ABOUT HIL

hil is a graphic designer and writer. she studied graphic design at the university of illinois at chicago and received her master of design degree in 2020. still curious, she continued on to a criticism program and received her master of arts in cultural criticism in 2022. hil mostly works on projects that are mission driven and are striving for a future that is more accessible, more human, and more beautiful; what we put out into the world matters.

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HIL SHORT DESIGN STUDIO,  OWNER

  • lead end-to-end design projects spanning brand identity, website design, and print collateral for clients in nonprofit, arts, retail, and small business sectors
  • develop strategic brand foundations including positioning, messaging, and visual systems
  • design and launch responsive websites with a focus on user experience, accessibility, and conversion
  • create cohesive print materials such as marketing campaigns, event collateral, packaging, and publications
  • collaborate directly with clients to define goals, manage timelines, and deliver tailored creative solutions
  • translate complex information into clear, engaging visual formats, including data visualizations and reports

    • GILLY’s LILIES
    Florist Website Redesign – Improved user experience and increased audience reach through strategic navigation and visual storytelling

    CHICAGO ABORTION FUND
    Nonprofit Website Redesign – Reimagined digital presence with a focus on usability and stakeholder engagement

    INSTITUTE FOR HUMANITIES
    Academic Grant – Designed complex data visuals and publication materials to communicate research effectively

    THE CLASSICS COMPANY
    Theater Company Branding – Developed full identity system and promotional assets to support launch and audience growth

    UNDOCUMENTED KNOWLEDGES PROJECT
    academic grant — designed and curated materials for an academic grant project disseminating oral histories, integrating visual storytelling with educational context for diverse audiences

    DR. DEBBI NAPOLITANO
    political campaign — developed cohesive campaign branding and signage systems to clearly communicate messaging, increase visibility, and engage target voters

    DR. MARIA KRYSAN
    book tour — designed an engaging slide deck translating complex sociological concepts into clear, accessible visuals for public-facing book tour presentations

    DR. NADINE NABER
    personal branding — created a visual identity for an individual launching their public facing scholarship
    TEACHING HISTORY

    Student Work
    Student Work


    VISITING ASSISTANT PROFESSOR @ UIC     | SUMMERS 2022–2025
    -give lectures on foundational design topics
    -create interactive workshops 
    -reorient students as design thinkers
    -showcase student work in an exhibition

    TEACHING ASSISTANT @ UIC | 2021–2023
    -Arch 200, Fall 2021 and Spring 2022

    CO-INSTRUCTOR @ UIC | 2020
    -Senior Capstone, Spring 2020

    IN-HOUSE DESIGN HISTORY | 2015–2023

    VISITING DESIGN DIRECTOR @ UIC | 2022–2023
    -directed a cross-unit project for three e-learning modules
    -collaborated closely with subject matter experts
    -established vision, strategy, and goals
    -storyboarded and prototyped
    -led user testing

    SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER @ UIC | 2020–2022
    -planned five e-learning projects 
    -mentored junior designers
    -conducted user research 
    -led design concept and strategy
    -incorporated a holistic approach towards accessibility

    GRAPHIC DESIGNER @ UIC | 2015–2020
    -redesigned website for college unit
    -created social media accounts
    -conducted strategic thinking conversations about communication goals
    -created visual assets for web and print
    -collaborated with scholars on reports and data visuals
    -launched campus-wide campaigns

    EDUCATION

    UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
    Master of Arts in Design Criticism | May 2022

    Thesis: A collection of essays in different styles and voices on the history of information dissemination and technology. 

    UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHICAGO
    Master of Design in Graphic Design | May 2020

    Thesis: A formal analysis of newspaper obituaries, experimenting with revisualizing information as non-textual representations.

    TEMPLE UNIVERSITY (PHILADELPHIA)
    Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | May 2009

    SCHOLARSHIP

    SCHIFF WRITING FELLOWSHIP NORMINEE | 2022
    News-on-papers after Newspapers
    This review considers the newspaper as a symbolic or indexical element.

    BELLADONNA MATTERS OF FEMINIST PRACTICE | 2022
    Eyebrow Archive
    This autoethnographic essay is a long form artist statement about collecting the form of the eyebrow.

    REFRACT JOURNAL VOL. 3 ISSUE 1 | 2020
    Bloodlines, Kinship
    This is a revisualization of the family tree.

    SCHIFF WRITING FELLOWSHIP NOMINEE | 2020
    Erasing Erasure
    This essay addresses the in-between aesthetics of a captured image.

    DUTCH DESIGN WEEK JURY SELECTED | 2020
    Pre-occupied
    Thesis book and exhibition: rematerialized obituaries.

    UIC LIBRARY ARCHIVE AWARD FOR GRAD RESEARCH | 2019
    Desk as a Stage, First Prize
    An installation recontextualizing common office objects through a feminist lens.

    CHICAGO ART BOOK FAIR | 2019
    Flight of Fantasy
    Risograph publication with experimental form making.