also in the same year Gil was a guest performer with the Doc Severinsen Big Band Tour. In June 2012, he was a special guest soloist with Arturo Sandoval in the Mexico City Palace of Fine Arts. Gil & Doc Severinsen along with the San Miguel 5 also did a California tour culminating in 3 spectacular performances at Yoshi’s in Oakland, California. Gil finished 2012 with a concert in San Miguel accompanied by renowned Cuban pianist Gabriel Hernandez and violinist Charlie Bisharat. Gil is currently preparing a new project with Mexican cellist Jimena Gimenez Cacho and also completing a new CD with Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5.
gilgutierrez.com
Oaxaca-born guitarist and composer Gil Gutiérrez’ music and playing have attracted attention throughout North and South America and Europe through his many CD’s, film scores, and concert appearances. After studying classical guitar at the Benito Juarez Autonomous University in Oaxaca with teachers Jose Benitez from Peru and Jose Saldana from Mexico, Mr. Gutiérrez’ interests spread to many musical genres, such as jazz, flamenco, son cubano, etc. Mr. Gutiérrez has toured South America and Spain with Ana Gabriel, Ricardo Arjona, Francisco Cespedes, and Pedro Guerra, and he has composed music for such films as “El Cochero,” Una Causa Noble,” and “El Alcazar de Chapultepec.” Mr. Gutiérrez has directed and performed in more than 60 concerts with trumpeter Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5. In January of 2011, Mr. Gutiérrez and Mr. Severinsen presented their unique program at New York City’s Carnegie Hall accompanied by the New York Pops.
In 2012, Gil Gutierrez performed as a guest soloist with the Minneapolis Symphony and the Florida Symphony. Also in the same year Gil was a guest performer with the Doc Severinsen Big Band Tour. In June 2012, he was a special guest soloist with Arturo Sandoval in the Mexico City Palace of Fine Arts. Gil & Doc Severinsen along with the San Miguel 5 also did a California tour culminating in 3 spectacular performances at Yoshi’s in Oakland, California. Gil finished 2012 with a concert in San Miguel accompanied by renowned Cuban pianist Gabriel Hernandez and violinist Charlie Bisharat. Gil is currently preparing a new project with Mexican cellist Jimena Gimenez Cacho and also completing a new CD with Doc Severinsen and the San Miguel 5.
Award-Winning Illustrator
rafaellopez.com
Rafael López (born in Mexico City, Mexico) is an award-winning illustrator and artist. His 2008 poster "Voz Unida" was selected by the Obama/Biden Campaign as an official poster at Artists for Obama. In 2012, he was asked by the Obama Re-election Campaign to illustrate and design a second official poster at Artists for Obama called "Estamos Unidos." He has also created seven stamps for the United States Postal Service. As a children’s book illustrator, he won the 2010 Pura Belpré illustration award for Book Fiesta! and is also the recipient of two Américas Book Awards and two Pura Belpré honors in 2012 and 2006.
His international clients include Amnesty International, Apple, Charlesbridge Publishing, Chicago Tribune, Harper Collins, IBM, Intel, Lee & Low books, Library of Congress, Los Angeles Times, the Grammy Awards, United States Postal Service and the World Wildlife Fund and his work has been selected into multiple juried shows.
In 2012, he was selected by the Library of Congress to create the National Book Festival poster to celebrate reading and literacy. Honorary Co-Chairs for this event were President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and it featured more than 125 best-selling authors, illustrators and poets on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
rafaellopez.com
Rafael López (born in Mexico City, Mexico) is an award-winning illustrator and artist. His 2008 poster "Voz Unida" was selected by the Obama/Biden Campaign as an official poster at Artists for Obama. In 2012, he was asked by the Obama Re-election Campaign to illustrate and design a second official poster at Artists for Obama called "Estamos Unidos." He has also created seven stamps for the United States Postal Service. As a children’s book illustrator, he won the 2010 Pura Belpré illustration award for Book Fiesta! and is also the recipient of two Américas Book Awards and two Pura Belpré honors in 2012 and 2006.
