About Me

 

   

My path began with a BFA in Photography. Back then, my hands were stained with darkroom chemicals and I reeked of Dektol. I’ve been an award-winning magazine art director and designer for a luxury travel magazine and National Geographic Traveler. I can deliver a hefty magazine spread. Guaranteed Smudge-Free™. 

In-between were the hands-on years of photo-retouching, setting type, darkroom work, being a hand model for a day (!), assisting photographers, crafting compelling story packages, and mastering the intersection of brand experiences, readers, and business goals.

Grateful for that rich experience, I brought it to my work on the web, learning new technologies and how to stretch beyond print to a new set of potentials and constraints. My latest adventure: I teach these skills and more to undergraduate and graduate students in photography and design at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

A creative at heart, I’m enthralled with Design itself: the principles that perfectly deliver a message. The message itself is essential to me—working with people who love life and want to make it more beautiful, more pleasurable, more luxurious for others, or who are driven to make life better—or even possible—for people in a faraway village.

I know that I am inseparable from my environment. It's only natural that I often work with people who care about the beauty of our natural world and work hard to remind us of the universal, collective experiences we share around the world.

I am Korean-American, born stateside, the first child of three, and the only daughter. Asian background? Then you’ll know the significance. My name in Korean, Yeon or Yun hoh (방연호), is roughly translated as “Yun” (flower of the lake) and “hoh” (big heart).

 

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Related Experience

Adjunct Professor
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
Courses include: Marketing & branding “Craft Your Image”.

Assistant Professor (tenure track)
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University
Courses include: Marketing, branding, design-thinking: Craft Your Image, Introduction to Graphic Design, Advanced Design & Production, Typography. Lectures on entrepreneurship & marketing for photographers and other creative professionals

Judge, LUCEO Student Student Project Award

Co-Director of Photography for Rick Smolan and Jennifer Erwitt’s book, The Blue Planet Run.
We researched, gathered, and edited approximately 40-60,000 images and assigned about 40 photographers around the world.

Art Director/Designer/Photography Director
Virtuoso Life
Art direction, design, and photo direction for a bimonthly luxury travel magazine

Associate Art Director
National Geographic Traveler
Art direction and design for bimonthly national consumer travel magazine

Features Designer
Chicago Tribune
Art direction and design of weekly business feature sections

Lead Designer
Copley Northern Illinois Sun Publications
Design of weekly tabloid-sized community newspapers

Design Editor
The Globe and Mail
Art direction and design for national Canadian daily broadsheet newspaper

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Recognition

• Editor's Pick, 2012 Just Can't Wait Save the Date Challenge, "Mangold Mojo"
• Editor's Pick, 2011 Sending Good Cheer Holiday Challenge, "Luxe Flourish"
• Editor's Pick, 2011 Chronicle Books Personal Stationery Design Challenge, "Dotted Leaves"
• Editor’s Pick, 2011 February Showers Design Challenge, “Asian Circles”
• Best in Show, 2010 State Education Editor’s Conference, Oregon Education Association’s Today's OEA 
• Most improved, 2010 State Education Editor’s Conference, Oregon Education Association’s Today’s OEA
• Editor’s Pick, 2010 Getting Hitched Save the Date Design Challenge, “Vineyard Harvest Light”
• Editor’s Pick, 2010 Getting Hitched Save the Date Design Challenge, “Posh Wine Label”
• CSS WOW : Michael D. Davis
• Design Fridge : Type-based Web Design Inspiration, Michael D. Davis
• Web Creme : Web Design Inspiration, Michael D. Davis
• ExpressionEngine Showcase Gallery KevinWeinstein.com
• Squarespace Featured Gallery MichaelDDavis.com
• Squarespace Featured Gallery CorCellars.com
• Squarespace Featured Gallery CocoPaperie.com
• Editor’s Pick, 2008 Minted.com Save the Date Card Design Challenge, “City”
• Runner-up, 2008 Minted.com , Our First Holiday Card Design Challenge, “Peppermint Spark”
• Editor’s Pick, 2008 Minted.com, Our First Holiday Card Design Challenge, “Oh Joy”
• Runner-up, 2008 Minted.com Design Challenge, The Ultimate Bridal Shower Invitation, “Deco Lights”
• Editor’s Pick, 2008 Minted.com, The Ultimate Bridal Shower Invitation Design Challenge, “Lovely Bubbly”
• Editor’s Pick, 2008 Minted.com, The Ultimate Bridal Shower Invitation Design Challenge, “Sweet Blossom”
• Editor’s Pick, 2008 Minted.com, The Ultimate Bridal Shower Invitation Design Challenge, “Opera”
• 2008 Commissioned Design, Minted.com,“Opera” Party Invitation Design
• 2008 Commissioned Design, Minted.com, Holiday Card, “Twilight Stars”
• Winner, 2008 Minted.com, The 2009 Minted Holiday Card Challenge, “Red Ribbon Happiness”
• Finalist, 2007 WPA Maggie Awards, Best Color Editorial Layout (Virtuoso Life, “Where the Wild Things Are”)
• Finalist, 2007 WPA Maggie Awards, Best Series of Editorial Photographs (Virtuoso Life, “Picture Perfect”)
• Finalist, 2007 WPA Maggie Awards, Best Series of Editorial Illustrations (Virtuoso Life, “Royal Waves”)
• Silver, 2006 Lowell Thomas Awards, Magazine Photo Illustration: Travel (Virtuoso Life, “In Living Color”)
• Finalist, 2006 WPA Maggie Awards, Best Color Layout (Travel + Life, “Back to Tsukiji”)
• Finalist, 2006 WPA Maggie Awards, Best Travel and In-Transit Magazine (Travel + Life staff)
• Finalist, 2004 National Magazine Awards, General Excellence (National Geographic Traveler staff)
• Silver, 2002 Lowell Thomas Awards, Magazine Photo Illustration: Travel (National Geographic Traveler staff)
• Gold, 2002 Folio: Ozzie Awards, Best Overall Design (National Geographic Traveler staff)
• HM, 2002 Folio: Ozzie Awards, Feature Design (National Geographic Traveler staff)
• Gold, 2002 Folio: Eddie Awards, Best Travel Magazine (National Geographic Traveler staff)
• 2nd place, 2000 58th POYi, Editing and Design Portfolio (Copley Sun Publications team portfolio)
• 1st place, 1999 57th POYi, Best Use of Photography (Copley Sun Publications team portfolio)
• HM, 1999 57th POYi, Feature Page Editing and Design (Copley Sun Publications team portfolio)
• 3rd place, 1999 NPPA, Sports Page Editing and Design (Copley Sun Publications team portfolio)
• Silver, 1998 SND, Illustration Art Direction (The Globe and Mail)