Work

Challenge

The International Lifeline Fund seeks to improve access to clean water and energy across Africa. Its mission centers on advancing human agency and promoting collective action.

As ILF expanded into African regions, it saw the need for a logo that would resonate across diverse cultures, languages, and contexts. This led to a search for a design that conveys hope, symbolizes unity, and visually supports ILF’s mission.

Insight

Building on these ideas, the first round of concept explorations centered on symbols of water and energy. The second round shifted emphasis to the human element, highlighting themes of helping hands and collective effort.

In many African communities, water is accessed from wells. The rope serves as a lifeline, representing both essential resources and community-driven action.

Design Solution

The helping hands and rope motif symbolize drawing water and collective effort. Initially, the logo used a color palette of blue for water and earth tones for warmth and unity, suitable for marketing materials, signage, uniforms, and vehicles. After its introduction, the organization updated the logo’s color to green to align with current branding strategies while maintaining the original design and applications. This change reflects an ongoing commitment to organizational identity and adaptability.

Results & Impact

The ILF logo is now used across communications and in the field. Its reach extends from the organization’s website to fundraising materials, partner outreach, and on-the-ground signage, reinforcing brand consistency. In humanitarian design, impact is reflected in the logo’s capacity to build recognition and trust at scale, a standard this mark has met throughout its evolution.

Challenge

The Marvelwood Alumni Association needed a visual identity to energize a fractured alumni base. Their mission: inspire former students to return for alumni weekends and fuel fundraising.

They wanted a symbol to evoke nostalgia, pride, and community. This was especially important for alumni who graduated from a campus that no longer exists. The school had relocated from Cornwall to Kent, Connecticut. The logo needed to transcend the move. It had to capture something timeless about the Marvelwood experience and create a unified sense of connection.

Insight

As a Marvelwood alum, I remember the Victory Bell ringing as students gathered after a sports win. This tradition bridged the past and present, fostered a sense of belonging, and united generations through shared memories.

In addition to the bell, Marvelwood’s natural setting shapes alumni identity. The wooded hills, the Housatonic River, the Appalachian Trail, and Mohawk Mountain offer more than scenery. They evoke memories and serve as tranquil places that graduates remember for life. This landscape deepens the sense of community established by school traditions.

Design Solution

With these shared elements of memory and connection, I designed a logo that unifies them. It features a bell, signifying achievement and unity, set against rolling Appalachian hills that represent the school’s environment. To ensure broader appeal among alumni, I used a modern color palette and a geometric approach. This makes the logo versatile for events, newsletters, and fundraising while staying distinctive to Marvelwood.

Results & Impact

The headmaster’s enthusiasm led the school’s marketing agency to integrate the design into Marvelwood’s primary branding. Its adoption across Alumni Association materials and school communications underscores its unifying effect, reinforcing Marvelwood pride and shared memories.

/ The initial logo concept /