The Chicago Lighthouse
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The Chicago Lighthouse serves people who are blind, visually impaired, disabled, and Veterans, in order for each to reach their full personal potential. Their programs build enduring success for their target populations and employees with lifelong knowledge, skills, and employment opportunities. I started to work at The Lighthouse in 2021 as a Creative Assistant, working on a vast variety of projects that ranged from brochures for programs to upkeep on the company website. After two years and lots of hard work I was promoted to Manager of creative services, taking on many more responsibilities. This is a small collection of the numerous projects I worked on while at the Lighthouse. It is broken down into four sections, Collateral Assets, Programs, Events and Fundraising.
Collateral Assets
As Manager of Creative services part of my job was designing various collateral assets that my department, Advancement, used. This includes things like business cards, Annual reports, corporate packets, one pagers, general brand brochures and the like. These designs must all be cohesive and follow The Lighthouse’s Brand Guidelines.
One-pager
The One-Pager is a great catch-all asset that we use at The Lighthouse. It covers most of the larger programs The Lighthouse offers in a concise format that is easy to read. It uses a style of design that is basic but still guides the reader easily through the document.
One-Pager
Corporate Packet
Every year the Advancement department of which I’m part of is in charge of designing a corporate packet that is used to entice companies to sponsor our fundraising events. The beginning of the document outlines some of the ways that The Lighthouse helps its population and then moves onto laying out what sponsorship opportunities we are offering. Each major fundraising event has its own spread in the packet that informs the reader what the event is like, what kind of brand awareness opportunities available and lastly what benefits come from each sponsorship level.
Corporate Packet Cover
Inside Spread
Annual Reports
Every year The Lighthouse publishes an annual report. The annual report consists of breakdowns of revenue, where donor funds come from, how they’re being used and how much each program receives. Generally, the annual reports are a short, printed, perfect bound book. We would print a fair amount of them, sending them to large donors. Another part of my job was modifying the printed version into an accessible pdf that would be stored on our website.
2022 Annual Report
Every year I’d help contribute to the overall design of the report and in 2022 and 2023 I was tasked with designing the cover of the books. In 2022 the theme of the report was growth. I created a lighthouse illustration with bright green leaves radiating out of the lighthouse. It features the word “Growth” in embossed braille at the bottom of the cover.
Every year I’d help contribute to the overall design of the report and in 2022 and 2023 I was tasked with designing the cover of the books. In 2022 the theme of the report was growth. I created a lighthouse illustration with bright green leaves radiating out of the lighthouse. It features the word “Growth” in embossed braille at the bottom of the cover.
2023 Annual Report
The 2023 book cover is made in a landscape version. It features a digital painting I made of someone with a guide dog looking at the newly built Foglia Residences. In the background you can see people playing at a park near the building and the Chicago Skyline faded into the background behind the main building that has lights shining out of the top. The main building meant to resemble a lighthouse, shining a beacon guiding people home.
The 2023 book cover is made in a landscape version. It features a digital painting I made of someone with a guide dog looking at the newly built Foglia Residences. In the background you can see people playing at a park near the building and the Chicago Skyline faded into the background behind the main building that has lights shining out of the top. The main building meant to resemble a lighthouse, shining a beacon guiding people home.
FUNDRAISING
A big part of any non-profit is fundraising, asking donors and the community for life changing funds to help your programs succeed. The Lighthouse is no different. Each year The Lighthouse launches campaigns to raise funds. I had an integral part in designing some of the pieces we send to donors. This includes many newsletters, direct mail solicitations and other items that help the organization raise funds.
The Beam
The Beam is a newsletter that gets sent out to donors and supporters twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall. I have worked on many of these newsletters through my time at The Lighthouse, designing the layout of stories and the covers. The Beam is a folded mailer that once unfolded reveals about four stories highlighting all of the amazing things our programs are accomplishing and a letter from our president.
It is important that the designs of our publications all have high contrast and large text. This makes it easier for our population of visually impaired readers to navigate. After producing the print version of the piece we typically make an accessible version of the publication and feature it on our website.
