Athletics

Athletics is a brand studio.

We help clients design their place in the world.

Guided by a shared reverence for design in its most useful forms, we partner with clients to articulate opportunity and transform it into beautifully usable identities, sites, and tools.

About Us

Leadership. Led by our highly experienced co-founders, our design team has the ability to apply their talents with equal effectiveness across visual identity, print, into digital experiences.

Curious. Naturally curious. Fueled by research, informed by strategy. We immerse ourselves in the challenge, and ask the difficult questions one might not want to ask.

Contemporary. We believe in empowering our clients and partners with visual brand operating systems, characterized by meticulous attention to detail and craft, designed to fit every challenge of a changing world.

Family. We are believers of a one size fits none philosophy, and we build custom teams to fit your needs, we also curate teams from an extended network of trusted experts across disciplines when required.

Rigor. Our clients like our commitment, energy and accountability they get from working directly with the people who think, write, design, and build for them. We bring rigorous thinking and collaborative processes on all of our projects, no matter the scale of the challenge. And we pursue each and every project with a bravery, optimism and attention to detail that larger agencies may find hard to challenge.

Empathetic. We are continually challenging ourselves to launch our own products and ideas out into the world, and we love the learnings we find. Taking time to learn and experience our clients’ businesses, sectors and commercial challenges help us, help you.

Services

We

create visual identities

So you can

cut through the visual clutter

Alexa Aron

Head of People and Business Operations

Alexa Aron is Head of People and Business Operations, responsible for shaping company culture, providing financial oversight, and spearheading all studio operations and initiatives. Alexa holds a BA in Economics from New York University. A lifelong lover of design and visual arts, she’s built a career based on bringing her fascination with business infrastructure and finance to the creative sphere in a diverse range of work environments and industries, including architecture, fine art, interiors, and branding. Ever inspired by the work of her fellow Athletics team members, she prides herself on taking on challenges large and small, and translating transformational ideas into actionable strategies and systems that support our studio’s entrepreneurial and creative growth. When she’s not in the studio, Alexa enjoys cooking elaborate meals for family and friends, European travel, and tackling the Sunday New York Times crossword.

Allison Connell

Design Director

Allison Connell is a Design Director whose work spans interactive, brand, and print. A Minnesotan, Allison studied graphic design at Iowa State before flying to New York with a single suitcase and an aspiration to work in a small studio tackling big challenges. Joining Athletics in 2011, Allison has helped deepen our approach to design for digital contexts across a series of complex projects for clients ranging from Pulitzer Arts Foundation to Music Together. With a particular focus on elegant digital experiences, Allison uses the tools, technologies, behaviors, and cultures of the web to inform and complement her design practice. When she’s not in the studio, Allison balances her digital work with the hand-marbled paper goods business she launched in 2015.

Boyang Xia

Senior Designer

Boyang is a Senior Designer at Athletics. Previous to Athletics, he worked at Interbrand, Collins, Studio Lin, and Gretel. Boyang received a BA in Design and Visual Communications from the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and a master’s degree in Graphic Design from RISD. Born and raised in the history-rich city of Shenyang, in northern China, Boyang has always loved art and culture. When he’s not at work, he manages to go about his day with an encyclopedic knowledge of all things pop culture and art, in addition to being an avid reader, cyclist, and foodie.

Britton Walker

Associate Director, Creative Technology

Britton is an Associate Director of Creative Technology. Versed in Middle Eastern studies, the Criterion Collection, and all things post-punk, Britton brings an eclectic experience to Athletics’ digital practice. Prior to Athletics, Britton worked as a print designer for Printed Matter on behalf of design studio Garrick Gott, and as a front-end developer at For Office Use Only. At Athletics, Britton has built digital experiences for clients including Architectural League of New York, Good Counsel, JP Morgan, and NYU. He enjoys crafting interactive experiences and animations while working with clients who think beyond the traditions of the web. Largely self-taught, he values the ongoing learning that technology engenders. Beyond the studio, Britton is a frontman for Brooklyn-based, world touring band, B Boys.

Christopher Kissock

Partner, Growth

Chris is a partner at Athletics. He joined the studio in 2017 after five years spent leading business development at digital agency Code and Theory. There, Chris spearheaded efforts directly contributing to the company’s evolution from boutique creative agency to renowned global network. Along the way, he was instrumental in the development of large-scale integrated marketing programs and digital platforms, structuring multi-year innovation initiatives for Fortune 100 and 500 clients within the fields of publishing, media, sport, healthcare, finance, consumer retail, and consulting services.

Cillian Carroll

Design Intern

Daniel Irizarry

Creative Director

Daniel is a Creative Director at Athletics. As a designer and director, Daniel has worked with companies of all sizes to articulate their brands. With an emphasis on identity, systems, motion, and interaction design, Daniel leads a team of designers to create strategically sound and emotionally impactful work. He started his career in the streetwear industry and found a passion for brand building — using his skills in type design and symbol-making but in a different format. Before Athletics, Daniel was Creative Director at Butchershop and Interbrand NY. His work has supported the growth of brands like Amazon, At-Bay, Bally’s Gaming, Boston Consulting Group, Coach, Dataiku, Microsoft, NielsenIQ, and Tapestry. Daniel’s work has been recognized by Art Directors Club, Clio, Communication Arts, Red Dot Design, Transform Magazine, and Webbys. Daniel is originally from Baltimore, MD and currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with his fiancé and their dog Whiskey.

David Swanberg

Creative Technologist

David Swanberg is a Creative Technologist at Athletics. Born and raised in Texas, David comes to Athletics from Doe-Anderson in Louisville, Kentucky, where he did web development for brands such as Maker’s Mark and Texas Roadhouse. Previously, David played guitar and toured in a band—sleeping on strangers’ couches and performing in venues across North America. When he’s not writing code, David likes reading, hitting the ski slopes somewhere out west, or making ambient sounds with his guitar pedals.

Ellen Voorheis

Senior Designer

Ellen is a Senior Designer at Athletics. Before joining the team, Ellen worked as a Designer at Solidarity (formerly JDK) in Burlington, Vermont, focusing on brand and print projects for the likes of Burton and Patagonia. Briefly working at BBMG before finding her way to Athletics in 2019, Ellen has since driven design for clients such as XQ, Square, Ecco, and Terminal 5. Originally from Syracuse, New York, these days Ellen resides in Brooklyn and can often be found covered in ink in her Gowanus print studio.

Frederic Trigalo

Director of Growth

Frederic is the Director of Growth at Athletics, focusing on expanding the agency roster and building successful new partnerships. Fred brings a diverse range of experience to our team having spent the past 7 years at JKR. Whilst there, he helped lead new business efforts and enlarge the client list across a variety of new sectors—ranging from iconic sports leagues & institutions (MLS and NFL) to partnerships with retailers (Target) and big CPG conglomerates (Kraft Heinz and ABI). Born and raised in Paris, Fred graduated from Sorbonne University. Driven by his passion for American culture, he moved to NYC 20+ years ago and worked across both the fashion/luxury and creative design industries. Fred is a die-hard basketball/NBA fan and hopeful to transmit his love for the game to his 2 young boys, Sam and Jasper.

Heather Cavanaugh

Creative Technologist

Heather is a Creative Technologist at Athletics. She grew up at the crossroads of the East End of Long Island, Riverhead, and received a BFA in Art Education at Long Island University. Heather briefly taught as a high school art teacher in the public school system, but through serendipity and tenacity, shifted her creative focus into digital marketing. Eventually, she found her best fit improving interfaces and user experience through web development. Away from the computer, Heather spends her time knitting or practicing the newest roller skate move.

Jackie Zhang

Talent & Culture Lead

Jackie Zhang is the Talent & Culture Lead at Athletics. Having earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Florida and his master’s at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs, Jackie’s scholarly career was aimed at understanding the intersection of economics and sustainability. Parallel to his life as a student, Jackie worked (at various times) at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Ben and Jerrys. Today, he coordinates Athletics’ sustainability initiatives, studio operations, finances, and recruiting.

