Hi, I'm Sharon
I love to use my talents and skills to help nonprofits & foundations communicate their story effectively.
I love to use my talent and skill to help organizations effectively communicate their story.
My approach to graphic design is collaborative and results focused. I get to know your organization in depth, so that I can really understand how to design marketing materials that communicate your impact.
You’re looking for a designer you can collaborate with and trust that the design will be done on time, on budget and on point. You need a designer that keeps you updated on the process not one that either ghosts you or inundates your already overflowing inbox. What you really want is to be able to hand over all your content and let someone else you trust make it look great, so you can get back to ALL the other things you need to do.
I believe that by helping how I can – with my specialized graphic design skills – I’m helping support the leaders and changemakers out there who are making an impact in their communities and beyond. It makes me feel like what I do helps make a difference in the world. And really, isn’t that something we all want? To leave the world a better place than we found it.
With over 16 years’ experience, I’m pretty darn good at managing large projects with lots of moving parts, meeting deadlines and ensuring my clients are delighted with the final product of our work together.
My Process | The 5 D’s
discuss
Once you’ve sent the contact form, you’ll receive an email to schedule your free consult call. You’ll pick a time that works for you so we can review your project and ensure we’re a great fit. If it’s a yes, I’ll send you a custom proposal, timeline and agreement. After we both sign the agreement, you’ll pay a 50% deposit to hold your spot on my calendar.
discover
Before we meet for our discovery session, you’ll fill out a questionnaire that covers the nuts and bolts of your organization and what your goals are for the project. In our meeting, we’ll review the questionnaire, talk about your challenges and goals, review your design preferences, brand styles, likes and dislikes and discuss any questions I have about your organization and the project. After this session, you’ll get to work gathering all your content and I’ll get to work on the design summary. The discovery process occurs only once, at the beginning of our working relationship.
direction
I’ll review your project planner, notes from our discovery session and summarize a one page pdf detailing where we’re headed with your project. You’ll review the summary, make any needed tweaks and sign off on the direction.
design
Based on your approved design direction, I develop two rough design concepts. You pick a concept, provide feedback and we revise the design (up to two times) to get the look just right. After you sign off on the design concept, I lay out the content. Once a complete draft is complete, you review and provide edits via email. Two rounds of edits are included in your project fee. If we’re working on a publication or magazine, I recommend using Adobe InCopy so you can edit the content yourself.
delivery
Once you’ve signed off on the final design, I’ll provide final files. The file type will depend on whether I’m coordinating the printing, sending you print- or publication-ready files or the files are for digital use.
My values
The Qurious Effect is all about LISTENING FIRST, being curious by ASKING QUESTIONS SECOND and DISTILLING DETAILS INTO beautiful, EFFECTIVE DESIGNS.
I believe in MUTUAL RESPECT, TRUST, and OPEN COMMUNICATION and know these to be the pillars successful projects are based upon.
I value COLLABORATION, HONESTY, INTEGRITY and BALANCE.
Will we click?
If you need a design yesterday and don’t have time to dedicate to a collaborative process, The Qurious Effect isn’t right for you. If you want a committed partner who digs deep to understand your business, helps you reach your goals and communicates at every step—you’ve found the right designer.
We’ll work well together if:
You want to share ideas, collaborate and provide feedback to create the best outcome
You get the importance of branding and design and understand how it’s essential to your organization’s success
A collaborative process appeals to you
Two-way, open lines of communication work for you
Mutual respect, honesty and openness are core values of your organization
You’re looking to develop an ongoing relationship, a partner at the ready, who’s invested in your success, even if you’re starting with a small project
You strive to maintain balance in work and life
You don’t take yourself or work too seriously and can appreciate a dry sense of humor (when appropriate) as part of a successful working relationship
IF THIS SOUNDS PERFECT TO YOU, LET’S CHAT →
My clients
My clients come from a variety of industries but they all have something in common. They value a collaborative partnership and working with a designer who communicates effectively and completes projects on time, on budget and on point. Clients include:
Act II
Ajax Home Management
Andrea Dill Interior Design
Ascend
The Aspen Institute
Aspen Chamber Resort Association
Aspen Community School
Aspen Country Day School
Aspen Community Theatre
Aspen Environment Forum
Aspen Film
Aspen Global Leadership Network
Aspen Health Forum
Aspen Ideas Festival
Aspen Ministers Forum
Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
Aspen Strategy Group
Aspen Valley Hospital
Aspen Valley Hospital Foundation
Aspen Words
Aspen Young Leaders Fellowship
Bezos Family Foundation
Bezos Scholars Program
Biochar
The Blend Coffee Company
Brick + Mortar
Brilliant Skiing
Cap K Ranch
CityLab
Collective Impact Forum
Creperie du Village
Decypher Technologies
Dental Technologies Laboratory
Explore Booksellers
Forum for Community Solutions
Fold Community Kitchen
Healthspottr Future Health 100
Finance Leaders Fellowship
Financial Security Summit
First Light Films
Five Point Film Festival
Fold Community Kitchen
The Franklin Project
Garfield Construction
Golden Bough
Heirlooms
ID Interiors
Ingrid Antoni
International Partners
Lone Pine Construction
Love Knows No Limits
Lynn Nichols
Nina Lafuente
Opportunity Youth Impact Forum
The Pahara Institute
Poetic Notions
Preferred Property Management
Presto Denver
Resnick Aspen Action Forum
Rock Canyon Coffee Roasters
Rocky Mountain Student Filmfest
Safina Center
Sarah Kuhn Photography
Samuel Prudden Artist
Steve Nemerovski
St Killian’s Cheese Shop
Success Starts with You
Taylor & Tessier
The Summit at Gettysburg
Think X Change
TTRE Consulting
Washington Ideas Festival
Weave
Western Colorado Preschool Cooperative
Wilderness Workshop
Yoga with K2
READY TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LIST? LET’S CHAT →
Want to know a little more about me?
BY NATURE, I'M A CURIOUS EXPLORER.
When I was a small child, my grandfather would prepare for my visits by hiding m&m's in various places around his home and when I arrived, I would dash inside to find them. After finding (and eating) all the m&m's, I got to listen to him tell me stories – the man could tell a story!
These traits have stuck with me my whole life, I’m extremely curious and I love to listen. And they're qualities that are very important to my work as a graphic designer. I listen to your organization’s story, then explore what makes you unique. Letting your story come alive within my mind, I develop design concepts that fit your brand to a “T”. Then we collaborate, bringing all the elements together, creating marketing materials that help keep your stakeholders engaged and support your fundraising efforts all while communicating your mission.
