How I became a designer for nonprofits and social impact organizations
Hi, I'm Esther, founder and lead designer at Sereth Design. This is the story of how I became a creative director and designer for nonprofits and brands that give a crap.
Growing up between two worlds
I grew up between the United States and China. From a young age, I learned to see myself as a citizen of the world: someone who looks out for the welfare of others and belongs to a community much larger than myself.
From ages 8 to 16, I was immersed in cultures, customs, and experiences very different from those on the other side of the world. And yet, I kept finding the same threads running through both. Living between two worlds taught me that our lives are more alike than they are different. We're all pursuing the same things: joy, health, peace, and community.
Finding design at university
When I started university, I was torn between two paths: art and psychology. Part of me wanted to paint, draw, and be creatively free. Another part was fascinated by how people's minds shape their everyday experiences.
In my second year, I stumbled into an advertising class and was captivated. Here was a field where design and the study of the mind came together. I learned how closely design and emotion are connected, and how design can change perceptions and spark action. In my senior year, I was honored to receive the "Most Promising Multicultural Student" award from the American Association of Advertising Agencies.
2017: Learning the ropes in advertising
After graduating from the University of Oregon in 2017, I landed an internship at a multicultural advertising agency in Chicago. It was my first look into the world of big advertising, working with clients like Infiniti, Humana, and Nissan. There, I learned how to create marketing that resonates within specific cultural communities, including Hispanic, Asian, and Black audiences.
I then moved to another agency, where I worked on projects for clients like Blue Cross Blue Shield, Disney, Oscar Mayer, and Hershey's. That role taught me about campaign marketing, brand design, guerrilla marketing, and how to deliver ideas that shape culture.
2018: Co-founding a nonprofit
Alongside my agency work, I was pouring my heart into side projects with two of my best friends. We created a photo series highlighting women who are survivors of sexual assault, which was featured on FOX 32 Chicago. We also designed and published a book of stories and photos from women around the world, exploring their ideas of beauty.
Those projects became the beginnings of Dry Ground, a nonprofit for women, by women, giving them space to speak and have their voices heard. It was my first experience seeing firsthand how design and storytelling can create change.
2020: Designing for a global nonprofit
After a few years in advertising, I felt a strong pull toward work that would make a bigger impact. I joined a global humanitarian organization as an in-house designer. The organization partners with children, families, and communities to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
There, I designed fundraising campaigns, event marketing, and digital materials. I learned an enormous amount about donor relationships and ethical, effective storytelling.
2021: Starting Sereth Design
During the COVID-19 pandemic, I felt inspired to take everything I'd learned and venture out on my own. Sereth Design was born from a dream to create sensational, refined, and thoughtful design for small businesses in my community.
What began with word of mouth from former coworkers and friends slowly grew into working with organizations across the United States, and even some abroad. In those early years, I worked with clients in production, photography, food, therapy, education, and wellness.
Finding my way back to purpose
I loved working with so many different kinds of businesses. But over time, I kept returning to one question: how is this work benefiting the world and touching lives beyond my own?
I realized the purpose behind Sereth Design had always been to use design to touch lives and move mountains: to evoke emotion, bring people together around shared goals, and leave the world better than we found it.
Today, as creative director and lead designer, I work exclusively with nonprofits and mission-driven brands that are pushing for equality, safety, health, and community. And I'm loving every moment of it.
What this journey taught me
Each chapter shaped how I approach design for nonprofits today.
Growing up abroad taught me that every community has its own culture and nuance, and that design should be built with people, not just for them.
Studying advertising showed me how deeply design and emotion are connected, and how visuals can shift perceptions and inspire action.
Working at agencies gave me the strategic tools to build brands and campaigns that resonate with specific audiences.
Co-founding Dry Ground taught me what it feels like to run a mission-driven organization with big dreams and limited resources.
Designing in-house for a global nonprofit gave me a deep understanding of donor relationships and the responsibility that comes with telling other people's stories.
Building my own studio reminded me that the work I find most meaningful is the work that helps others create change.
Let's tell your story together
If you're a nonprofit or community-minded business looking for a brand or website designer, I'd love to chat. Together, we can tell your story in the most thoughtful and strategic way. You have your own story to tell and lives to touch, and I'd love to help you get there.
At Sereth Design, we help nonprofits and impact-driven organizations build brands and websites that move people to act. See how we've done it in our case studies or start a conversation about your organization's next chapter.
