design + photography + creative miscellanies
GIF illustration by Topher McCulloch
Imaginative. Adventurous.
Certifiably Midwestern.
As a kid, Alison often noodled around in her dad’s classroom after school, making digital art on a Macintosh Classic and beautiful messes with the art supplies. With 15 years of professional experience, she still brings a child-like enthusiasm to creative problem solving. She's a skilled multidisciplinary creative practitioner, ecstatic when a new method or idea works and can play well with others or fly solo with ease. Her dream projects reflect interests in sound strategic thinking and design for the common good. But at the end of the day, she’s just here to make neat stuff.
A graduate of the University of Minnesota Duluth, Alison studied graphic design, political science, and scenic and technical design for theater. Having grown up in the comfortably cold Motherland of Minnesota, she migrated south (not unlike a Canada goose) and now lives on Chicago’s glorious South Side.
Alison’s favorite season is winter. She loves bicycles, live music, museums and dark chocolate. She struggles to view salads as much more than a bowl of weeds, but if forced to choose, prefers the type with cheese.
Experience
• Effective creative strategist with start-to-finish project leadership experience
• Experienced leading teams producing creative content across multiple platforms
• Skilled storyteller with a keen sense of market and cultural awareness
Work History
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Design Manager
03.2014 – 02.2021 | Chicago, IL
Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
Graphic Designer and Assistant Photographer
08.2012 – 02.2014 | Chicago, IL
Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture (COTC)
Graphics Coordinator and Photographer
12.2010 – 06.2012 | Chicago, IL
Oak Street Design
Graphic Designer and Marketing Professional
11.2008 – 12.2010 | Chicago, IL
Epicurean Cutting Surfaces and Loll Designs
Graphic Designer and Photographer
06.2007 – 09.2008 | Duluth, MN
Fitzphoto, Inc.
Marketing, Design and Production Professional
04.2006 – 06.2008 | Duluth, MN
Freelance and Volunteer Work
Art Director, Project Manager, Designer, Photographer, and Group Leader
02.2004 – Present
Education
BFA in Graphic Design
University of Minnesota Duluth
Minors in Political Science and Theater (Scenic Design)
Academic Excellence Award
Dean's List: 6 semesters, 2001 – 2007
Exhibitions and Awards
Golden Trumpet Award: Not-for-Profit Marketing
Publicity Club of Chicago, 2016
Chicago Skyline Award: Associations and Non-Profit Organizations
Public Relations Society of America, 2016
Golden Trumpet Award: Communications Materials
Publicity Club of Chicago, 2015
Chicago Skyline Award: Single Issue Publications Public Relations Society of America, 2015
BFA Exhibition: Graphic Shenanigans
Tweed Museum of Art, University of Minnesota Duluth, 2007
Community Involvement
iMentor Program
Mentoring CPS students since 2018
WBEZ Sounding Board
Provide feedback to Chicago Public Media for a 2-year term, 2020 – 2022
Chicago Community Jail Support
Provide on-the-ground support to individuals recently released from Cook County Jail since June 2020