Endorsements

“Frances has been my manager and mentor for over five years. She has helped me and guided me to become a better employee and designer. Frances has taught me the subtle nuances of working in a corporate environment and how to develop my skillsets as a designer. I looked up to her leadership style and have aspirations to be a servant leader just like her. She truly cares for all the people she manages and encourages them to find the right career path with her guidance. Frances always challenged me when I needed to push my design skills, supported me when I need encouragement, and gave me great context when I need clarity. I'm grateful and blessed to have known her for such a long time and highly recommend her as a mentor/manager.”

Christopher Hyde, UX Designer, Pizza Hut

“I had the pleasure of working with Frances in two capacities: first, as fellow volunteer leaders within AIGA's national governance, and later, when we hired her to help build and mature the design team at Coforma. Across both experiences, Frances proved herself to be a rare combination of systems thinker, relationship builder, and creative force.

She brings a deeply thoughtful and people-centered approach to everything she touches. Whether navigating the ambiguity of national board service or shaping operational strategy in a fast-paced consultancy environment, Frances always shows up with curiosity, commitment, and care. She's one of those people who doesn’t just have good ideas—she has many of them, and she’s generous in offering them up while also rolling up her sleeves to make them real.

Frances is also a continual learner, dedicated to evolving her craft while nurturing the people and systems around her. She's quirky in the best kind of way—playful, thoughtful, always bringing a fresh perspective—and she balances that creativity with a serious drive to improve outcomes and experiences for others.

If you're building a design team, a creative culture, or a better way of working together, you’d be lucky to have Frances in your corner.

Ashleigh Axios, Business Executive & Civic Innovation Leader

“AIGA, the professional association for design, is powered by its 9,000+ members, and Frances is one who stands out for her generosity and commitment to design and designers. For more than a decade, she has supported and led a complex network of designers with wide-ranging experiences and needs in service of the profession.

An authentic leader with extensive involvement at the local, regional, and national level, she leverages her professional and volunteer experience to align individuals around shared goals to advance the mission of AIGA. She listens to members, connects them to resources, and advocates on their behalf to encourage collaboration and promote long-term success.

I’ve had the privilege to work directly with Frances every two years since 2020. In her role as chair of the Design for Democracy, she designed the RFP and templates for the 2020 and 2022 AIGA Get Out the Vote campaigns, and she aligned a team of volunteers from across the country to plan virtual webinars, a pop-up exhibition, and an in-person presentation at the 2022 AIGA Design Conference in Seattle, WA.

Recently, during high turnover in executive leadership, Frances has served as part of the national AIGA Board of Directors. In the role of Secretary, she has had the difficult task of working with a board and staff with diverse perspectives to reduce the deficit and balance its budget, re-align national operations to support organizational goals, and re-engage members in the co-design of a community-driven vision.

It is with utmost enthusiasm, I recommend Frances based on her expertise in nonprofit governance and design operations. Frances brings a wealth of experience and vision to any leadership role she undertakes. Her dedication to designers, passion for design, and commitment to the profession make her a standout candidate for any organization seeking an exceptional leader.

Heather Strelecki, Former Director of Development, AIGA

“Frances is an innovative team leader that is an asset to our agency. She consistently delivers original, exciting creative ideas while also guarding the client's overall brand strategy within any execution. She is adept at partnering with clients to ensure their vision comes to life in the best way possible. She adapts to the different agency personalities and strives to partner with each account manager on every project. She is a self-starter and makes those around her better. I'm thankful to have her as a colleague and friend in the agency world.”

Cassie Struck, Director of Operations, ThirtySixteen Group

“I don’t think I will ever meet someone who is as great of a leader, mentor and creative as Frances is. I have been lucky enough to know and work with Frances for over 2 years now. When I met Frances I was only an intern and she has shaped me into the art director I am today. Frances has a talent of being able to command a room and will always go above and beyond for her clients and her team. Whether it’s playing a game throughout the work day or having creative family dinners to build relationships, everyday at work is a new and fun filled adventure working under Frances. She will always stand up for her team and is always there to provide the support you need. Working under Frances has been the greatest working experience I have had thus far, and It’s going to be hard to top it. I hope to one day be as badass as she is. If you have the chance to learn from and work with Frances you should take it as quickly as you can, you won’t regret it.”

Daniel Murphy, Art Director, Ologie

“I am grateful to have worked closely with Frances on a number of branding and strategic marketing projects through the last several years. Those projects succeeded because of Frances’ collaboration. From start to finish, she lent a far-sighted clarity into strategic and creative challenges, as well as the client relationship. Her grit, perseverance, and wit made working together a consistent joy and encouragement. And her creative brilliance pushed the work product far beyond anyone’s expectations.

The list of what Frances can lend to a project or team goes on, but the most important thing I can personally attest to is her ability to mentor. Frances and I worked together at a formative time in my career. Her willingness to patiently walk beside me through complex challenges - challenges I was certainly unprepared for at the time - changed my trajectory and my ability to deliver. The skillset Frances brings to a project is powerful, but it’s her ability to push an entire team to contribute more that is transformational.”

Sean Caho, Chief of Staff, Social Venture Partners

“I had the pleasure of having Frances as a mentor and college professor for one of my communication design courses at UNT. She has this incredible way (a gift really) of connecting and relating with her students while at the same time equipping them for their future careers. I can’t thank her enough for all the assignments and mock interviews she made us do because it gave me the confidence I needed to nail an interview and quickly get a job when I graduated. She is real with you, will make you laugh, inspires and encourages you to follow your dreams. Frances is the professor and mentor you need to have before you begin your first job. She is the best!”

Celeste Angel, Creative Partner, Hello Waldo

“Frances is an extremely dedicated creative professional who likes to get things done. She believes in her vision and carries it to the fullest - be it a simple branding project for a mom-and-pop-shop, or an annual report for a multi billion dollar corporation. It was a pleasure to work with her on a few projects as she could steer as well as let others take over when it was appropriate. I would recommend Frances for any endeavor she decides to partake.”

Gabriel Jackson, Owner - Gabriel Jackson

“Frances is a well balanced Art Director/Creative Director with exceptional know-how. We worked together at Eisenberg & Associates, and I clearly recall her dedication to every project and her intense focus on the task at hand. From traditional projects like annual reports and logo design, to interactive web design, Frances always had a stalwart dedication to understanding the clients objectives, then working to deliver first-rate creative that surpassed their expectations. Working in a team environment under tight deadlines can be difficult, but Frances often set the pace for the whole team. It’s no wonder she moved quickly from Art Director to Design Director, she has a natural ability to inspire those around her to be even better than they thought they could be.”

David Jennings, UX and UI Design - Elevate