You’re invited to a panel discussion with some of the industry’s brightest creative minds about collaborating to produce visuals that capture the hearts and minds of any audience:
- Clifton Alexander – Owner/Creative Director, REACTOR Design
- Crystal Oakes – Founder and Lead Creative, Oakes Creative House
- Jackie Palmer – Marketing Director, Alison South Marketing Group
Learn how these designers work with communication teams to bring concepts to life in a way that’s efficient, effective and delivers results. Also, make sure to submit any graphic design questions you have for the panelists when you register.
Meet the Panel:
Clifton Alexander – Owner/Creative Director, REACTOR Design
A mountain boy from southern California, Clifton Alexander came to the Midwest to attend the esteemed Kansas City Art Institute. After working for several local agencies in creative roles, he founded REACTOR Design. He has appeared on national television, been featured in countless publications and guided the studio to more than 200 design awards. His philosophy that there’s no point in designing something unless it’s awesome permeates the soul of REACTOR and helps the drive to achieve better results for clients. Alexander has been honored as a Rising Star by KC Business Magazine and the firm was named one of Kansas City’s top 25 small businesses by Thinking Bigger Business Media.
Although he prefers the much warmer and more consistent weather that SoCal offers, he and his wife, Holly, have chosen to remain in Kansas City because of the vibrant creative community and the fact that it’s an amazing place to raise their three awesome kids.
Crystal Oakes – Founder and Lead Creative, Oakes Creative House
Dreamer, thinker and professional problem solver, Crystal Oakes comes from a family of entrepreneurs and is passionate about educating small businesses and nonprofits about strategic marketing. As founder of Oakes Creative House boutique marketing agency based in Oklahoma, she taps into her creativity every day to help organizations with a wide range of marketing projects. Her professional experience includes graphic design, photography, branding, event planning, merchandising, and all things digital marketing, including social media, email marketing and websites. She has extensive experience in corporate global marketing and brand management in 22 countries across three continents and eight languages.
Oakes leads a team of seasoned designers, strategists and copywriters who create beautifully powerful brands that reflect the depth and wisdom of their dedicated clients. Oakes Creative House loves getting to know clients so they can anticipate their needs and dreams before they see them themselves.
Born and raised in western Oklahoma, she graduated with honors from the University of Oklahoma with a bachelor of fine arts in visual communications. Recently, she became a new mom to her sweet baby boy, Grayson. She and her husband, Steven, dedicate most of their free time to being parents of both Grayson and their huskies, Kiya and Izzy, and traveling when they can. Every day is something different!
Jackie Palmer – Marketing Director, Alison South Marketing Group
Passionate about graphic design, Jackie Palmer has a broad swath of experience. She manages a multifaceted creative team of designers, photographers and videographers to produce multimedia campaigns.
Before joining Alison South, Palmer created and implemented marketing designs for 66 RE/MAX Realtors. She mastered signage skills, creating production-ready drawings for interior, exterior and road-front sign designs for AAA Sign Co.
With a Bachelor of Arts in mass communication and Spanish from Augusta State University, Palmer began her career giving life to news page design for Morris Communication in 2013. Her daily publication experience included The Augusta Chronicle, Florida Times-Union, Savannah Morning News, and The St. Augustine Record. Fun facts, she loves Elvis Presley, and her French Bulldog.
When: Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 1-2 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom