ABOUT
Creative Direction & Design Led with Purpose and Passion
From a very young age, he was captivated by the limitless possibilities of art, creativity, and technology, finding joy in blending imagination with innovation sparking a lifelong passion that has only grown over time and evolved into a lifelong career.
BIO
Born & Raised in Los Angeles, California
Jonathan began his career in Graphic Design in the early 2000s at the early age of 19. His interest in Graphic Design goes all the way back to the ’90s while in elementary school, where he began using Print Shop and Adobe PageMaker in his computer lab class.
From an early age, Jonathan was captivated by the intersection of technology and creativity, growing up in elementary school it was there in computer lab class where he learned the entire array of the Apple keyboard shortcuts at just 10 years old. PageMaker became Adobe InDesign, a program he uses daily in his current design work today. Being introduced to Print Shop and Adobe PageMaker at such a young age has allowed his creativity to develop and evolve in so many ways. Jonathan attended Fairfax High School in Los Angeles, California. At 14, he was part of the Visual Arts Magnet school program where he learned painting, drawing, color theory, lettering, photography and computer graphics. It was here when he was first introduced to Adobe Photoshop. Pushing his interest in the design world even further. In his teen years, Jonathan began using photoshop as a hobby. He taught himself how to create banners, flyers and even taught himself the art of compositing. All this would later become a big part of his career in the creative field as a Graphic Designer.
After high school, he decided to pursue a career in Graphic Design. He enrolled in a school program where he acquired more skills and developed them into a profession that ultimately led to his first job in the industry. In his first role as a Graphic Designer, he learned to design logos, catalogs, t-shirt graphic design, and trade show collateral. Here is where the trajectory of his career in graphic design began and has lasted over two decades. Over time Jonathan has built a portfolio that has become very diverse. He has proven through his work to be multifaceted. In his junior designer years, Jonathan spent several years working in Las Vegas, landing a role as a Jr. Art Director for a real estate franchising company, and worked on print ads, brand guidelines, franchise marketing support, collateral, realtor signage, presentations, and trade show graphics. While in Las Vegas, he worked with a few other companies and built more experience as a designer. He began working for an interactive agency that allowed him to learn web design, designing numerous websites for notable clients.
After 6 years in Las Vegas, he felt LA kept calling, so he decided to move back home where he was born and raised and continued his career. His move to LA proved to be the right move. Jonathan began working for a high-volume web design agency where he learned more responsive web design. This work experience gave him the edge to be seen by other big companies like Magento where he learned e-commerce design and landed big design jobs for the likes of Swatch. Throughout his career, Jonathan got the chance to work on noteworthy projects. One prime example came when he designed the FabFitFun original logo that launched a small unknown startup and went on to become a successful company that employed hundreds of people. He was also given the opportunity to design websites for high-profile clients like Samuel L. Jackson and Mario Lopez. As time went on, he gradually moved up in his career and began working as a Senior Visual Designer helping startups build their brand identities with companies such as TopFloor, Fourth & Grand, Triple Thread, HelloSociety, and Uncovet. He also did freelance work for numerous agencies like Dailey Advertising, Zeesman, and The Woo, where he landed big campaigns for Disney, Nestle, Bosch, and Lenovo.
Jonathan spent the last ten years traveling the world, while traveling he was inspired by other styles of design, which made him see the design processes from a more global perspective with the globalization that we currently live in, he knew his design had to shift to a broader way of designing to appeal to a more worldwide audience.
Now, with over 20 years of work experience, Jonathan has acquired an extensive list of skills that have earned him the title of Creative Director. One of his career achievements came when he began working as a Senior Digital Designer then quickly got promoted to Creative Director at OpenX, where he built a team, implemented a process, and elevated the OpenX brand. At OpenX, Jonathan became a three-time award winner for his design work. He received an award for Best Site in Ad Tech biz, an award for Communicator Awards for Website photography and images, and an award for Website General Marketing. Jonathan also led the corporate website redesign, an undertaking due to the size of their corporate website. Under his leadership role, he worked on other large projects for events like Cannes Lions, Advertising Week, Mobile World Congress, and DMEXCO.
