I’m a multidisciplinary designer and marketing leader with over a decade of experience helping brands connect strategy to execution across digital, physical, and environmental touchpoints.

My background spans two disciplines that don't usually live in the same person — environmental graphic design and marketing leadership. I've designed signage systems for a Las Vegas attraction and led brand strategy for Washington's largest luxury real estate brokerage. That range isn't accidental. The best problems usually require both.

I approach every project with a focus on systems thinking — building solutions that hold together not just at launch, but over time and across every touchpoint. Whether I'm developing a brand identity, directing a campaign, or designing for a physical space, the goal is always the same: create something that works as well as it looks.

Collaboration is central to how I operate. I've partnered with architects, fabricators, marketing teams, and executive leadership to bring ideas to life across industries — and I've learned that the best creative outcomes happen when everyone at the table is pulling in the same direction.

Currently available for freelance engagements and open to full-time creative leadership roles.

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    • Brand systems that scale across every touchpoint and channel

    • Campaigns built for adoption, not just presentation

    • Environments that guide and engage without getting in the way

    • Creative direction that connects business objectives to visual execution

    • Cross-functional leadership that keeps strategy and craft aligned

    • Strong work starts with listening. Before any concept is explored, I focus on understanding the goals, the audience, and the constraints — because the right solution is always specific, never generic.

    • From there I prioritize clarity, consistency, and scalability. Every creative decision is made in service of the bigger picture, and every deliverable is built to be used, not just admired.

    • I move fast without cutting corners, communicate proactively, and stay engaged from brief through final execution.

Experience

  • Maple Valley, WA | August 2014 – Present

    Founded and led a multidisciplinary creative studio delivering brand, design, marketing, and experiential solutions for diverse clients.

    • Create and develop end-to-end brand development, marketing strategy, and creative execution for small businesses, nonprofits, and real estate clients.
    • Designed visual identities, campaigns, environmental graphics, and digital experiences aligned to business goals.
    • Managed client relationships, project scopes, timelines, and budgets across multiple concurrent engagements.
    • Collaborated with creative partners and vendors to deliver high-quality, production-ready work.
    • Provided strategic consulting on positioning, messaging, and go-to-market initiatives.

  • Bellevue, WA | November 2024 – February 2026

    Lead division-wide marketing strategy supporting 17+ active communities, driving qualified traffic, sales growth, and consistent regional brand presence.

    • Plan and execute community-specific marketing strategies aligned to buyer demographics and sales targets.

    • Develop and manage annual and quarterly marketing calendars and oversee division marketing budget alignment with business priorities.

    • Lead events, promotions, and on-site brand activations to increase engagement and conversion.

    • Direct digital marketing across newsletters, web, social media, and vendor partnerships.

    • Coordinate community signage strategies to strengthen brand visibility, traffic flow, and model home standards.

    • Manage vendor relationships (photography, video, drone, geo-spatial mapping) to ensure strong online presentation and exposure.

    • Research market trends and deliver insights to leadership to inform strategic decisions.

    • Maintain CMS website content and execute division-level promotional initiatives in partnership with Corporate Marketing.

  • Bellevue, WA | March 2021 – November 2024

    Directed annual brand strategy and creative execution for Washington’s largest Sotheby’s International Realty affiliate, supporting 300+ brokers and $1.9B+ in annual sales.

    • Led development of brand tools and marketing assets across digital, social, print, and market reporting.

    • Partnered with agent leadership to align brand initiatives with agent business needs, driving adoption and measurable value.

    • Managed annual campaigns, timelines, and performance metrics to ensure strategic alignment.

    • Collaborated with the education team to deliver hands-on workshops supporting rollout and utilization of marketing tools.

    • Introduced new platforms and resources that elevated brand consistency and agent marketing capabilities.

    • Built and evolved multi-channel social media strategy across Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

    • Improved operational efficiency through SOPs, workflow optimization, and performance coaching.

    • Managed and mentored the creative team, establishing department goals and KPIs.

  • Seattle, WA | April 2018 – March 2021

    Designed branded environments, signage systems, and large-format graphics across commercial real estate, retail, entertainment, and workplace environments.

