Karen Butler

President

Karen is passionate about many things, such as art, design, beautiful fonts, music, family, scuba diving, and all things Caribbean. One of her biggest passions is her quest to inspire others and to help them realize their own potential and purpose. After working in the legal field for almost a decade, her love for art and design motivated her to make the bold choice to go back to school and obtain her degree in graphic design. Her relentless pursuit to push creative boundaries to find unique solutions established her as a vital part of the creative team at Victorinox Swiss Army and helped to propel them as the “go-to” for creative thinking, strategies, and ideas. Her continued appetite for knowledge, challenge, and growth has led her to her current role as Senior Art Director with Prudential Retirement. A firm believer in the transformative power of teamwork and mentorship, her goal is simply “to inspire and be inspired,” and it is her objective to do just that in her tenure as President. Email Karen at president@connecticut.aiga.org.

Keisha Croxton

Vice President, Membership & Inclusion

Keisha is a Web Designer at Finalsite in Glastonbury, and a graduate from Central Connecticut State University with a BA in Graphic/Information Design. She has a passion for helping others achieve their goals and loves to be involved in projects that help motivate others. Diversity and inclusion will be a major focus in Keisha’s leadership of our membership initiatives. Email Keisha at membership@connecticut.aiga.org.

Anna Gallo

Vice President, Commuications

Anna is a tech geek, animal mom, and cupcake enthusiast. Born and raised in Connecticut, she studied English and Studio Art at Georgetown University before earning her MS in Interactive Media from Quinnipiac University. In addition to developing interactive work for her clients, she teaches creative writing and media arts at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts. Email Anna at communications@connecticut.aiga.org.

Brendan Grimaldi

Vice President, Operations

Brendan joined AIGA to engage with other professionals from across the creative spectrum, to learn, gain insights, and abilities, and to explore new avenues to channel inspiration. Brendan received his BA in Communications at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. After spending many years in the digital music industry, Brendan moved back to his home state of Connecticut and rooted himself deeper in creative work, working in-house for the Creative and Media Services for Travelers. Currently, Brendan serves as a key strategic member of the creative team for Prudential Retirement as a Senior Art Director. Brendan thrives on team experiences, sharing  ideas, building skills, trying new things, and expanding networks. Email Brendan at operations@connecticut.aiga.org.

Manny Vargas

Vice President, Programming

Manny is a Senior Designer for ZAG Interactive and a freelance food photographer who lives in West Hartford, Connecticut with his wife and two kids. On the weekends, he enjoys spending time with his family, salsa dancing, and making handmade bow ties for fun. Manny looks forward to bringing more inspiring – and fun – opportunities for Connecticut creatives to gather and collaborate. Email Manny at programming@connecticut.aiga.org.

Rena DeBortoli

Director, Partner Relations

Rena has a passion for design and a quest to see the world. Her creative energy, dark chocolate, and love of design have been inspiring her award-winning design solutions for 25+ years. Rena’s focus is on branding and developing communication and marketing materials across a variety of media. Her clients include Aerosmith, Big Papi's Kitchen, Pepsi, Pratt & Whitney, Saucony, Sanrio, and Stand Up 2 Cancer. Previously, as Creative Director for Sonalysts, Inc., she led a creative team servicing Pratt & Whitney, Mohegan Sun, Pfizer, ESPN, Time Life and others with strategic planning and branding, graphic design, 2D and 3D animation, web, video and broadcast design, and environmental and set design. Rena recently served as Vice President for AIGA CT. She also served on the CADC board for many years, including as its President. Rena holds a BFA in Communication Design from the Pennsylvania State University, and teaches as an adjunct at Mitchell College. Email Rena at partners@connecticut.aiga.org.

Monique Duquette

Director of Programming – In-House

Monique is the Associate Creative Director at TicketNetwork and an award-winning designer. She has been with TicketNetwork for over six years, and leads the in-house design team, which executes design solutions for more than twelve brands. She has a lifelong passion for design and currently serves on the Board of Directors focusing on In-House Initiatives. Before TicketNetwork, she worked at Winstanley Associates and Bidwell ID. Monique holds a BFA in both Graphic Design and Photography from UMass Dartmouth. Email Monique at moniqueduquette@connecticut.aiga.org.

