about
Lisa Jayne Willard is a Creative Director with 20+ years of experience leading brand, editorial and digital design across agency, independent practice and academia. Proven track record of delivering concept-driven work for global clients, including Google, American Express, AT&T, and Samsung. Specializes in strategic design systems, typography and cross-platform creative direction spanning print, digital and UX/UI environments.
She is also a Professor at the Ringling College of Art + Design. Before teaching at the university level, she spent 25+ years as an advertising designer working for top agencies in St. Louis, NYC and Austin. Always designing, her current practice includes creative direction, graphic design and client-based projects. She specializes in print, collateral, branding and writing, and has created advertising, book design, educational marketing, UX/UI design and much more.
After researching and writing a thesis on the recontextualization and use of the atlas as a design container, Lisa is often found designing her latest personal project, applying these theories through her writing, narratives, maps and data presented in various formats, including books, newspapers and installations.
When not immersed in all things design, she might be traveling around Europe, sitting on a beach, going home to NYC, visiting one of her three kids who are scattered around the country, practicing or teaching yoga, running a marathon or taking pics of her 2-year-old cat Poppy and her island-rescue pup Frida. Also, reading everything she can carry or fit on her Kindle. She is thinking about expanding her all-black wardrobe.
education
MFA Communication Design (Graphic Design)
Texas State University
Texas State University
BA Fine Art
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
current work
Professor of Graphic Design
Ringling College of Art + Design
Ringling College of Art + Design
Partial Client List
American Express, AT&T, Austin American Statesman, AVDLM, Build-a-Bear Workshop, Bartley+Dick NYC, Chase Bank, CibaVision, Coca-Cola, Comcast, Compaq, CB Richard Ellis, Duke Energy, Duke Manufacturing, Emerson Motors, Express Scripts, Gallup Foundation, Gerson Lehrman, Google, Graybar, Hager, Life Uniforms, Bank of America (NationsBank), NY Fashion Week, Panera Bread, SBC, Siteman Cancer Center, Sony, St. Alexius Hospital, St. Louis Zoo, Toys 'R Us, USA Today, Zoo Atlanta, Zimmer Orthopedics