Introducing New Senior Graphic Designer – Vanessa Port

Vanessa Port joins Collaborate as a Senior Designer. She graduated from Kent State University with a B.F.A. in Visual Communication and Design, with a focus on illustration. Vanessa has almost a decade of professional experience as a designer and freelance illustrator with a passion for problem-solving through design. Her most recent role before joining Collaborate was with a children’s creative app startup called OKPLAY, where she created art and design for animation. Her favorite parts of her job are being able to make children feel seen in her works and using her analytic side to problem solve for clients.

1. What is your title at Collaborate, and how would you describe your role?
I am a Senior Graphic Designer. I work with clients to help bring their ideas to life in a visual way or offer guidance if they need ideas on how to best approach their projects.

2. Where are you located?
I will be moving back to Cleveland, Ohio in the next few months.

3. What skills are essential to your role at Collaborate?
Communication between teams and clients is key for my role. Other necessary skills are understanding the industry, time management, knowing how to art direct illustrators, and knowing design best practices.

4. How long have you been working in the #kidscomms industry?
I have been in the industry since 2014. I have experience illustrating children’s books over the years, working with children’s subscription boxes, and illustrating and designing for children’s apps.

5. How collaborative is your role?
I work with clients and Collaborate’s internal teams. With clients, I work with them to understand the goals of their projects and how to best achieve those goals. With my internal team, we work together to make sure the client’s work is of quality and finished efficiently within the established budget.