Featured here is the Fall 2023 Beam. On the cover we have a photo of one of the participants of The Rise to Shine Run and walk.
It is important that the designs of our publications all have high contrast and large text. This makes it easier for our population of visually impaired readers to navigate. After producing the print version of the piece we typically make an accessible version of the publication and feature it on our website.
Featured here is the Fall 2023 Beam. On the cover we have a photo of one of the participants of The Rise to Shine Run and walk.
Cover of 2023 Beam
Unfolded layout of Beam publication
Unfolded layout of Beam publication
The Legacy
The Legacy, like The Beam is a publication that we mail out to our supporters. It mainly features stories about large contributions that Donors have made to The Lighthouse. It gets sent out once a year. These are two years of The Legacy that I worked on. The 2023 edition features a 3D render of lotto balls that I made. The balls spell out ‘thanks!’.
Cover of 2022 Legacy and inside pages
Cover of 2023 Legacy and inside pages
Direct Mail
In addition to The Beam and The Legacy, The Lighthouse sends a handful of direct mail solicitations. These are double sided folded letters that have variable data to drive the giving campaigns. The front of the letters typically include a story, highlighting the impact a program or service offered has had on a specific program participant. On the backside we share stats and other bullet points about the programs mentioned. At the bottom of each letter is a perforated section that has payment options and variable data for selected gift amounts based on the donation history of the letter recipient. The letters have custom envelopes that
Throughout my time at The Lighthouse I have worked on a number of these letters. The overall layout of the designs are similar from letter to letter. The design differences come from things like the program being featured and the overall message we want to get across. For example in the end of year letter we like to use holiday and winter visuals. All of the letters feature larger text so those with low vision can easily read them and the bright-contrasting colors of The Lighthouse brand.
Throughout my time at The Lighthouse I have worked on a number of these letters. The overall layout of the designs are similar from letter to letter. The design differences come from things like the program being featured and the overall message we want to get across. For example in the end of year letter we like to use holiday and winter visuals. All of the letters feature larger text so those with low vision can easily read them and the bright-contrasting colors of The Lighthouse brand.
Front and Back of Direct Mail Letter
Outer Envelope
Front and Back of Direct Mail Letter
Outer Envelope
Front and Back of Direct Mail Letter
Outer Envelope
Holiday Thank You Cards
A couple of years at The Lighthouse we made Thanksgiving cards and sent them to donors with the message that we were thankful for them and their contributions. I designed the cards for two years. One year was fairly simple, it has the word “Thankful” across the front in a grid pattern alternating the colors from the Lighthouse’s brand. The other year requires a little more explanation and has more relevance to Thanksgiving. It's an illustration of a turkey in the shape of the hand sign that’s widely known as the universal sign for love. In ASL, it’s the combination of the letters I, L, and Y, which stand for “I love you.” It also features brand colors and some more earthy tones found in normal Thanksgiving materials.
2022 Thanksgiving Card
2023 Thanksgiving Card
Donor Cards
There are 3 versions of the folded donor cards, all featuring a unique illustration I made. The illustrations are made in a flat style with lots of smooth color. And you guessed it, they all feature a Lighthouse as part of the design. The inside of each card also has a short line describing the theme of the card, “Thank you” for example and those words in Braille. And plenty of blank white space for someone to write a custom message.
The Thank you cards are used to send as a token of our gratitude for donations, featuring the most colorful fun design. The in Your Honor Cards feature a solitary lighthouse standing strong, shining its light. Lastly, the In-Memory cards feature a sunsetting on a lighthouse and a dove flying by.
The Thank you cards are used to send as a token of our gratitude for donations, featuring the most colorful fun design. The in Your Honor Cards feature a solitary lighthouse standing strong, shining its light. Lastly, the In-Memory cards feature a sunsetting on a lighthouse and a dove flying by.
