LAS VEGAS WEEKLY MAGAZINE
Las Vegas Weekly is a city magazine covering arts, entertainment, nightlife, news, and sports. With tens of thousands of copies distributed weekly throughout Las Vegas and Southern California, the magazine has a significant cultural impact in Southern Nevada.
For eight plus years, I was the publication's visual storyteller, translating complex editorial narratives into compelling imagery across over 400 issues. As Senior Designer, my role was to capture the essence of each story, whether it was the energy of a championship team, the nostalgia of a 70s disco revival, or the tension of last-minute changes and communicate it instantly through design.
I collaborated closely with writers and editors to understand the heart of each piece, then brought those stories to life through illustration, photo direction, and creative composition. Every cover needed to stop readers mid-scroll, every spread needed to guide them through the narrative, and every visual element needed to enhance, not just decorate, the journalism.
Below are case studies showcasing how I used visual problem-solving to tell stories that resonated with our audience and elevated the editorial vision.
Problem
The photographer had minutes to shoot A'ja Wilson and Candace Parker separately during a press junket, but we needed both athletes together on the cover.
Solution
I composited two images in Adobe Photoshop to create a dynamic "back-to-back" pose. The staff loved it so much they rewrote the headline to match, perfectly capturing the Aces' momentum toward their second championship.
Problem
How can we make the in-laws coming into town fun and exciting?
Solution
The photographer took numerous photos for this cover. I composited several photos of the models, the location and effects to achieve this look.
Problem
The Fall Arts & Entertainment issue features dozens of acts and events. How do you showcase them all without creating visual chaos?
Solution
I illustrated this cover in Adobe Illustrator, pitching the concept of U2's Sphere residency as the central "billboard" with other acts incorporated as Bono's tattoos. The layered approach became an instant hit.
Collaboration and Execution
For this 70s-themed Best of Vegas issue, I hand-crafted a custom disco ball installation shaped as a hexagon (a nod to the BOV logo). I art directed the photo shoot, enhanced the imagery in Photoshop, and partnered with marketing and events teams to ensure complete visual consistency across all touchpoints, from promotional materials to on-site signage.
Problem
We needed an infographic spread on rock climbing for newcomers but had limited access to original photography.
Solution
I sourced high-quality Shutterstock images and built a dynamic infographic using photo manipulation in Photoshop, vector illustration in Illustrator, and final layout in InDesign.
Problem
Our scheduled venue fell through 24 hours before photographing the Property Brothers for our holiday issue.
Solution
After an all-hands meeting, I pitched photographing them climbing a Christmas tree in our studio. I spent the night sourcing props and building the set in time for the early morning shoot. It became a highlight of the year.
Selected Spreads
Examples of typography-focused layouts, illustration-driven features, and photo-led storytelling that highlight my approach to editorial design.
Nevada Press Foundation
2023 Outstanding Graphic Designer
2019 Best Graphic Designer
Association of Alternative Newsweeklies
2025 Editorial Layout/First Place
2024, 2019 Editorial Layout/Third Place
2018 Cover Design/First Place
Best of the West Journalism Contest
2020 Best Page Design/Second Place
ACCOLADES
These additional covers were selected to show my range in design and technical proficiency. They include hand-drawn illustrations, photo manipulations, vector work, typography, hierarchical understanding, directional and typography skills.
ADDITIONAL WORK
