Moxie Conference

Alissa Walker

writer and design critic

Alissa Walker writes about design, architecture, cities, transportation and walking for many publications, including GOOD, Fast Company, and Dwell, and is the associate producer for the KCRW public radio show "DnA: Design and Architecture." In 2010 she was named a USC Annenberg/Getty Arts Journalism Fellow for her writing on design and urbanism, and in 2011 Alissa was awarded an ArtPlace grant for the initiative GOOD Ideas for Cities. This year she will be hosting seven GOOD Ideas for Cities events across the country, where creatives are assigned urban problems proposed by city leaders, and present their solutions at lively public forums. Alissa lives in a royal blue house in the Silver Lake neighborhood of L.A., where she throws ice cream socials, tends to a drought-tolerant garden, rides a Creamsicle-colored Public bike, writes infrequently on her blog, Gelatobaby, and relishes life in L.A. without a car. Follow her at @gelatobaby.

Learn more

Marcia Lausen

Professor, Director, Principal

Marcia Lausen is founder of the Chicago office of Studio/lab, a multidisciplinary design consulting firm, as well as a professor of graphic design and the director of the School of Art at Design at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is an adviser to the AIGA Design for Democracy initiative, in addition to being a former national board member and AIGA Chicago president. Lausen is the author and designer of Design for Democracy: Ballot and Election Design, published in November 2007 by the University of Chicago Press and AIGA. She was named a FastCompany Master of Design in 2004.

Learn more

Mig Reyes

designer for 37signals, speaker

Mig is a designer from Chicago, focused on making good things for good people. He designs for the web at 37signals, asks people to share advice on Humble Pied and a few other things, too. He has worked for a variety of studios and agencies, most notably as an interactive designer at Threadless. Beyond his day job, Mig serves our design community by serving as a mentor in AIGA, hosting the Chicago chapter of CreativeMornings, as well as lecturing at colleges and conferences. He also teaches at The Chicago Portfolio School. But beyond all that design stuff, Mig is also way into craft beer, pizza and dance parties. Usually all together.

Learn more

Meghan Wilker

Geek Girl, VP, author

Meghan specializes in using strategy, technology, and process to bring people and products together. Her public speaking, writing and outreach guides individuals and businesses to develop smart digital products. Whether she's managing a team or mentoring students, she believes that technology creates endless opportunities to make life easier and to produce meaningful connections. She empowers users to proactively engage with the web by being aware, educated, and attentive and spearheads dialogue that drives evolution within the interactive community.

Meghan is the VP, Managing Director at Clockwork Active Media, a digital agency specializing in designing and developing business solutions. She's a contributing writer at GTDtimes.com, creator of Summerofdresses.com, and was named as a "Woman to Watch" by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.

Learn more

Nancy Lyons

Geek Girl, President/CEO, author

Think strategically, act thoughtfully, be a good human.

Nancy works at the intersection of technology, community, and people. As a leader and technologist, she creates solutions that further community and business goals by meeting the needs of individuals. Her guiding philosophy is that a human-centered approach to technology is the only way to get results that make a difference. Problem solving is about empowerment: motivated people create good products. Nancy supports clients and teams by fostering a collaborative, idea-driven culture that nurtures creativity and brainpower.

Nancy is President/CEO of Clockwork Active Media, a leading digital agency specializing in designing and developing business solutions. She speaks nationally about work culture, social media, technology, and leadership. She's been recognized for her role as owner and CEO of Clockwork by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal and gives back to the community by serving on the Board of Directors at The Family Equality Council.

Learn more

Heather Nolan

lawyer

Heather Nolan joined Information Law Group as Senior Counsel in June 2011. As a media, advertising, promotions and intellectual property lawyer, Heather works closely with clients to develop, launch and administer their advertising and promotional campaigns. Heather's practice covers the spectrum of traditional and emerging advertising, promotions, and intellectual property issues. She regularly works on sweepstakes, skill contests, charitable promotions, coupons, rebates, web sites, mobile apps, as well as e-mail, text message, mobile marketing, and viral marketing campaigns, and all related agreements and campaign elements.

Heather is a member of the Promotions Marketing Association and a frequent speaker at its annual law conference.

Heather previously practiced as an associate in the Intellectual Property Group of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP in its Chicago office.