His international clients include Amnesty International, Apple, Charlesbridge Publishing, Chicago Tribune, Harper Collins, IBM, Intel, Lee & Low books, Library of Congress, Los Angeles Times, the Grammy Awards, United States Postal Service and the World Wildlife Fund and his work has been selected into multiple juried shows.
In 2012, he was selected by the Library of Congress to create the National Book Festival poster to celebrate reading and literacy. Honorary Co-Chairs for this event were President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama and it featured more than 125 best-selling authors, illustrators and poets on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Partner/President VSA Partners
vsapartners.com
As President and Partner, Jamie Koval has played an instrumental role expanding the firm’s visibility as an internationally recognized, multi- disciplinarian design agency. His primary client responsibilities focus on executive consultation and creative direction in the areas of brand identity, strategic communications, marketing and digital. VSA engages some of the world’s most respected brands including Converse, GAP, GE, Harley-Davidson, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and The Coca-Cola Company. Among the highlights, Mr. Koval developed the identity systems for Cingular Wireless, the Dalai Lama's visit to Millennium Park and Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid.
Koval's passion is in blurring the lines between business, strategy and design. Professionally, he has always pushed the boundaries of his role as a designer, always asking "where does design end?" and developing new ways that design can function as an organizing principle and change catalyst for companies.
Koval is the recipient of more than 100 national and international design awards. His work is in the permanent collection at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. As an active design advocate, Koval is a frequent lecturer and juror globally. He is a former National board member of AIGA and Chicago Art Project. Mr. Koval is currently an advisory board member of Project M, a creative movement that contributes, collaborates and generates ideas for the greater good. He is also a member of the business development and capital group, Cueball Collective, who help fund and incubate consumer and socially driven ventures.
vsapartners.com
As President and Partner, Jamie Koval has played an instrumental role expanding the firm’s visibility as an internationally recognized, multi- disciplinarian design agency. His primary client responsibilities focus on executive consultation and creative direction in the areas of brand identity, strategic communications, marketing and digital. VSA engages some of the world’s most respected brands including Converse, GAP, GE, Harley-Davidson, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and The Coca-Cola Company. Among the highlights, Mr. Koval developed the identity systems for Cingular Wireless, the Dalai Lama's visit to Millennium Park and Chicago’s 2016 Olympic bid.
Koval's passion is in blurring the lines between business, strategy and design. Professionally, he has always pushed the boundaries of his role as a designer, always asking "where does design end?" and developing new ways that design can function as an organizing principle and change catalyst for companies.
Koval is the recipient of more than 100 national and international design awards. His work is in the permanent collection at the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. As an active design advocate, Koval is a frequent lecturer and juror globally. He is a former National board member of AIGA and Chicago Art Project. Mr. Koval is currently an advisory board member of Project M, a creative movement that contributes, collaborates and generates ideas for the greater good. He is also a member of the business development and capital group, Cueball Collective, who help fund and incubate consumer and socially driven ventures.
Worldwide Design Evangelist
adobe.com
Senior Worldwide Design Evangelist at Adobe Systems with an affinity for creative technology, Rufus Deuchler has established himself as a leader in a very specialized arena. With experience as a corporate and editorial designer, he brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience using Adobe Creative Suite applications to the creative table. Rufus adds another dimension to the arena by delivering comprehensive training programs to audiences large and small across the globe, and also contributes time as a teacher for graphic design students. He is an expert in creative workflows with on Adobe solutions. Based in Italy, Rufus enjoys traveling the world to further his mission as a software evangelist.
adobe.com
Senior Worldwide Design Evangelist at Adobe Systems with an affinity for creative technology, Rufus Deuchler has established himself as a leader in a very specialized arena. With experience as a corporate and editorial designer, he brings more than 15 years of hands-on experience using Adobe Creative Suite applications to the creative table. Rufus adds another dimension to the arena by delivering comprehensive training programs to audiences large and small across the globe, and also contributes time as a teacher for graphic design students. He is an expert in creative workflows with on Adobe solutions. Based in Italy, Rufus enjoys traveling the world to further his mission as a software evangelist.