Abby Kallenbach
Owner and Designer at Kallenbach Creative, Founder and Consultant at Babes Helpin' Babes, Marketing Director at New Lyfe Accounting
Class of 2014
"Earning my Graphic Design degree taught me that the best way to learn something new is to throw yourself in wholeheartedly. This mindset helped me land my first role as Art Director at an advertising agency, then paved the way for starting my own business."
Abby Kallenbach is a freelance graphic designer, founder of DEI consultancy, Babes Helpin’ Babes, and Marketing Director for New Lyfe Accounting. Whether she’s leading a DEI workshop for an architecture firm or helping a company rebrand, she loves getting people to think differently. As a creative leader, she thrives on solving problems by challenging the ideas we’ve been taught about the workplace, the creative industry, and the world.
https://kallenbachcreative.com/
https://www.babeshelpinbabes.com/
Joe Hoog
AAFP, Senior Designer
Class of 2017
"Studying Graphic Design at K-State gave me the foundation I needed to step into the world of marketing, while also shaping how I think, solve problems, and communicate ideas through design."
Since graduating in 2017, I’ve built my career across print, digital and event design, within agency as well as in-house environments. I started as a screen printer at Vahalla Studios, then moved into a UX/UI role at Leggett & Platt, followed by Art Director positions at GlynnDevins and VML, where I worked on integrated campaigns across multiple channels.
Jason Wright
Nike, Inc., Senior Manager, Nike Basketball Footwear + Apparel Graphic Design
Class of 2012
"My time at K-State was pivotal in transforming my passion for art and design into real-world readiness. Through the program, I developed a strong foundation in concept-driven design, learned how to effectively present my work, and built lasting relationships with talented peers across the industry."
After graduating, Jason spent three years in Kansas City working in both in-house and agency roles before relocating to Portland, Oregon, in 2015 to join Nike at its world headquarters. At Nike, his work has focused on designing uniforms and licensed assets across the NCAA, MLB, NBA, and NFL. His client portfolio spans the American sports landscape, with highlights including local collaborations with the Royals and Wildcats, large-scale design projects like the LA Rams’ brand identity/uniforms, and broader uniform initiatives like NFL Rivalries, MLB City Connect, and NBA City Edition. Most recently, Jason has transitioned his focus to design leadership, currently overseeing graphic design for Nike Basketball’s signature athletes across footwear and apparel.
https://www.instagram.com/jwrightpdx/
Jordan Stegeman
Signal Theory, Associate Art Director
Class of 2025
"Visual Communication Design taught me that sometimes you have to make 100 sketches before you land on the winner. That perseverance has suited me well in this industry. Professors Dan and Mervi helped me find inspiration and push through the hard moments, and now I get to do what I love every single day."
After graduation, I joined Signal Theory, a Kansas City-based advertising agency, as an Art Director intern. I wanted to make a big impression, and with hard work, I was offered a full-time position as an Associate Art Director. I now create visual work for a diverse portfolio of clients including Bose Aviation, IC Bus, Crescent Tools, International Financial, and Gearwrench.
Samantha Reiff
Ever Commerce, Senior Graphic Designer
Class of 2020
“My experience in the design program gave me a strong foundation and a love for design that I still carry with me throughout my career today. The support, encouragement, and creative challenges from my professors pushed me to grow both creatively and strategically, and helped shape me into the designer I am today.
After graduating from Kansas State University in 2020, Samantha moved to Loveland, Colorado, and began her career as an in-house marketing designer at a fintech startup. Since then, she has helped build and scale visual identities, support marketing initiatives, and establish brand foundations across multiple SaaS and portfolio-based companies. Samantha currently works as an in-house Senior Designer, leading visual identity, campaign development, and creative strategy across more than seven brands within the portfolio.
Kathleen Murray
Independent Designer & Illustrator
Class of 2015
"My K-State graphic design degree was foundational in teaching me how to use my innate creativity to think critically and produce conceptual work that is not only beautiful, but provides a function and solves problems for clients. I also leaned how to present my work and communicate about design in a professional way, skills I use on a daily basis running my design and illustration business."
After graduation, Kathleen moved to Kansas City, MO where she worked as a designer and art director and produced award-winning work for multiple international advertising agencies. In 2021, she went independent and built an illustration and design business that has garnered clients such as Disney, Wrangler, Girl Scouts of America, and more. She relocated to Portland, Oregon where she continues to run her illustration & design business alongside a personal creative practice of life drawing and risograph printmaking. She also has a passion for education and business; she is a mentor to young creatives just starting their careers, and does multiple workshops and webinars a year on topics related to running your own creative business.
Kellie Swanson
Garmin, Lead Web Product Designer
Class of 2010
"K-State's VCD program didn't just teach me how to design, it taught me how to think. The foundation I built there, from typography and visual hierarchy to concept development, became the backbone of everything I've applied across a 15-year career in design systems and digital experience."
