I’ve always believed that design is more than decoration — it’s storytelling with purpose. Every image, layout, and color choice carries the potential to inform, inspire, and connect people to ideas that matter.

Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of bringing stories to life through editorial and brand design — from leading National Wildlife Magazine’s award-winning art direction to guiding digital publishing for the National Wildlife Federation’s family of publications, including Ranger Rick and Ranger Rick Jr. My work has spanned print and digital platforms, uniting creative teams around visual storytelling that resonates with millions of readers.

As an educator at George Mason University, I take equal pride in mentoring emerging designers — helping them discover their creative voice, develop technical mastery, and view design as both a craft and a calling. Watching students transform ideas into powerful visual narratives remains one of my greatest sources of joy and professional fulfillment.

Today, my passion lies at the intersection of storytelling, education, and design leadership — shaping experiences that connect people, elevate ideas, and celebrate creativity in all its forms.

Core Strengths:
🖋 Editorial & Magazine Design • 🎨 Creative Direction • 🧭 Brand Identity Systems • 🖥 Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator • 📰 Print Production & Prepress • 🌐 Digital Publishing Strategy • 🤝 Cross-Functional Collaboration • 📈 Visual Storytelling

Email: sensert@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thuysenser/

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Adjunct Professor – George Mason University

Design Education | Creative Mentorship | Curriculum Development

2021–Present

  • Teach courses in Digital Design, Typography, and Branding, guiding students through hands-on creative projects using Adobe Creative Cloud.

  • Develop innovative curricula promoting design thinking, storytelling, and technical skill-building in visual communication.

  • Mentor 40–60 students per semester, fostering a supportive and inclusive learning environment.

  • Integrate industry-standard software and portfolio practices to prepare students for entry-level design roles.

Web-based learning management system (LMS): Canvas and Blackboard

Related Skills:
Design education, digital media, visual communication, mentorship, creative software, Adobe CC, art instruction, design thinking

Director of Digital Publishing – National Wildlife Federation

Creative Strategy | Digital Transformation | Cross-Platform Branding

  • Led multiple interdependent teams managing the creative life cycle of digital magazines and apps, including Ranger Rick, Ranger Rick Jr., Zoobooks, Zootles, and partner publications.

  • Unifed visual branding and creative tone across print, web, and mobile platforms to ensure cohesive storytelling.

  • Collaborated with marketing, analytics, and product teams to optimize engagement using A/B testing and reader behavior data.

  • Oversaw creative budgets, project timelines, and production schedules while mentoring designers in digital publishing best practices.

  • Advanced the organization’s digital transformation by introducing new workflows and accessible content systems.

Related Skills:
Digital publishing, content design, Adobe Creative Cloud, UX design, visual storytelling, brand management, editorial production, team leadership

Design Director – National Wildlife Magazine

Art Direction | Editorial Design | Brand Development | Print Production

  • Directed the full creative vision and production of National Wildlife Magazine, a nationally distributed, award-winning publication with over 1 million readers.

  • Collaborated daily with editors, writers, and photographers to develop cohesive visual narratives and engaging editorial layouts.

  • Designed and launched the magazine’s digital edition, integrating interactive storytelling and accessible design systems.

  • Led the rebrand of the National Wildlife Photo Contest, boosting online engagement and driving top-tier web traffic to NWF.org.

  • Oversaw print production processes, including prepress management, vendor coordination, and color proofing to ensure press-ready quality.

  • Created and maintained comprehensive brand and style guidelines for editorial and marketing teams.

Related Skills:
Art direction, magazine design, editorial layout, typography, print production, InDesign, publication design, brand systems, creative direction

Creative Tools: Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Lightroom
Design Expertise: Editorial Layout, Typography, Branding, Print Production, Prepress
Leadership: Creative Direction, Art Direction, Mentorship, Team Collaboration
Analytics & Strategy: A/B Testing, Google GA4, KPI Development, UX Optimization, SEM Rush, Hotjar, Crazyegg
Content Management CMS: SiteCore, Joomla, WordPress

Photography Workshop instructor

GMU–Veterans and the Arts Initiative.

2022-Present

Director of web creative

Oversaw a team of creative directors, content strategists, video producers, designers, social media managers, and account managers. Focusing on providing customer services, developing project scope, managing budget, and fulfilling SLAs. 

Advertising Director

Managed National Wildlife magazine advertising sales (including P&L) for print and online.

Senior Designer

Helped the graphics department transform into a dynamic and cost-saving digital publishing network. Led a team to launch nwf.org website in 1993 (awarded a permanent place in the Smithsonian Archive).

The Kamber Group Senior Designer

Spearheaded the company’s art department into digital publishing.

4 times Best of Show (Art Direction Book).

Director of Sales Global Industries Incorporated

Sold the original family’s resource & reference system: The Encyclopedia. Door-to-door.

Proprietor 1813 Communication

Present
                                                                                                                                                             
Consulting and developing online strategies and communication collateral materials for NGOs. Clients include CoraNet, Aliron, NFLPA, Airlines Pilot Association, AOL.

TECHNOLOGY & SKILLS

🧩 Soft Skills

  • Creative Direction & Art Direction

  • Team Leadership & Mentorship

  • Collaboration with Cross-Functional Teams (editors, designers, marketers)

  • Communication & Presentation

  • Design Thinking & Problem Solving

  • Nurturing and Developing Talent

  • Independent and Remote Work Capability

  • Human-Centered Design Approach

📈 Measurable / Strategic Skills

  • Branding & Visual Identity Systems

  • Editorial & Magazine Design

  • Project and Process Management

  • Print Production & Prepress Coordination

  • Budget Management

  • A/B Testing & Analytics Interpretation

  • Customer Journey Optimization (acquisition, retention, loyalty)

  • Enterprise Print & Digital Transformation

  • KPI Identification and Tracking

  • Managing SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

  • eCommerce & Cybersecurity Strategy (PCI Compliance)

💻 Tools & Technical Proficiency

  • Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Lightroom, Adobe XD, Miro Collaboration

  • Web UI, UX & Content Systems: Various CMS platforms: SIteCore, Dreamweaver, HTML/CSSBalsamic, Miro Collaboration Tool, Figma, WordPress, 

  • Analytics: Google GA4, Data Visualization Tools, Excel, Hotjar, SEMrush

  • Production Tools: Prepress Workflow, Proofing Systems, Jira

  • Digital Platforms: Mobile App Lifecycle Management, Online Publishing Tools

EDUCATION

Virginia Commonwealth University—BFA
Brussels American School—GED

CONTACT

Email: sensert@gmail.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thuysenser/