Hi there! I'm Kayla, a Senior Graphic Designer and Team Lead with a decade of experience building brands that work.

I currently lead a team of graphic designers at Midland States Bank, setting creative direction across print, digital, and video for major campaigns. I built and maintain our design system, and before stepping into this role, I led the research, creation, and rollout of Midland's full brand refresh, work that's shaped how the bank shows up everywhere from branch design to the website.

Growing up, I was immersed in art and design early on (my dad is a designer too), so continuing down that path in college felt like second nature. Since graduating Summa Cum Laude from Eastern Illinois University with a degree in Graphic Design, I've spent the past decade growing as both a designer and a leader, most recently earning my Google UX Design Professional Certificate and completing Design Master's 1 training. I've also created presentations to educate my peers on generative AI and design, and built courses to help other designers grow their skills.

My work spans the full creative process, from brand strategy and design systems to UX/UI, motion, and video, and I bring the same lens to all of it: design has to look fantastic and be easy to understand. Having worked across banking, education, and dentistry, I know that good design earns trust by being both beautiful and functional.

If you ask my friends, family, or coworkers, they'll tell you how passionate I am about creating, and how loyal I am. I'm a team player who believes in putting yourself in the other person's shoes before making a decision, and I try to make everyone around me feel welcome.

When I'm not at my desk, you'll find me hanging out with my two cats, Peanut and Charlie, and my husband, Matt, usually reading, watching the latest true crime show, or trying to talk him into another spontaneous road trip.