photo by Edwin Hammond
AREAS OF EXPERTISE
creative Strategy
Brand Management
art Direction
design systems
communicator
content creation
Humanity-Centered Design
Organizing the Chaos
Branding & Identity
Print Design
Event Activation
Storyboarding
Joy
Not Boring
Creative noodler, maker, & advocater
Did you know Nelly rapped about me once? Ok, he didn’t, but it sounded like he did. Actually, do you even know who Nelly is? Is my millennial showing? Back when musicians loved their Cadillac DeVilles (specifically the coupe, because who needs four doors, right?), I swear I heard my name in the lyrics. Qubty is pronounced Coop-D, like coupe DeVille. And voilà! Now you know how to pronounce Qubty ☺︎
I’m a creative leader who believes good design starts with curiosity, collaboration, and a sense of fun — not buzzwords or endless meetings. My background spans higher education, athletics, marketing, publishing, experiential, and environmental design, but what really drives me is helping ideas take shape in ways that feel human, intentional, and lasting.
I’m big on connecting dots and building relationships, on teaching teams why accessibility and brand integrity matter, and on helping people see design as more than decoration — it’s strategy, empathy, and storytelling. Whether it’s guiding a team through a new brand system or turning a complex project into something cohesive and clear, I aim for outcomes that make an impact long after the campaign ends.
Someone recently called me a brand guardian with empathy, and I was like, hell yea.
As a visual creative with a forever-evolving toolkit, I love projects that blend the authentic with the digital, the kind of work that makes you stop and feel something. I thrive in teams that take their work seriously but not themselves, where creativity is collaborative, a little messy, and a lot of fun.
My goal is to build, inspire, and champion creative teams that support each other, experiment often, and bring fresh ideas to the table. I’m here to push past the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset and replace it with curiosity, trust, and a good sense of humor. We’ve all had shitty bosses…I’m working to make sure none of us ever have to again.
If you want to get a sense of who I am beyond the work, check out my Instagram. It’s not my portfolio. It’s just a taste of my personality: a little smart, a little weird, a little funny, always real.
*Em dashes are mine, not AI. I’ve been em dashing my thoughts for like 20 years, but admittedly, used to exclusively use the hyphen because it was quicker to get to. Look at me maturing into longer lines.
Anonymous excerpt from award nomination
“In creative work, there is an elusive balance between consistency and newness, bold and reliable choices, the vanguard and the old faithful. This is where true, practical, innovation lives. Each time Amanda begins a project, I see all the heads at the table turn toward her, knowing that she’s going to deliver something that both delights and meets needs at every level, because she is an innovator. Ask around and find the projects Amanda has worked on. She won’t brag, as she knows as we all do that each great piece of work is truly collaborative; however, I have nominated her for this award to put the grateful spotlight on her just a little bit, because she’s not going to step into it herself - she’s too busy innovating for DAR’s next award-winning project.”
Genevieve A.
“I admire how intentional you are with creating space for others to be heard.”
Justin P.
“…working together has been the most impactful time of my vocational life.
You are a great leader, fantastic teacher, and even better friend. I hope you know how much people love being on your team. Here are just a few things I’ve learned from you that will always stick with me:
Creativity is too precious to be shy.
Always consider the other person’s experience (in design and in general).
Growth happens when we say ‘yes’ to it.”
Clarke S.
“I can say that joining [the team] was one of the best decisions of my life for a lot of reasons, but the ones that mean the most are all about the personal things: the people, the trips, the get togethers, the laughs.
And I can say without hesitation that you were a major, major part of that. Thanks for being so welcoming, for being real about the work and the people, for being open with your expertise and advice, … for being you and sharing that with all of us.”
Kate L.
“We are super excited about this new logo because it is versatile when it comes to branding, décor, and print.
We think Amanda and [the team] hit it out of the park with this one and are excited to spotlight this new wordmark for this year’s 40 Under 40 celebration and for years to come.”