Jameson Proctor

Chief Executive Officer

Jameson is a partner and CEO at Athletics. A Virginian by birth, a New Yorker by choice, Jameson has over 20 years of experience directing, managing, and operating brand and digital practices. During his time at Athletics, Jameson has co-authored and championed Athletics’ vision and strategy, and has ensured its successful execution through the day-to-day management of finance and studio operations. Additionally, Jameson has played a direct role in Athletics’ studio practice. This includes leading the design and development of site experiences for a diverse range of clients, such as the New York Review of Books, Meet NYU, JPMorgan Chase, and many more. Jameson has also developed creative tools for clients like Citrix and Square, and co-led cross-disciplinary rebrands of clients such as Galileo, ShareFile, and Trace.

Jason Gnewikow

Chief Culture Officer

Jason is a founding partner and Creative Director at Athletics. A maker in the fields of design, architecture, sound, and scent, his practice aims at creating stimulating multi-sensory experiences. Beginning his career as a professional musician, Jason toured with indie stalwart The Promise Ring while designing music packaging for a range of performing acts. Jason went on to open Public Studio, an independent design practice headquartered in Chicago. In 2004, Jason co-founded Athletics, bringing his energetic aesthetic and creative curiosity to a new scale of clientele, including Google, MoMA, Hubble, and others. Jason has pioneered many of Athletics’ studio-initiated projects, leading ventures such as Carlen Parfums and The Graham & Co.

Jeff Jackson

Senior Creative Operations Director

Jeff is the Senior Creative Operations Director at Athletics, helping bridge client and cross-disciplinary teams in the delivery of brand identity, experience programs, and products throughout the lifecycle of each engagement. With a background in digital product, project management, engineering, and media production (music, video, print), Jeff has led teams and projects for over 20 years, delivering innovative solutions for clients such as Mayo Clinic, Google, Verizon, American Express, Viacom, and Whole Foods. Jeff holds a degree in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music, Boston, and is an avid record collector, listener, and DJ in New York City.

John Keough

Designer

John is a Designer at Athletics. Most recently, he worked at Upstatement where he started as a design apprentice in 2019 and quickly grew into a full-time designer working on identity systems and interactive projects for clients in architecture, education, software, and technology. John graduated from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a BFA in Communication Design. In previous years he has held positions as a design intern at studios Proverb, Minelli, Cambridge Biomarketing, and worked as the freelance designer for Pavement Coffeehouse.

Katherine Lee

Executive Strategy Director

Katherine is the Executive Strategy Director at Athletics. Bringing over twelve years of experience in research, branding, and design strategy, her practice aims to tie creative decision-making to business objectives. Her problem-solving approach relies heavily on human factors, based on the belief that when it comes to brand, it’s all about digging into what makes people tick and what drives them to make the choices they make. Katherine earned her MFA in Design and Technology at Parsons, where she focused on human factors and user experience. After graduating she discovered the world of brand strategy, which was a perfect blend of creativity and the science of human behavior. Since then, she’s worked on branding challenges big and small with brands like Google, ClassPass, IBM, and Snapchat, helping tell powerful brand stories, and build start-up brands from scratch.

Kathryn Farwell

Senior Program Director

Kathryn Farwell is a Senior Program Director. Joining Athletics in 2019, Kathryn previously managed brand identity and experience projects at Gin Lane, focusing on early stage consumer startups at the intersection of entrepreneurship and cuisine, including the Tartine Bakery, Haus, and many other emerging brands. At Athletics, Kathryn manages creative and technical projects from idea to implementation, acting as a conduit between client teams and her colleagues within the studio. When she’s not keeping our creative collaborations on the boil, Kathryn gravitates to the kitchen, hosting a monthly supper club with friends, sampling local bakeries, or perusing the shelves at Kitchen Arts & Letters, New York’s beloved cookbook store.

