Challenge
Grantmakers for Education needed their 2023 Annual Conference to do more than convene people. With hundreds of funders, 80+ sessions, and a justice-centered theme, the challenge was creating a clear, cohesive experience that could turn big ideas about equity and learning into shared understanding and real momentum.
Solution
I helped shape a unifying narrative and visual direction that translated the conference theme—In Pursuit of Justice—into an accessible, human-centered experience. The approach focused on clarity, cultural context, and connection, ensuring the content moved smoothly from inspiration to practical application across sessions, formats, and audiences.
Outcomes
The conference delivered a cohesive, engaging experience for hundreds of grantmakers, helping complex ideas move from abstraction to action. Attendees left with shared language, clearer takeaways, and a stronger sense of how their work could support learners and communities in meaningful, actionable ways.
Challenge
Despite being close to San Diego, access to Escondido’s preserved trail systems remained fragmented. Riders lacked a simple, intuitive way to find trail information, understand routes, and confidently navigate the area—often limiting use of an otherwise exceptional natural resource.
Solution
I designed a passion-project mobile app focused on clarity and ease of use, providing straightforward trail information, navigable maps, and simple directions. The design was shaped by what I would love to see in a rider experience, prioritizing quick orientation and frictionless exploration over unnecessary features.
Outcomes
My proposed proof of concept demonstrated how user-centered design can lower barriers to access, encourage greater trail use, and enhance outdoor experiences—turning a nearby preserve into a more discoverable, ride-ready destination.
Challenge
Marathon Health needed a clear, compelling way to explain a holistic, preventive healthcare model to employer audiences—one that connected clinical philosophy to real-world outcomes like cost savings, access, and employee well-being.
Solution
I helped shape a design playbook that translated Marathon Health’s approach into an accessible, employer-focused narrative. The playbook emphasized preventive care, personalized wellness, and collaboration, clearly positioning onsite workplace health centers as a practical, empowering solution for organizations.
Outcomes
The playbook clarified Marathon Health’s value proposition, reinforced the benefits of accessible care and chronic disease reduction, and supported employer decision-making with tangible results—including $2.6 million in documented cost savings.
Challenge
As casino audiences skew younger, the industry faces a shift from traditional gaming toward full-scale entertainment experiences. While 21–35-year-olds now make up the highest frequency of visitors, most casino advertising hasn’t evolved to reflect how this generation plans, moves, and experiences a night out.
Solution
I developed an ad campaign concept rooted in cultural behavior—capturing the anticipation and energy of getting ready for a night on the town. The creative repositioned casinos as entertainment destinations, using dynamic, urban placements designed to meet audiences in motion.
Outcomes
The campaign strategy bet on aligning Wildhorse with younger, experience-driven consumers and leveraging high-visibility placements from both drive-by exposure and a 21% nationwide increase in public transportation ridership—modernizing the category’s presence and relevance.
Challenge
Kaiser Permanente needed to engage high-risk patients across multiple regions with a new pilot program—many of whom were encountering the initiative for the first time. The challenge was building trust quickly while supporting existing care models and encouraging sustained patient adherence.
Solution
We created a fully branded national identity built around friendly expertise—approachable, credible, and reassuring. A clear question-and-response framework addressed patient concerns upfront, while photography highlighted attainable, active lifestyles to reinforce relevance and possibility. The system flexed across all outreach touchpoints to support consistent, clear communication.
Outcomes
Participants who received the branded reminder materials showed higher adherence and achieved a measurable 3.6 mg/dl greater reduction in cholesterol compared to those outside the pilot—demonstrating how thoughtful brand strategy can directly support better health outcomes.
Challenge
S7 offered powerful, flexible IoT connectivity hardware—but its value was difficult to communicate beyond highly technical audiences. The challenge was translating an engineer-driven vision into a clear, usable experience that resonated with real users and supported adoption across use cases.
Solution
I synthesized a dense, technical manifesto into clear user personas, refined the user interface in close collaboration with the development team, and created a complete brand identity. The work aligned product, experience, and messaging around how users actually configure and deploy the technology.
Outcomes
The resulting identity and interface clarified OpenH.io’s mission, improved usability, and positioned the platform as an accessible, adaptable IoT solution—bridging the gap between technical capability and real-world application.
The research from Sanders was great, diving head down into products specifics and consumer mentality - both makers and industrial engineers. Very close collaboration with our product and web development teams, short timelines, and high pressure.
Oly Medlicott, business development
Challenge
Vaccine resistance is often driven by distrust, fatigue, and a sense of powerlessness—especially toward institutional or clinical messaging. The challenge was finding a way to reach hesitant audiences without triggering skepticism or immediate disengagement.
Solution
I developed a Pro VAX Instagram campaign designed to interrupt assumptions rather than argue facts. Using a deliberately non-clinical, culturally familiar visual language, the campaign invited reflection and personal agency—encouraging people to reconsider their options through tone, relatability, and subtle persuasion.
Outcomes
The campaign demonstrated how accessible, culturally aware creative can open space for dialogue and reflection—showing that even small, self-initiated efforts can counter despair by turning skills into action and influence.
Challenge
SoupCycle had built a loyal following around scratch-made meals using organic, locally sourced ingredients. As the company prepared to expand beyond Portland, they needed a brand voice and identity that could grow with them—without losing the authenticity that made them beloved.
Solution
I developed a scalable brand system that clarified SoupCycle’s voice, personality, and core promise. This included a flexible identity framework, key brand ingredients, and a succinct tagline that distilled what made the company special—making the brand easy to apply across new markets and touchpoints.
Outcomes
The rebrand gave SoupCycle the clarity and confidence to expand operations from two cities to three, while preserving its local, human feel and strengthening recognition as the brand grew.
Challenge
Peace Valley School needed a brand strong enough to launch a new, unconventional learning model while speaking to multiple audiences—students, families, community members, and potential investors. The identity also needed to clearly differentiate the school from other regional options and support future growth.
Solution
I led a collaborative strategy and branding effort with the founder and Board to clarify the school’s core philosophy: building self-sufficiency and supporting conscious choice through integrated learning. The resulting identity system balanced warmth and clarity with practical guidelines, ensuring consistency while allowing the brand to scale.
Outcomes
The branding helped accelerate early enrollment and played a pivotal role in securing $99K in investment returns—demonstrating how a clear, values-driven identity can drive both participation and financial support.
We worked with Sanders building the branding and messaging for Peace Valley School and couldn’t have hoped for a better team or results.
John Hunt, board of directors