Learn more

Mikey Burton

freelance designy illustrator

An Ohio native, Mikey Burton proudly describes his design aesthetic as "Midwesterny" and draws much of his inspiration from artifacts found throughout the hardworking, blue collar Rust Belt: old type-specimen sheets, arcane equipment manuals and ancient textbooks. "I'm fascinated with how past designers had to come up with ideas and solve problems using limited resources," he said. "Like, for instance, figuring out how two colors can work harder than four. It helps me get to better solutions myself." While earning his BS/MA in Visual Communication Design from Kent State University, Mikey became one of the founders of Little Jacket. He has received awards from Communication Arts, Graphis, Print, HOW, CMYK, Logo Lounge, Print's New Visual Artist and most recently ADC Young Guns. Mikey now lives in sunny Philadelphia where he enjoys the myriad culinary delights of his adopted hometown, and continues to nurture his lifelong obsession with bears, which are "so cute and lovable, but probably the most dangerous animals ever."

Partial Client List
The New York Times, The Atlantic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, GOOD, Wired Magazine (US, UK, and Italy), AARP, Ogilvy, Arnold Worldwide, Facebook, Wilco, Money Magazine, Fast Company, Bloomberg Businessweek, Jen Bekman Projects (20x200 and Hey, Hot Shot!), House of Blues, MTV2, Comedy Central, Sundance Channel, Spoon (the band), Redbox, Yahoo, Zig Zag

Learn more

Marian Williams

designer and creative director

Marian Williams Design is the Chicago studio of veteran designer and creative director, Marian Williams. Informed by her background in design, printmaking and illustration and years of experience in the advertising industry, Marian's work is strategically grounded, conceptually elevated and meticulously crafted.

Marian has been around. She's logged time at VSA Partners, as well as advertising agencies Euro RSCG and Leo Burnett, where she created their worldwide identity system.

Her experience spans multi-national corporate branding to local deli identity and her inspirations range from doodly illustrations and found objects to exquisite typography and PMS colors 476, 583 and 698. She enjoys the thrill of working with agency teams on campaign development as well as the solitude of laying out multi-page documents in the middle of the night.

Among other projects, Marian is currently working on a brand identity system for Redbox–America's favorite movies and games company, as well as several initiatives for Baker Furniture and the Chicago based post-production house, Optimus.

Marian Williams Design is art that works.

Learn more

Sara O'Mara

consultant and coach

Sara O'Mara is the founder and principal of The And Group, a creative change studio that works with brands, teams and individuals at points of transformation.

As a consultant and coach, Sara is known for grasping the big picture and for unleashing the collective imagination and creative energy amongst teams and within individuals.

As a consultant, Sara has led significant consumer insight, strategic positioning, marketing plan and cultural development projects for clients such as MTV, Redbox, Humana, Procter and Gamble, Leo Burnett, Euro RSCG, Starcom MediaVest, Cedar Crest and Channel Bio.

In her coaching business, Sara works with creative and curious leaders who want are committed to their own growth and want to challenge the status quo. She guides clients to create sustainable change by uncovering insight, focusing intentions and forwarding actions.

In previous lives, Sara was a brand developer at Unilever on Axe, and a VP Communications Director at Leo Burnett on businesses such as Altoids, Heinz and a host of Kelloggs and Procter & Gamble brands.

Sara is a perpetual liberal arts student with a deep love of learning. She holds her B.A. from Bates College, is a certified Co-Active Professional Coach, and a trained energy healer.

Learn more

Linda McCauley

consigliere

Linda has more than 26 years of experience in the media business, mostly advising content creators and licensors on how to strike the smartest deals, negotiate them effectively and close them efficiently. For the past four years, she has focused on helping sales and business development teams move from handshake to signed agreement. She accomplishes this by providing one-on-one deal reviews, internal strategy sessions and negotiation sessions. Above all, she focuses on being a "consigliere" rather than a lawyer, in that she believes business imperatives of any deal ought to trump technical legal principles.

Learn more

Mare Swallow

speaker, consultant, author

Mare Swallow is a professional speaker, public speaking coach, and founder of the Chicago Writers Conference. She is also the creator and host of the weekly Chicago Publishes Podcast. Visit her at mariannaswallow.com for free training and speaking tips.

Learn more

Quite Strong

creative collaborative

Quite Strong is a collaborative made up of five female Chicago-based creatives. Professionally we are graphic designers, art directors, web developers and illustrators. Personally, we are dreamers, crafters, lovers, bikers, nerds and wanna-be foodies.

Learn more