Katie Mias

Senior Designer

Katie Mias is a Senior Designer at Athletics. She’s a lifelong New Yorker currently settled in south Brooklyn. The first decade of her career was spent working at HunterGatherer, where she did a little bit of everything, from designing to art directing to animating, across an expansive variety of mediums. She’s enjoyed working with clients like The New York Times Magazine, Firefox, Vans, and Sesame Studios, and finds great satisfaction in developing useful systems and telling meaningful stories. If she’s not at home tending to her plants or making something by hand, you can find her walking across the city in search of the best slice.

Kristen Ord

Managing Director

Kristen is a Managing Director at Athletics, managing the development of branding, design and experience projects for enterprise clients, start-ups, and nonprofits alike. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Kristen graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA in Visual Communications and Marketing. After working in creative agencies from London to Sydney, Australia, Kristen moved to New York in 2015 to work at Chandelier, where she managed the delivery of innovative work for major brands in the US and Asia, including Sephora, Smartwater, and Virgin Voyages. At Athletics, Kristen oversees day-to-day client management, working as the client conduit to solve strategic business challenges within a creative framework. In her free time, Kristen is an avid cyclist and soccer-player.

Ku Adofo-Mensah

Associate Director, Experience Strategy

Ku is an Associate Director of Experience Strategy at Athletics. With over 10 years of experience in digital creative solutions, she is passionate about solving complex problems and utilizing business and design planning processes, while building strong, collaborative relationships. Her multidisciplinary background informs her dedication to understanding the needs of the user and client, thinking intentionally about goals, and providing innovative solutions. Ku holds a Digital Creative Media Diploma from Hyper Island, a Digital Product Design Certificate from Pratt, and a BA in Economics and Sociology from Fordham University. Go Rams!

Liam Powell

Senior Strategist

Liam Powell is a Senior Strategist at Athletics. For the past decade, he has worked across brand, architectural, and experiential design practices in New York City, with particular focus on textual, language-based expression and identity. His work with founder-entrepreneurs spans a swathe of categories — from consumer technology & skincare to commercial furniture & cannabis — as does his experience with institutional clients like Airbnb, Google, WarnerMedia Group, and the Dubai Future Foundation. Born and raised in Massachusetts, he is a graduate of Columbia University’s School of the Arts and of Boston College. He is a poet & writer whose work has been published & anthologized, and a musician whose bands have fallen apart. Prior to Athletics, he worked for Rapt Studio, an interdisciplinary brand, experience, & architectural agency based in NY, SF, & LA.

Loli Vaccaro

Designer

Loli is a Designer at Athletics. Born in Buenos Aires and raised in Miami, she currently calls Brooklyn her home. She received a B.F.A in Graphic Design from MICA, where she also explored passions like illustration, printmaking, and ceramics. Loli joined Athletics in 2022 as an intern and grew into a full-time designer. When she’s not at the studio, she likes to read mystery novels, swim in the ocean, and cook new things.

Lucie Covington

Associate Director of Growth

Lucie is the Associate Director of Growth at Athletics, where she focuses on driving new business initiatives and cultivating strong, enduring client relationships. Born and raised in France, Lucie moved to the United States to pursue a B.A. in Film Studies and Art History from Mount Holyoke College. Following a stint working as a Production Designer in New York, Lucie found her way to Aruliden, a design agency specializing in brand and industrial design. During her tenure at Aruliden, Lucie played a pivotal role as the Chief of Staff to the Co-Founders and led the establishment and development of the Growth practice at the agency. Her diverse portfolio includes collaborating with clients from various sectors, such as luxury, beauty, healthcare, CPG, sexual wellness, and wearables, among others. In her down time, Lucie can be found in one of New York’s many movie theaters, enjoying a wide range from Italian Neorealism to Fast & Furious, attempting a yoga inversion of any kind, or scouring far and wide for a croissant capable of curing momentary homesickness.

