A multidisciplinary design role creating visual identities and marketing collateral, while leading key internal initiatives like website design and brand guidelines to strengthen team efficiency and brand consistency.
Senior Graphic Designer | 5 Years
At Next Thought, I’ve spent the last five years evolving into a multidisciplinary designer who thrives on fast-paced, high-quality creative work. I specialize in crafting visual identities for client video and training content, balancing storytelling, brand alignment, and innovation. Whether expanding established brand systems or building fresh creative directions from scratch, I’ve developed the visual voice for over 35 clients. During my time at NextThought, I’ve had the opportunity to work with companies such as Amazon, BP, Encyclopedia Britannica, Merriam Webster, the University of Oklahoma, and the State of Oklahoma.
To continually elevate my team, I took initiative to develop my skills in UI design, character design, and new creative processes to increase efficiency, strengthening the team’s ability to pitch and deliver quality visuals. My work has helped secure new business through creative proposals and client-facing collateral. I played a lead role in designing the NextThought website by developing early concepts and visual systems. I also created our first internal brand guidelines to bring greater consistency across all materials.
My work bridges client needs, marketing strategy, and design systems, making me a key creative force behind both our external impact and internal growth.
Client Work
While I have worked with over 35 clients, below is a collection of some of my most recent, and favorite, projects. Each challenged me in unique ways, pushing me to expand my skillset and adapt to a variety of visual styles and creative approaches.
Wynn’s
Client | Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Year | 2025
ITW requested a series of product videos for Wynn’s. However, they raised concerns about the their brand often being presented as overly “candy colored” due to the pink, purple, and orange primary colors. In response, we presented a solution that used the existing color palette more strategically by pairing it with clean white space and photo cutouts to create a sleeker, more elevated visual expression.
William & Lauren
Client | William & Lauren
Year | 2025
One module featuring eight live-action videos, designed to equip William & Lauren team members with the confidence and expertise to lead fitting appointments with professionalism and precision. The team asked that we stay closely aligned with their existing brand, but we saw an opportunity to thoughtfully expand their visual voice. We introduced expressive typography, custom illustrations, and AR elements that easily integrated into their current branding. These additions not only complemented the original system but also helped the videos efficiently communicate key teaching points.
SNAP E&T
Client | Public Strategies
Year | 2025
A series of six videos created for the SNAP E&T program, designed to transform traditionally dense, text-heavy content into something more engaging and accessible. The illustrative style I originally developed early in my career has remained a favorite among new clients for its simple charm. With the integration of AI tools into my creative process, I was able to accelerate character design and illustration, resulting in our most detailed and advanced illustrated work to date, all produced on our smallest budget.
AGA
Client | American Gastroenterological Association
Year | 2024
The American Gastroenterological Association requested a short series of five interactive videos featuring pop quizzes. Although their branding was extensive, there was limited room for interactive elements. To address this, we expanded on their brand voice to create a more visually compelling series designed to better engage users and help them retain information for the quizzes. In addition to developing the interactive features, I was tasked with presenting various medical images in a way that avoided being overly graphic. The team at AGA was pleased with the finished look that maintained their professional medical aesthetic.
Price College of Business
Client | University of Oklahoma
Year | 2022
The University of Oklahoma presented us with one of the largest series I have led design on. We developed the visual identity for a comprehensive 33-module course for the University’s Price College of Business. The series strikes a balance between traditional lecture content and high-energy formats, using real-world examples, emotional relevance, and a conversational tone to make financial concepts practical and approachable. While we were encouraged to deviate from OU’s crimson branding, design elements still incorporate the university’s brand palette to maintain institutional identity.
Brand Identity & Guidelines
NextThought had never established a formal brand identity, so we made it a priority to shape a consistent visual language across the company. Through my work on the website, marketing materials, and internal documents, I helped define how the brand looks and feels, even before a formal system was requested. Building on that foundation, we created comprehensive brand guidelines to ensure consistency, enabling the team to maintain a unified and professional image moving forward.
Marketing Collateral
As part of our commitment to supporting teams beyond our core responsibilities, I’ve become a key creative partner to the marketing team. My contributions include both internal and external collateral, as well as crafting targeted proposals designed to attract and win new clients.
Visual System Presentation
To create a stronger first impression with clients, we developed a presentation template specifically designed to showcase video visual systems. The layout brings key elements such as typography, color palettes, and design principles front and center. It also allows space to clearly communicate the rationale behind each creative decision. The added structure and professionalism have significantly elevated the quality and clarity of our design presentations.
Visual System Template | Empty
Visual System Template | Example
Website Landing Page
To increase visibility of our services, we launched a landing page promoted through a targeted marketing email highlighting our full range of services. Designed to align with our website’s branding while streamlining the visual system, the page offers flexibility for easy updates as our offerings evolve.
Parker Hoff | Creative Director @ NextThought
“Tess constantly amazes me with her overall talent, creative mind, and artistic ability while also being a genuine pleasure to work with. She has a natural instinct for clean, professional, editorial design, but is never afraid to bring a playful touch, especially with her hand drawn characters. In my many years in the industry, she has been one of my favorite collaborators, and I can always count on her to be both a reliable professional and a creative force who brings the wow factor to every project.”
Teachers’ Curriculum Institute Learning Platform
TCI has had a long-standing relationship with NextThought. We have produced several series of modules of them, and recently, a new proposal called for creating a learning platform to deliver their content more efficiently to users. I was tasked with designing the initial concept for this platform.