Randy Herbertson

Director, Mentorship

Randy is a recognized brand strategist and creative director with over 25 years of marketing and innovation experience. Randy’s experience includes roles as a corporate facilitator and consumer insight specialist, and as an accomplished creative director where he has played a key role in a number of product innovations and corporate transformations. Randy has worked in the client, agency, and media worlds in environments both entrepreneurial and corporate. He has worked with a diverse range of companies and industries that include retail, finance, professional services, technology, fashion and beauty, entertainment, pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer-packaged goods. He has spoken on numerous industry panels, and is a corporate mentor to a number of emerging companies and young professionals. Randy’s past employers include the WPP and Omnicom agency networks, where he was a senior creative strategist for Jeep and other Chrysler brands, The Coca-Cola Company, Masterfoods, Sun Microsystems, McDonalds, and Glaxo-Smith Kline. Randy co-founded and later sold Seesaw, a full-service NYC-based branding studio. At Seesaw, Randy worked with companies that include Kraft, Singer, Diageo, Nike, K2, Verizon, Yale, Mediavest, Logitech, Croscill, Stila Cosmetics, and Deutsche Bank, among others. As Executive Director of Experience Design and Strategy for The Concept Farm, his clients included SC Johnson, Aruba Tourism, Century 21 and Heineken. Returning to the entrepreneurial world, Randy launched "The Visual Brand," serving clients Heineken, Pernod Ricard, Authentic Apparel, and others. Email Randy at mentorship@connecticut.aiga.org.

Jack Tom

Director, Education

Jack Tom is an multidisciplinary and award-winning designer and illustrator with over 35 years experience, producing a wide range of graphic design and illustration. In 1978, he moved to New York City from San Francisco and worked as a staff art director and senior designer at McCall’s Magazine, CBS, andBusiness Week Magazine. In 1985, he started Jack Tom Design, producing illustrations and designs for clients such as Greater Bridgeport Transit, Bausch & Lomb, Gartner, Burger King, McDonald’s, Sony Corp., Time-Warner, HBO, MetLife, Metropool, Aetna, New York University, and American Museum of Natural History, just to name a few. Jack has received numerous awards and recognitions from Graphis Design and Logo Annuals, Print Regional Design Annuals, Print Best Logos & Symbols, How Promotional Annuals, New York Art Directors, Communication Arts Design & Illustration Annuals, andCreativity Annuals. His digital illustrations are featured in the Adobe Illustrator CS WOW! book series and he is a featured illustrator in Best Practice, The Pros on Adobe Illustrator. His artwork of the “The Seven Deadly Sins” series are now in the permanent museum collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain CT. He has served as President and Vice President for CADC, and Board Member and Advisor for three Illustration Conferences (ICON 3, 4 and 5). He is also an educator and has taught graphic design and illustration at the University of New Haven, New York University, Fairfield University, Syracuse University, Marywood University, and Norwalk Community College. He is now a full-time Professor of Illustration and Design at Western CT State University. Email Jack at education@connecticut.aiga.org.

Meghan Sandelli

Chair, Communications

Meghan is a Graphic Designer at Skyline Exhibits and Graphics in Middletown, CT working in three- and two-dimensional design to create trade show environments, branding and marketing materials. She earned a BA in Graphic/Information Design from Central Connecticut State University. Meghan is excited to share her passion for design while encouraging fellow designers to follow their own passion. Email Meghan at meghansandelli@connecticut.aiga.org.

Mark Zurolo

Chair, Education

Mark Zurolo is a graphic designer. He received his MFA in Graphic Design from Yale University in 2001. Prior to earning an MFA, Mark worked for WGBH Educational Foundation in Boston, MetaDesign in San Francisco and the award-winning design studio, Imaginary Forces in Los Angeles. In 2001 he established his design practice, SML, in New Haven that encompasses identity and branding, print, environmental, interactive, video and motion graphics for cultural and non-profit organizations. His clients have included Yale University, The Yale Alumni Magazine, Wesleyan University, Austen Riggs Center, Yale Law School, and Real Art Ways. He has won awards fromGraphis, the American Center for Design, and CADC among others. He has been teaching Graphic Design since 2001 and is currently an Associate Professor of Design at the University of Connecticut. Email Mark at markzurolo@connecticut.aiga.org.

Kim Barker-Craven

Member-at-Large

Kim has been a member of AIGA since 2007, having served most recently as President of AIGA CT. She is the Founder and President of Creative Services Group (CSG) – a strategic communications firm with over 40 industry awards, providing branding, marketing strategy and graphic design. At CSG, Kim works with corporate, academic, government and nonprofit clients, building brand strategies that address identity, positioning, messaging, community-building, and social impact. Kim's interests in environmental and social issues inspired her to launch CSG’s Be Seen as Green initiative to advocate for awareness and mindful action, leading clients to consider these factors as they relate to their brand. The CT Department of Energy & Environmental Protection has awarded CSG with two GreenCircle awards for their work. Prior to launching CSG, Kim was Vice President at Hughes Design – a packaging design firm in Norwalk, CT, and Assistant Art Director atTennis magazine. Email Kim at kimbarkercraven@connecticut.aiga.org.