SPECS
EXPERIENCE
Emory University Communications & Marketing
Senior Creative Director March 2024 - present
Leading and implementing university-wide brand refresh
Developing strategies for efficient alignment across teams
Hiring, guiding, and championing creative talent
Producing nationwide ad campaigns
Designing, refining and innovating design systems, content and processes
University of Georgia Development & Alumni Relations
Interim Creative Director July 2023 - March 2024
Associate Creative Director November 2021 - July 2023
Senior Creative Design Specialist December 2019 - November 2021
Creative Design Specialist June 2017 - December 2019
Strategic Creative Leadership: Elevated creative team capabilities, modernized workflows, and led strategic brand initiatives, significantly enhancing team efficiency, project outcomes, and brand consistency across digital and print platforms. Key achievements include developing a major campaign that raised $1.5 million, and a philanthropic initiative that generated over $758,000 for medical research.
Brand Development and Campaign Management: Directed multi-channel campaigns and high-impact creative projects, fostering team collaboration and talent development. Successfully branded and led visual direction for events that surpassed fundraising goals months ahead of schedule, and consistently secured stakeholder and presidential endorsements.
Operational Excellence in Creative Environments: Improved processes and systems to boost efficiency and accessibility, nurtured exceptional design talent, and enhanced cross-functional team collaboration. Developed standout visual content and managed key partnerships, resulting in heightened alumni engagement and increased brand visibility. Created and curated content across platforms on game days, with five- and six-figure engagement.
Louisiana State University Athletics
Creative Services Coordinator March 2016 - June 2017
Streamlined Athletics Media Production: Directed the Athletics department’s publication and multimedia efforts, enhancing creative operations and maintaining brand integrity across all platforms. Managed sport-specific productions, optimized asset libraries and vendor interactions, and integrated current design trends and client feedback to elevate multimedia deliverables. Created and curated content across platforms on game days.
Jumpstart Publishing
Creative Manager 2013-2015
Big Frog
Graphic Designer 2012-2013
Barnett Shoals Elementary
Visual Arts student teacher 2012
Oconee County High School
Graphic Design student teacher 2012
CERTIFICATIONS
EDUCATION
University of Georgia Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
MA Emerging Media 2025
University of Georgia Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
BFA Art Education 2012
AWARDS + ACCOLADES
DAR Star, February 2024
SIC ‘Em nomination, Commitment 2022
UGA Development & Alumni Relations
SIC ‘Em nomination, Innovation 2020
UGA Development & Alumni Relations
PIAG Print Excellence Competition, Award of Excellence (x3) 2020
Award of Excellence for Invitations with 4+ Colors: 40 Under 40 invitation
Award of Excellence for Programs 4+ Colors: 40 Under 40 program
Award of Excellence for Invitations with 4+ Colors: Alumni Tailgate invitation
SIC ‘Em nomination, Innovation 2019
UGA Development & Alumni Relations
PIAG Print Excellence Competition, Print Excellence Award (x2) 2019
Print Excellence Award: Sic ‘Em posters
Print Excellence Award: Athletic Development Event invitations
American Advertising Award, Silver ADDY, OOH, Site-Interior 2017
AAF Baton Rouge
2017 College Softball Posters, Ranked #12 of Top 25 2017
Poster Swag
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America), 2016-17 Publications & Digital Design Results 2017
Best in Nation, LSU Women's Soccer Guide - University Division
Best Cover, LSU Women's Soccer Guide - University Division
Second in Nation, LSU Volleyball Guide - University Division
Best Cover, LSU Volleyball Guide - University Division
SkullSparks FBS/P5 Visual Top 25, LSU Creative Voted #8 of 2017 2017
SkullSparks (link and link)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
CASE (Council for the Advancement and Support of Education)
UGA Mentor Program, Mentor 2022-present
AIGA, Atlanta chapter
Creative Athenians, active member