Awards & Recognition
W3 Awards – Silver | Oct. 2017 – Best Site in Ad Tech Biz
Communicator Awards – Silver | May 2017 – Website Photography and Images
Communicator Awards – Silver | May 2017 – Website General Marketing
The Webby Awards – Nominee | April 2016 – Website Financial Services/Banking
Design/Music/Art/Architecture/Photography/Travel ⸻ Design/Music/Art/Architecture/Photography/Travel ⸻
PASSION & INTERESTS
What Inspires My Design Work: Design, Music, & Travel
Design
Design sparks my desire to create things that are not only visually appealing but serve a purpose. I am motivated by how strategic design can simplify life and its complexities. Precision and attention to detail inspire me to think how small changes make a big impact and can overcome challenges in clever and elegant ways.
Music
Music has been a part of my life since childhood, shaping my experiences and fueling my creativity. My first job was working at a record store at 16, which led me to learn the art of DJing. I created a YouTube channel where I combined both my passions learning new skills, techniques, and improving continuously.
Travel
Traveling has given me a broader perspective, has encouraged me to self reflect, and inspire new ideas in my creative work. It has also encouraged me to be in the present moment allowing me to notice and appreciate all the details and beauty around me. It has helped break creative blocks and allow me to wander in new directions.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
How It Started & How It's Going
My 20-Year Journey
2002
Started my career in the apparel business, helped launch RyanKenny clothing line, designed their look books, trade show collateral, and website.
2007
Worked at a franchise marketing agency where I learned a lot key essential components of traditional marketing that helped shape the way I design.
2008
Worked at a web design agency, where I learned how to design WordPress websites. I designed websites for clients like LVAC, George Wallace, Steve Wyrick, and Grand Canyon Skywalk.
2011
Worked at Magento, which is now Adobe Commerce. I designed and worked on the very first Swatch online e-commerce store that was launched for North America.
2012
Designed websites for celebrities such as Samuel L. Jackson and Mario Lopez. Also developed FabFitFun's first iteration of their brand, which helped established FabFitFun as a leader in their field.
2013
Worked at Science Inc a tech incubator which launched Dollar Shave Club. I worked on numerous tech startups such as TopFloor, Fourth & Grand, Triple Thread, Hello Society, and Uncovet.
2014
Designed several websites for Disney, which includes Disney's Imagicademy and Disney's Spaceship Earth, which included mobile and tablet versions for easier accessibility.
2015
Worked at FlashFunders a crowdfunding platform, where I designed the company logo and website. Was nominated for The Webby Awards for Best Website Financial Services/Banking.
2017
Worked at OpenX where I managed a small team and led all marketing creative initiatives for the company. Won 3 website awards for Best Ad Tech Website, Website General Marketing, and Website Photography/Images.
2020
During the pandemic I worked with Reddit where I helped develop and shape their B2B brand. Worked on projects such as the Reddit Agency Guide, Reddit Sales Summit, Reddit Ads Formula, plus many more.
2022
Worked at D2IQ where I managed a small team and led all marketing design and brand design for the company. Worked directly with the CMO to execute all marketing and brand initiatives across the company.
2024
Worked with Direct Digital Holdings on a brand refresh across all their brands, websites, brand guidelines, collateral, social media, sales enablement, presentations, and event branding.
Available for Contract & Freelance work, book today! ⸻ Available for Contract & Freelance work, book today! ⸻
CORE VALUES
Honesty, Integrity, & Resilience
My idea of a good leader is someone who can lead the way with honesty, integrity, and resilience in all matters.
My core values are deeply rooted in the belief that one should be able to demonstrate transparency, problem-solving skills, and adaptability while showing empathy and encouraging others to succeed and grow. I believe that a good leader should be able to strive for the highest standards of quality in performance in others as well as themselves. I believe a good leader should be able to lead by example, and with respect, foster positivity, promote creativity, and value others’ perspectives. I believe in treating everyone with the dignity they deserve. I call these my non-negotiables, and In my career, this is what I strive for.
TESTIMONIALS
One of his greatest strengths was building the creative strategy for projects to deliver bold and unique experiences. He has a creative eye like no other and is able to deliver amazing designs for small and large scale projects.
When the going got tough Jonathan was never afraid to get his hands dirty next to you in a way that was truly inspiring for a creative team. I highly recommend Jonathan as a director and leader of creative teams and also as a seasoned graphic designer.
Jonathan's design skills are second to none but perhaps more importantly he understands the needs of his market facing partners and delivers extremely high quality work on the schedule the business dictates.
Jonathan has continued to be an exceptional creative partner to our team at Reddit. He has supported numerous projects, with very consolidated timelines, and always delivered above our expectations.
Jonathan is not only a true professional but also a pleasure to work with. He demonstrates a deep understanding of creative strategies and works collaboratively to achieve outstanding results.