Behind every happy hour meetup, Art Walk, remote-work campout, and Design Week is a group of people quietly (and not-so-quietly) making it happen. That’s the AIGA Colorado Springs Board — a mix of designers, creatives, and community-builders who are working to connect, support, and grow the local design scene.
They are a subgroup of the state-wide chapter that have been crushing it the past few years.
Their goal isn’t just “networking” (gross, we know). It’s building real relationships and a design community that people actually want to be part of. So, in that spirit, we thought it was time for a proper introduction. Here’s who’s steering the ship this year.
Meet Adam
Adam is a community builder and vintage enthusiast. He’s a wannabe fashion icon, classic car and motorcycle lover, and appreciator of the arts and inappropriate jokes. He’s the co-founder of Wolf & Key Marketing, The Wolf Den, and Boulder Street Moto. He serves on several boards and committees in the Pikes Peak region in an effort to make life about more than just working. His latest venture is the People of Colorado Springs Podcast, where he sits down with a local badass to chat over a drink.
Meet Colin
Colin began his design career way too late in life (he was 25). While he doesn’t have a design degree, the communication arts are in his blood as he holds a BA in Theater. He serves as creative director at Neon Pig, which he co-founded in 2018. Colin is primarily a brand & print designer, copywriter, and illustrator. He is married to Kristi, and no, she did not take his last name.
Meet Joseph
Joseph is an independent designer, educator, and host of the Students of Design podcast, and he cares deeply about helping creative communities grow. Before moving to Colorado, he worked as a Senior Designer at Dell and spent seven years teaching at Austin Community College. Now, he brings that same passion to AIGA Colorado Springs. Outside of design, he loves playing Skee-Ball, brutally difficult video games, and camping with his partner, Meg, and their dog, Renly Barkatheon.
Meet Jesse
Jesse is a stranger-to-none creative with a heart for people & passion for design. He’s an ACD at Marketing for Change, where he’s led breakthrough campaigns for the past 10 years. He’s also been freelancing even longer, focusing on branding, typography, and illustration. You can usually spot him in a crowd, either by his height, tattoos, or a hotdog in his hand.
Meet Drew
Drew is an independent brand designer working under the name Impossibly Awesome Design Co. When he’s not being distracted by well-designed store signage he just walked by or diving into the comments about the latest corporate rebrand, you’ll find him playing in a beach volleyball league, traveling, and hunting down that next great slice of pizza.
Meet Don
Don is the CEO of Upward Creatives, a nationwide creative agency specializing in brand identity, video, and photography. He is also the founder of BiZ Adventures, a community driven platform that highlights local businesses through storytelling and video interviews. Passionate about building community in Colorado, Don enjoys spending time outdoors with his wife and son, exploring trails, throwing rocks, and helping keep nature clean.
Meet Katie
Katie is a graphic designer, illustrator, and muralist. She is the founder of AIGA COS’s Work from the Woods and loves to encourage others to get outside in any way they can. In her free time, you may find Katie downhill mountain biking, hiking, playing sand volleyball, or van-life-ing in the Colorado Wilderness. She has two fur-babies, Lil’ White and JuneBug.
Meet Kelly
Kelly brings years of experience in licensed toys and games, creating playful packaging and product art for brands like Nickelodeon, Disney Jr., Mattel, and Sanrio. She is a full-time, remote Design Manager at hand2mind, a Chicago-based educational product manufacturer, overseeing all digital and print creative for the Numberblocks brand. In her free time, Kelly loves spending time outdoors with her dog, Stanley, or curating the perfect music playlist for any occasion.
Meet Sophia
Sophia is a graphic designer and illustrator, and she’s lived in Colorado Springs for 13 years now. She loves creative work that allows her to combine her design and illustration skills — stuff like merch, branding, and posters of her favorite movies. Outside of work, she likes to draw, write stories, play video games, and go on hikes.
Meet Hector
Hector is a recent graduate from PPSC with a focus in multimedia graphic design. He specializes in branding, layout, and digital marketing, creating clean and impactful visuals. Outside of work, Hector enjoys spending time outdoors with his dog Moose and unwinding by scrolling through social media, collecting vinyl records, and playing Pokémon GO.
That’s Us
Ten different backgrounds, ten different design specialties, and one shared goal: making Colorado Springs a better place to be a creative. Whether it’s a podcast, a mural, a rebrand, or a campout in the woods, this board shows up for the local design community in ways that go way beyond a business card exchange.
Want to be part of it? Come say hi at the next event, follow along on Instagram @aigacos, or reach out about getting more involved. We’d love to meet you.