Malcolm Buick

Chief Creative Officer

Malcolm is a partner and Creative Director at Athletics. A Scotsman educated in London, Malcolm has more than 20 years of professional design experience. Malcolm’s career began in London with a focus on music branding, before his move to Burlington, Vermont to become Creative Lead at JDK, where he helped evolve Burton Snowboards into a global lifestyle force. Later, Malcolm settled in New York to fill the role of Creative Director for renowned branding agency Wolff Olins. Malcolm joined Athletics as a partner in 2014, and has since led major projects for clients including IBM, Nike, MLS, and MoMA. Malcolm appreciates the diverse skills of the Athletics team, and the studio’s capacity to make change for organizations and the people that make them great.

Matt Colangelo

Senior Strategy Director

Matt Colangelo is a Senior Director of Strategy at Athletics. He brings a decade of experience working across advertising, branding, and design with a focus on building brand architectures and content strategies that support enterprise-level business objectives. Before joining Athletics, he worked at Code & Theory, where he helped set up a new content practice, and Young & Rubicam, where he launched a special-projects office called Y&R Moonshop. A short story and essay writer by trade, Colangelo earned an MSt in English from Oxford University and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School.

Matt Owens

Chief Design and Innovation Officer

Matt is a founding partner and creative project lead at Athletics. Born in Texas, Matt studied Graphic Design at Cranbrook Academy of Art before moving to New York in the heyday of Silicon Alley. In New York, Matt developed self-initiated design projects that are now in SFMoMA’s permanent collection, and worked with clients like Sony, Nike, Madlib, and The Cooper Hewitt. Matt founded Athletics in 2004 with Jason Gnewikow. At Athletics, Matt has led projects for clients including XQ, Guild, The Pulitzer Prizes, and JP Morgan. In his spare time, he can be found experimenting in Cinema 4D, writing on Medium, and developing new ventures like Kingston Standard.

Moyna Ghosh

Program Manager

Moyna is a Program Manager at Athletics. Originally from Duluth, Georgia, she moved to New York to attend Sarah Lawrence College where she was the coxswain steering the women’s crew team to victory. POWER ON PORT! As a Gryphon, Moyna studied Economics and Visual Arts, and at this academic intersection she found project management, first at Code and Theory and later Calvin Klein. When she’s not sending it at work, Moyna is a drummer with a passion for all things music, from Metallica to the Strokes, and most recently BTS.

Munus Shih

Associate Creative Technologist

Munus is an Associate Creative Technologist at Athletics. Born and raised in the beautiful Hakka village of Hsinchu, Taiwan, Munus is passionate about bridging design and technology in critical and creative ways. They hold an MFA in Design and Technology from the Parsons School of Design, and a BS in Engineering from National Tsing Hua University. Previously they’ve worked on open-source projects at Design Systems International, Google Summer of Code, the Processing Foundation, and has taught creative coding classes at The New School and The Cooper Union.

Nathan Brouillet

Senior Director of Client Experience

Nathan is the Senior Director of Client Experience at Athletics. Originally from Massachusetts, he has lived in New York for nearly two decades, serving tenures at Frog Design, Smart Design, SY Partners, Wolff Olins, and Pearlfisher. Nathan is fluent in the finer points of design operations, program management, and client relations, keeping Athletics’ digital projects on the rails. Outside of Nathan’s work in the creative industry, he is an accomplished singer-songwriter, having written, recorded, and performed original music, available on Spotify. When he’s not in the (design or recording) studio, he’s exploring New York’s museums, and sampling the city’s rich theater, music, and gallery scenes.

Richard Lehmann

Associate Director, Creative Technology

A Texan by birth and Brooklynite by choice, Richard is intensely creative and detail-oriented, a sensibility he applies both to the development of digital experiences. He has worked for a range of clients like Square, Adidas, Dolby, Microsoft, IBM, and CNN. He is also a musician and enjoys playing with his band of 15 years, “Dirt Bikes.” In Richard’s estimation, music and coding are natural complements. Richard has previously served as Senior Interactive Art Director at Sony Music, Senior Developer / Creative Technology at Code and Theory, and Lead Creator at Co: Collective.