Thank You Card
In Memory Card
In Your Honor Card
EVENTS
The Chicago Lighthouse hosts a handful of events every year that aim to raise funds for their life changing programs and services that they offer. All of the events have a unique feel and design approach. They cater to many different sub-groups in the donor base. There is something for everyone, from a fashion show, to a poker event, to a 5K, The Lighthouse does it all. The designs for the events are a fun way to escape the everyday brand of The Lighthouse and explore new design styles and themes. As various as the events themselves are the designs for them are as well.
Sips & Sweets for Sight
This first event is the sweetest of the year. A social event that features a sweets table as far as the eye can see and unique cocktails. It is an event led by The Chicago Lighthouse’s Junior Board. Two years ago, I led a rebrand of the design for this event. I updated the logo to give it a more fun whimsical feel that captures the spirit of the event. I designed a unique illustration of a cocktail glass with some sweets as garnishes.
Adverts and Event Signage
Social Media post
This is a simple social media post I made to advertise the event. It features the logo on top of an image of the sweets table with a pink screen of the image that fits into the brand of the event.
The Flyer
Keeping with the same whimsical design that the logo captures. I decided to use some typefaces that are outside of our normal brand standards. I used a much softer and rounder typeface that feels like it belongs on a candy bar.
This is a simple social media post I made to advertise the event. It features the logo on top of an image of the sweets table with a pink screen of the image that fits into the brand of the event.
The Flyer
Keeping with the same whimsical design that the logo captures. I decided to use some typefaces that are outside of our normal brand standards. I used a much softer and rounder typeface that feels like it belongs on a candy bar.
Social Media Post
Flyer
The Backdrop
The backdrop also follows suit and uses the hot pink color and has the presenting partner logo on it.
The backdrop also follows suit and uses the hot pink color and has the presenting partner logo on it.
The Welcome Sign
Like the social media post and the backdrop, this welcome poster makes use of the fun logo, the variety of colors from the sweets table image and a pink screen to tie a delicious bow on the design.
Like the social media post and the backdrop, this welcome poster makes use of the fun logo, the variety of colors from the sweets table image and a pink screen to tie a delicious bow on the design.
Raising the Stakes for Vision
Poker & Casino Night
My personal favorite event of the year, a poker tournament that has a grand prize of $10,000 and a casino room that boasts many fun prizes. This event has a more golden, all about the cards, design style. Like the last event, I refreshed the look of this logo and the style of the event.
Social Media
The Social Media features images from the event with bold, golden text on them. And a green background that has card suits on it.
Event Invites
The invites for this event are a simple jumbo postcard that we mail to the supporter database. The front of the card has lots of gold trim that gives it that fun casino-y feeling. In 2026 we opted for a slightly different style of invite, a folded postcard. It has most of the same elements as last year but puts more emphasis on the change of venue for this year.
Event Signage
The event signage features the same types of design elements as the invites and other pieces. Keeping the style of the event cohesive from where they first see an advertisement for the event to actually at the event.
Winner Check
Blackjack Table Poster
Welcome Sign
Seeing What's Possible
Annual Gala
The main event in The Lighthouse calendar, the Seeing What’s Possible Annual Gala. The Gala is typically a standard cocktail hour, seated dinner with a program, ending with dancing and hopefully a lot of money raised. Every year the design for the logo is changed to match the theme of the Gala. Since I’ve been with The Lighthouse the themes have included, Kaleidoscope, Coming Home, In Bloom and much more. In 2025 I was tasked with creating the logo for our first ever “Gala Benefit Concert”. Keeping the layout of the words ‘Seeing What’s Possible’ the same I added a treble clef that intertwined the P in possible. I also changed the color of the text to a more sophisticated purple and made the treble clef gold to contrast with the rest of the logo.
Event Invite
The event invite is a high-gloss trifold that is paired with a reply card and put into a sparkly gold outer envelope. The Invite trifold has a beautiful design on the front that ends up being used on other pieces throughout the event, the sparkly gold treble clef. It is on top of an image from a previous performance of one of the singers of the event. Other panels include a description of the performers, sponsors of the event, honorees of the event and of course the event details.