    • Created architectural, wayfinding, and environmental graphics for clients including Microsoft, Whole Foods, Hulu, CBRE, and JPC Architects.

    • Supported RFP development and marketing collateral for business growth.

    • Collaborated with architects, fabricators, and internal teams from concept through installation.

    • Produced sign plans, location plans, and production-ready artwork.

  • Bellevue, WA | June 2018 – November 2024

    Partnered with leadership to strengthen brand presence through annual strategic marketing and elevated design execution.

    • Developed comprehensive brand guidelines ensuring consistency across visuals, tone, and messaging.

    • Advised leadership on annual brand strategy and campaign planning.

    • Designed digital advertising, print collateral, and marketing materials supporting market positioning.

    • Maintained cohesive luxury visual standards across all deliverables.

    • Delivered high-quality creative contributing to sustained company growth.

  • Bellevue, WA | August 2012 – March 2018

    Delivered experiential and architectural signage solutions for national brands and custom environments.

    • Designed signage systems and marketing assets for clients including Starbucks, Washington Federal, and HomeStreet Bank.

    • Partnered with project managers and sales teams to deliver projects on time and within budget.

    • Contributed to bid documentation, sales collateral, and digital/print marketing materials.

Skills & Expertise

    • Adobe Creative Cloud

    • Microsoft 365 Suite

    • Web Design & Development

    • SketchUp

    • Social Media Strategy & Management

    • SEO, Analytics & Performance Tracking

    • Project Management Tools

    • RFP Development & Documentation

    • Production Design & File Prep

    • Brand Identity & Development

    • Digital & Print Design

    • Experiential & Environmental Design

    • Marketing & Advertising Campaigns

    • Typography & Visual Systems Photography & Editing

    • UX Design & Visual Communication

    • Packaging & Collateral Design

    • Multidisciplinary Creative Direction

    • Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving

    • Cross-Functional Collaboration

    • Team Leadership & Mentorship

    • Process Development & Goal Setting

    • Budget Awareness & Resource Planning

    • Driving Performance Through KPIs

    • Time & Project Management

  • "Ryan is the best kind of person to have on a team. He leads with positivity, knowing exactly how to put a smile on your face and light up a room. The product of his work is a result of how much he cares, regardless of whether he’s doing a five minute task or five week long project. He treats coworkers and clients with dignity, and his creative genius is being able to get stakeholders aligned while building campaigns that bring results. A mastermind of teamwork, he is a natural leader and knows how to teach those around him. Passionate, talented, supportive, and kind are few of many words that come to mind when thinking of how to best define Ryan. If you ever get the chance to collaborate with this visionary, you won’t want to miss it!!"

    —Former colleague

  • "Otis Owl Creative was a fantastic partner for a handful of projects. Ryan was consistently timely, communicative, and dependable with every deadline. His creativity elevated our social media graphics, and he demonstrated a clear understanding of our brand’s needs and design direction right away. We’re grateful for his collaboration and highly recommend his work!"

    —Current client

  • "Ryan and I partnered closely at a real estate brokerage, where he served as Creative Brand Manager and I led agent training and adoption. That collaboration gave me a clear view of what makes him exceptional. He listened, evaluated, and executed with consistency — taking feedback from the field and translating it into real improvements that elevated our tools, our processes, and our team. His creative eye and commitment to quality made him an invaluable partner. What stood out most was his leadership under pressure. Through constant change and competing priorities, Ryan remained calm, positive, and reliable — someone the whole team could count on. He leads with integrity, follows through on every commitment, and raises the standard of everything he touches."

    —Former colleague

  • "It is a pleasure to work alongside Ryan. Ryan is a very enthusiastic designer who is very passionate about his work. Ryan has trained new employees and increased productivity in his department."

    —Former colleague

  • "Ryan brought exceptional reliability and craft to every project we partnered on. His ability to turn around high-quality work quickly — while maintaining clear communication throughout — set a standard that was genuinely hard to match."

    —Former client

LET’S CONNECT

Whether you're building something from scratch or evolving something that already exists, I'd love to hear about it.

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