K-State's VCD program didn't just teach me how to design — it taught me how to think visually and strategically. The foundation I built there, from typography and visual hierarchy to concept development, became the backbone of everything I've applied across a 15-year career in design systems and digital experience.
Elle Johnson
Brass Monkey Goods, Associate Graphic Designer
Class of 2025
"As a community college transfer, my time in the K-State VCD program was both foundational and essential to my growth and development as a designer. The program has a strong repertoire of talented professors who consistently questioned and challenged my work while also giving me the space to experiment and grow into my own identity as a designer. The VCD program also provided me with a community of peer designers who became both collaborators and friends. With this nurturing environment of competition, critique, and support, we helped develop qualities in each other that I have found essential to my transition into my career as a designer."
Since my graduation in May 2025, I was fortunate enough to land a job immediately post-grad at a company out of the Historic West Bottoms of Kansas City called Brass Monkey Goods. Here, I was hired on as an associate graphic designer and entry-level writer. I am approaching a year with Brass Monkey, and through my time here I have had the opportunity to write and design for our wide assortment of products, such as social games, books, and stationary that are sold online, in independent stores across the country, and big-name stores like Barnes & Noble, Walmart, and Target.
elleannejohnson.myportfolio.com
brassmonkeygoods.com
Haley Joel
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Graphic Designer
Class of 2021
"In a role that requires me to wear many hats and learn on the fly, what I gained as a Graphic Design student shaped how I approach every new project. Being exposed to a bit of everything taught me how to learn quickly, adapt efficiently, and to keep asking questions."
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium was my first job right out of college. Working for such a unique nonprofit has pushed me to expand my skill set in ways I never expected. From branding events and animating menus to developing our first brand guidelines and creating and installing signage that brightens dull corners, I’ve touched nearly every area of design. Along the way, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of species conservation, construction and zoological operations, and tourism and hospitality management. I learn something new every day, getting to work alongside passionate people who are committed to bringing joy to others and helping save species.
https://haleyjoel.myportfolio.com/
Robyn Yates
Bennett Packaging, Creative Services Manager
Class of 2009
"The graphic design program at K-State gave me the foundational skills and experience I needed to become a successful designer. Two memorable highlights were through the AIGA club, when we traveled to NYC for studio tours and to Dallas for a student design conference. These trips gave me a glimpse into what it could look like to be a professional designer in the real world, beyond the confines of the classroom."
After graduation, Robyn has spent her career as a packaging designer and creative manager in Kansas City. She spent over 13 years at Russell Stover Chocolates where she fell in love with packaging design – a fitting sentiment, given she worked on hundreds of Valentine's Day products. Within their in-house creative department, Robyn learned the fundamentals of print design and consumer packaged goods. Rising to the role of Design Lead in 2020, her focus shifted from individual execution to brand strategy, art direction, and team leadership. In 2024, Robyn built upon her growing passion for in-store display design and joined Bennett Packaging as the Creative Services Manager. This current chapter is dedicated to team leadership and packaging design from a different vantage point that combines both structural and graphic design. Robyn is passionate about fostering a collaborative environment that allows her team to push the boundaries of innovative packaging and display design.
Andy Hare
Caliber Financial Services, Visual Designer
Class of 2020
"Before attending K-State, I knew graphic design was the path I wanted to pursue. My experience in the program strengthened that passion, pushed me to grow, and taught me more than I ever expected."
I graduated in 2020 during a difficult job market, so I started out taking freelance and contract work to gain experience and stay afloat. Within a year, I secured my first full-time role as a marketing graphic designer at an HVAC manufacturer. In that position, I contributed to a global brand and worked across a wide range of projects, including packaging, print materials, and product photography.
https://andyhare.com/
https://www.caliberfs.com/
Amanda Wollesen
Tepa Companies, Graphic Designer
Class of 2023
"The VCD program at K-State really equips you with the tools and fundamental skills that will impact everything you design. Pay special attention to the foundational courses; they can sometimes feel simple, but the core principles are essential to developing your proficiency."
After graduation, Amanda moved to Lawrence, Kansas and managed a T-shirt shop until she accepted her position as the sole graphic designer at the Tepa Companies. In her first year, she took on the project of creating brand guidelines, and in the following year, she presented these standards and the capabilities that her role brought to the Tepa Companies to more than 100 managers and leaders across the company. Currently, she’s putting together plans to modernize the company logo, which hasn’t been changed since the company’s inception in 2005.
https://amandawollesen.myportfolio.com/
Kassandra Dominguez
Freelance Strategic Designer
Class of 2020
The VCD program taught me how to balance creativity with form and function, while giving me the space to explore different areas of design and define my strengths.
Kassandra began her design career in Chicago, starting at a strategy-focused agency before moving in-house at a financial technology company. She has since collaborated with a range of B2B and B2C companies across Chicago, building thoughtful, performance-driven creative across digital channels. Now based in Los Angeles, Kassandra works as a freelance strategic designer with clients in the retail space, developing paid advertising and email campaigns that blend brand and creativity.
