Website Branding Works / Cowan Foundation, Ambit IT & More.
A website fundamentally serves two core purposes from a user experience perspective:
The elevator pitch — For first-time and casual visitors, it must instantly communicate who you are, what you do, and why it matters. This is your quick, compelling introduction that hooks attention and builds immediate understanding (or interest) within seconds.
The information hub — For returning and intentional visitors, it acts as a reliable repository where they can efficiently find deeper details, answers, resources, and secondary content without friction.
While these functional layers address usability, the real differentiator lies in going beyond generic, cookie-cutter design. The goal is to craft a website with a distinctive voice, personality, and soul that authentically reflects the organization’s unique story, values, and philosophy.
This tailored identity is what transforms a standard site into something memorable — one that the organization can genuinely take pride in, that strengthens branding, and that helps it stand out in a crowded digital landscape.
Case Study 001
Ambit IT
The collaboration with Ambit IT began before a full brand identity was in place. The initial priority was to deliver a clean, professional, and informational website that allowed existing and potential customers to quickly understand who Ambit IT is, explore their services, and access the client portal with ease.
This first version also served as a strategic foundation: it provided a live platform to gather valuable feedback from stakeholders and users while giving the team ample time to compile richer content, refine messaging, and build out deeper sections.
Through a close partnership with Ambit IT's owner, RJ Cowan, I gained insight into the driving forces behind the business. His background as a Gulf War veteran deeply informs his unwavering passion, loyalty, and dedication to protecting his clients. This same disciplined, mission-focused mindset is evident in his tactical approach to cybersecurity — including proactive collaborations with the FBI to identify and disrupt dark web phishing operations and other sophisticated threats.
Drawing directly from these core strengths and experiences, I evolved the site into its second revision: a more distinctive and authentic digital presence that embodies RJ's expertise, integrity, and commitment to safeguarding businesses. The result is a website that not only informs but also builds trust by reflecting the real story and values behind Ambit IT.
Case Study 002
Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay
For the Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay website, I had conversations with stakeholders and community members and understood their user needs. What emerged was a clear desire for better-targeted, relevant content; a stronger emphasis on engaging Jewish younger demographics; and a distinctive, symbolic visual identity that would instantly resonate with and represent their community's religious beliefs.
To address these goals, I reimagined the site’s primary entry points by age groups. I deconstructed the Star of David into a modular triangle pattern that connects the six key life-stage segments. This approach allows visitors to quickly find the content and programs most relevant to their own journey, whether they’re young families, teens, young professionals, empty-nesters, or seniors. By starting with a group they personally identify with, users feel seen and invited in—sparking curiosity to explore further, discover shared stories, and connect more deeply with others who reflect similar experiences and aspirations.
For the full rebrand project on Jewish Federation of the Greater East Bay, please visit the full project page here.
Case Study 003
Louie
Louie is a proudly Filipino woman-owned children’s fashion brand with a distinctly different point of view.
While most kids’ brands lean into bright, playful energy—vibrant colors, whimsical patterns, and cartoon-inspired graphics—Louie takes the opposite approach. The brand is dedicated to delivering high-quality, high-fashion clothing for children: timeless, elevated pieces that feel more like miniature versions of sophisticated adult wardrobes than typical “kidswear.”
To reflect this ethos, we designed the Louie website with the same restraint and elegance typically reserved for luxury adult fashion houses, featuring a calm, clean, and understated visual language.
Case Study 004
Cowan Foundation
Cowan Foundation is a dedicated nonprofit organization committed to providing one-on-one support to the local at-risk and vulnerable youth—children who grew up in adverse home life conditions, trauma, or other factors that threaten their successful transition to adulthood.
Through personalized, one-on-one mentoring and uplifting programs, Cowan Foundation focuses on holistic development by nurturing the mind, body, and spirit of each young person. By empowering these youth to overcome challenges, achieve self-sufficiency, and step confidently into positive adult roles, the foundation aims to break cycles of hardship and create lasting, positive impacts on individuals, families, and communities.
Case Study 005
Love Every Animal
Love Every Animal Shelter was founded by Lyza Chavez, a passionate Latina woman driven by deep compassion for animals. In 1999, recognizing a significant gap in California's animal welfare system—where many traditional shelters prioritize only the most "popular" and easily adoptable pets while euthanizing or rejecting others deemed less desirable—Lyza set out to create meaningful change. She firmly believes that every animal, regardless of age, breed, health status, or appearance, deserves a genuine chance at finding a loving forever home. This conviction led her to establish the organization as a no-kill sanctuary dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming vulnerable and overlooked animals.
For the website redesign, starting from the intro animation, the goal is to craft an emotionally resonant experience that centers the animals themselves—drawing visitors in immediately through heartfelt storytelling, powerful imagery, and direct connections that touch the heart and inspire action toward adoption, support, or volunteering.