Rob Farmer

Designer

Rob is a designer at Athletics. He hails from Geelong, a small-ish town an hour away from Melbourne, Australia. Rob graduated with a Bachelor of Design majoring in Graphic Design from The University of Melbourne and a Diploma of Design from Swinburne Institute of Technology. Previous to studying design he worked as a lift attendant at Park City Mountain Resort in Utah and also lived in London for a number of years. He likes fish and chips, sausage rolls, and banana ice cream. In his spare time he likes to have fun.

Ross Luebe

Senior Creative Technology Director

Ross currently serves as the Senior Creative Technology Director. Hailing from Houston, he embarked on a journey that led him to Brooklyn for eight years before finding his way back to Texas, now calling Austin home. Ross received a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art. After joining Athletics in 2013 as their first UX Designer, his passion for merging design and technology led him to a role in Creative Technology. Ross has been a driving force behind innovative projects for Square, ServiceNow, ShareFile, JPMorgan Chase, Pulitzer Art Foundation, Turf, Galileo, Guild, XQ, NYU, MIT, & WordPress VIP. His unique skill set has enabled him to seamlessly bridge the gap between design and technology, crafting immersive experiences that captivate and inspire.

Sebastian Páez Delvasto

Senior Designer

Sebastian is a Senior Designer at Athletics. After living in Milan for almost nine years and working in the publishing industry as AD for Playboy and Billboard Italia magazines, Sebastian shifted gears and dove into the branding world, eventually joining the Athletics team in New York. 

 

Born and raised in Bogota, Colombia, Sebastian’s innate curiosity and degrees in Industrial and Graphic Design have helped him hone a set of broad creative and artistic capabilities. His multidisciplinary background has helped him develop a holistic approach to tackling design projects of all kinds. A proponent and creator of responsible brands, Sebastian believes that design and strategy are the best tools for brands hoping to join the circular economy. Prior to Athletics, Sebastian collaborated with Interbrand, Leftloft, and DesignStudio. His work has been recognized by LAD, TDC, and D&AD.

Sun Ho Lee

Associate Designer

Born and raised in Seoul, Sun Ho left home at fourteen and has been on the move ever since. Prior to venturing into design, Sun Ho worked with refugees and immigrants as a field agent—an experience that sparked her love for creative storytelling. She holds an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design and a BA in Psychology from Boston College. When she’s not in the studio, Sun Ho can be found dangling from rock-climbing walls, jamming on her keyboard, or knitting dog onesies.

Tanya Lesun

Senior Digital Producer

Tanya is Senior Digital Producer at Athletics. From the beautiful old city of Minsk, Belarus, she has over a decade of experience in digital production and project management. While she studied public relations at the Belarusian State University, she crafted her eagle eye and impeccable attention to detail in her previous roles at the interactive agency, Red Graphic. In her free time, Tanya enjoys traveling, reading, and discovering the best restaurants in her neighborhood.

Tricia Vuong

Senior Digital Producer

Tricia is a Senior Digital Producer at Athletics. Previously, she worked at The Counter, a nonprofit newsroom and former Athletics client, but joined the team after its closure. Her contributions in art direction and production won a SABEW “Best in Business” Award and was a finalist for the Online Journalism Awards in 2021. She’s also a producer for Vietnamese Boat People, a nonprofit podcast documenting stories of the Vietnamese diaspora and has helped curate events like its annual story slam and documentary film screenings. In 2014, Tricia moved to New York to attend The New School and graduated with a degree in Journalism + Design, with a minor in Global Studies. She grew up in Ohio, California, and Wisconsin, but New York is the longest place she’s ever lived. For fun, she does nail art and spends time outdoors with her pup Morty.

Team

Location

Brooklyn

Selected Clients

AccuWeather Amazon American Theatre Wing Aska Bonobos Burton Snowboards Chewy Citrix Condé Nast Gimlet Media Google Hubble Contacts IBM Johnson & Johnson J.P. Morgan
MoMA MTV Nike NYU NYRB Penguin Random House Samsung ServiceNow Siemens Spring The Graham and Co. The Pulitzer Prizes Viacom XQ Institute

Say Hello

We’re always happy to discuss a new project or collaboration. If you have something in mind or just want to say hello, drop us a line.

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