Invite Trifold
Outer Envelope
Event Signage, Social Media Post and Playbill
Event Backdrop
The backdrop for the event features the shiny golden treble clef made from stars and a deep blue background that makes the music note and logo pop.
The backdrop for the event features the shiny golden treble clef made from stars and a deep blue background that makes the music note and logo pop.
Social Media post
Like the main cover of the invite, this post makes use of the screened image of the singer and the artful treble clef.
Like the main cover of the invite, this post makes use of the screened image of the singer and the artful treble clef.
Playbill
For this event I was also tasked with creating a playbill that goes over the run of show and has info about The Lighthouse. Stop me if you’ve heard this before but the cover resembles the main design from the invite.
For this event I was also tasked with creating a playbill that goes over the run of show and has info about The Lighthouse. Stop me if you’ve heard this before but the cover resembles the main design from the invite.
Past Program Books
In the past, I’ve been tasked with designing the program books for the event. These are a variety of some of the covers I designed as well as one of the many unique miniature canvases I painted for the 2023 Gala.
2022 Program Book
2023 Program Book
2024 Program Book
Custom Take-home Canvas
FLAIR Fashion Show
FLAIR is an inclusive fashion show that showcases shops throughout Chicago. The show consists of models who are blind or visually impaired. The show puts an emphasis on fun, fashion and philanthropy. The designs for the event try to follow that.
Event Invite
The invite has a similar format to the Gala invite. It is a trifold invite sent in an envelope with a reply card and envelope. The invite features a panels that highlight the honoree of the event, the sponsors and the stores that are showcasing their fashion at the event. The design features a fun illustration of a colorful eye and swirls that add a fun feature to the event. We also use imagery from previous year’s events to give the public a better feel for the event.
Mailed Invite
Event Programs
The event features a program that attendees and sponsors can publish ads in. The design of the cover features the eye illustration and other assets from the invite. The books have a soft inviting look.
2023 Program
2024 Program
Event Signage
For the event we also create a menu that attendees get at their seat. The design is slim, and concise using assets from other event pieces. We also create many different pieces of signage for the event. We create bannerstands that are used to enhance the branding of the event. They feature the logo of the event, the eye illustration and the swirly assets found on other pieces. Lastly, we create a backdrop that guests take photos in front of. The design features all the usual asset suspects.
FLAIR Menu
FLAIR Backdrop
FLAIR Raffle Poster
Bannerstands
Rise to Shine Run and Walk
Rise to Shine is a 10k, 5k, 1m run and walk The Lighthouse puts on in the Illinois Medical district in the middle of October. The event is fully inclusive for all, featuring accommodations for those who are blind, visually impaired and in wheelchairs. I am responsible for all the designs for this event. The logo features the secondary colors from The Lighthouse brand, a lighthouse similar to that found in the original CLH logo. I created a horizontal and vertical version of the logo, widening the branding capabilities of the event.
Signage
For the Race we create mesh banners that get hung up on fences throughout the medical district and yard signs that get placed on streets with busy traffic. The designs for both pieces are the exact same, just differing in size. The design approach takes a less is more approach, just highlighting the key facts of the event. The flyer is similar, just using photography from previous years of the event. On all the pieces we include unique QR codes that track how many people scan each piece.
Yard Sign and Banners
Flyer
Social Media Posts
On the social media posts, I created a template that uses the blue wave and includes photos from previous years of the event. Sticking with the same brand colors found in the logo. These are a few of the different posts, used in a few different ways. Some advertise for the events, call for volunteers and others are used for people to vote on the design of the medal.
Race Cards
Race cards are a must when it comes to advertising for a race. They get passed out at events, left at running stores and gyms and handed out in the street. They are a thick double-sided card. I’ve made a few different variations of the card throughout the years. The design typically features the logo on the front with the date and location next to an image from a previous year. The back side has more of the details of the race and in the 2023’s case, a mockup of the braille finisher medal.
2023 Race Cards
2024 Race Cards
Race Day Signage
Rise to Shine like other 5k races requires an immense amount of signage. This includes: start/finish banners, backdrops, sponsor banners, finisher medals and wayfinding signs. Like every other piece for the event the designs are cohesive and share design elements that keep the event on brand.
