We’ve gathered a panel of young designers, from diverse backgrounds, who’ve been where you are—anxious and unsure of the best career path. At Demystifying Design, they’ll answer your questions, including whether agency life, in-house, or freelance is the right fit for you. Their different and unique experiences will show—there is no single path to success. Join us at this interactive session to leverage their experience, gain guidance, and better understand what your ideal first design job looks like.
About our Panel:
Lars Erickson is a UX Designer at Useagility in Kansas City. He serves on the User Experience Professionals Association board (UXPA-KC) as the Director of Operations and received his Masters of Design in Interaction and UX from the University of Kansas in 2019.
Chloe Jennings is a graphic designer from Michigan and is now based in Kansas City. Currently, she’s working as a full-time designer at Hallmark Cards for its Good Mail, Shoebox, and Signature brands. She’s heavily interested in hand lettering, illustration, taking photos, and putting positive messages out into the world. (IG: @chloe.daven / @positivepennants)
Myles Thompson is a Brooklyn-born freelance designer and art director based in Los Angeles, California. He works with organizations, brands, and people to tell stories using his skillsets. His clients range from brands like Jordan and Flight Club to independent artists like Elujay. In conjunction with his client-based work, Myles focuses on self-initiated projects which aim to solve problems that intermingle culture, human experiences, and new environmental design. For Myles, design has always been a way to start a conversation and bring people together. Through his work, he looks to continue that. (IG: @myles.tho)
Batsheba Castro Martinez is a graduate of Missouri State University’s Graphic Design & Illustration program. They graduated just as the pandemic began to gain traction and thus, began freelancing. Ever involved, they currently serve as an Associate of Community Engagement for AIGA KC and as an AIGA Representative on the CFADKC board. They recently began working as a Sr. User Interface Designer with VMLY&R. (IG: @batsevamakes)
Natasha Ygsi is Midwest born and Filipino bred. She’s a lover of life and relishes in solving a good problem. She likes stories, pop culture, and things created by the internet. Currently, she is an Art Director at VMLY&R and is a fervent advocate for diversity in advertising—both in front of the camera and behind the scenes. She has led talks and workshops about diversity awareness and designing with a diverse perspective. (IG: natashaygsi / Web: natashaygsi.com)