Start Banner and Race Shirts
Race Finish Banner
Backdrop, Race Shirts and Brailler Finisher Medals
Start Banner and Race Shirts
Kid's Finisher Medals
Braille Finisher Medal
Start Banner and Race Shirts
Braille Finisher Medal
Sponsor Yard Signs
PROGRAMS
The Chicago Lighthouse offers 40 unique programs and services that help their clients optimize remaining vision, meet developmental and educational milestones, find employment and lead more independent lives. Part of my job at The Lighthouse was working on designing pieces that helped convey the messages these programs offered. To do so I was tasked with creating many different things, including brochures, flyers, webpages, corporate packets, signage, social media posts, etc. This is a small collection of the things I worked on to promote these programs
Children and Youth Programs
Flyers
For the Youth Programs I was tasked with creating a variety of flyers for special events and program offerings. These flyers cover a few different Youth Programs, including: The Preschool, Birth-to-Three, Youth Transition and First Jobs prgrams.
One of the first projects I worked on at The Lighthouse was the Preschool flyer. This is where I really got an appreciation for The Lighthouse’s brand guidelines. Making sure designs had high contrast and large text. The Lighthouse Littles series for Birth-to-Three all feature similar illustrations of visually impaired children engaging in an activity.
The Youth Transition program flyers also feature illustrations in the header that lend themselves to what the event is. They tend to be a more sophisticated illustration than the Littles because the programs are in support of older teens transitioning to college or the workforce. All of the flyers follow a similar layout.
One of the first projects I worked on at The Lighthouse was the Preschool flyer. This is where I really got an appreciation for The Lighthouse’s brand guidelines. Making sure designs had high contrast and large text. The Lighthouse Littles series for Birth-to-Three all feature similar illustrations of visually impaired children engaging in an activity.
The Youth Transition program flyers also feature illustrations in the header that lend themselves to what the event is. They tend to be a more sophisticated illustration than the Littles because the programs are in support of older teens transitioning to college or the workforce. All of the flyers follow a similar layout.
Brochure
Most of the programs that The Lighthouse offers have brochures that go over the details of the Program. This is the brochure that goes over the Children’s & Youth program umbrella. It includes info about the different subsets of offerings and a QR code for each one that brings viewers to the webpage about each subset.
The Foglia Residences
A few years ago I was given the opportunity to work on the logo for The Foglia Residences, an accessible apartment building that The Lighthouse was building. The logo uses the same typefaces and colors that are found in The Lighthouse’s branding. The shapes to the right of the copy mimic the “tower” on the corner of the building, highlighting the unique shape the building takes on.
Stronger Together
Stronger Together is a program focused on providing mental health support to the blind and visually impaired. I created a 4-panel brochure that goes over the importance of thinking about your mental health and how the program can benefit you. Each headline on the panels is accompanied with a stone from the logo that matches the headline.
The flyer uses the blues from The Chicago Lighthouse Brand, creating a calm, relaxed design that puts the mind at ease while reading about the importance of mental health.
The flyer uses the blues from The Chicago Lighthouse Brand, creating a calm, relaxed design that puts the mind at ease while reading about the importance of mental health.
Stronger Together Flyer
Stronger Together Brochure
Photography
Over the years I've had the opportunity to photograph many of the life-changing programs that The Lighthouse offers. Capturing their magic in action. These are photos from the Youth Transition program where blind and visually impaired youth learn life skills and explore Chicago. There are photos from Low Vision Clinic appointments, children getting life changing eye care. Easter egg hunts for blind children where the eggs beep so they can find them. And photos taken at the Chicago Yacht Club where Seniors get to spend the afternoon on a yacht. In all the photos I take I try to keep my eye out for the heart felt moments, capturing them the best I can.
Beeping Egg Hunt
Low Vision Clinic Exam
Senior Boat Cruise
Senior Boat Cruise
Senior Boat Cruise
Vision Quest Program
Youth Transition Program
