Team Kinesis Spotlight: Bekah Garibay

You can often find Kinesis at the intersection of strategy and creativity - which means we seek out team members who align closely with this philosophy. For that reason, we're excited to introduce the newest member of our design team - Bekah Garibay!

Bekah works with our team to…

• Craft design strategies which elevate our clients' brands beyond the every day
• Develop visually compelling stories to support business transformation
• Create websites which are both beautiful and purposeful - driving new business to our clients

Read more about Bekah's role and how she is transforming our team in this week's Kinesis Team Spotlight!

Thanks for sitting down with us, Bekah! I'll start by asking you to talk a little bit about your role. What are your responsibilities as a Designer?

As a designer, my top priority and responsibility is to efficiently execute the best possible creative solution for our clients, with transformation in mind as the end goal. This applies to every project, from the small stuff (like ads and stationery) to big projects (like logos and websites), and entails a lot of strategic thinking and communication before any visuals are created.

Sounds like you're already speaking the Kinesis language, with strategic thinking coming first! What would you say is your personal approach to this type of work?

My approach here is to think about possibilities, plan accordingly, and then apply that process to design. Then there are the less abstract responsibilities, like vendor communication, press checks, whiteboarding meetings, and design team silliness (essential to creativity).

I could not agree more - silliness is a critical ingredient. I know you have a pretty impressive background, with design being a part of your life as far back as high school (is that right?!). How do you think that experience has helped you here at Kinesis? 

My background is in print design, illustration, and branding. My self-assigned senior project in high school (many, many moons ago) was to build my own website with html for my art portfolio (I had no idea how to do this but managed to pull together a now embarrassing, and hopefully lost in the ether, single page site).

After high school I completed a year-long design internship that jumpstarted me to college to get my degree in Visual Communications. During this time I was freelancing and gaining valuable real-world experience in working with industry professionals, clients, and vendors while still in school. I also interned at a University publishing house, which got me pretty disciplined in long form typesetting, a skill that is surprisingly often glossed over in design programs.

And when or how did you make the transition from visual communication to branding specifically? What drew you to that discipline?

My interest in branding grew as I jumped from the publishing and freelance worlds into branding at boutique agencies. This is where I learned the in-depth, strategic processes involved in uncovering and manifesting remarkable and powerful brands.

Since then, I have bounced between working at agencies and following my independent streak as a freelancer. I draw on all of these experiences every day at Kinesis; I have the resiliency of a freelancer and the experience of working in a variety of environments, allowing me to move fluidly and carve out a unique and valuable space here.

What else makes you such an awesome fit for this position? Or vice versa, what makes Kinesis the right place for you?

Having the freedom and space to approach work as an individual is very important to my well being, and working with an effective team is invaluable to my sanity after working solo for so long. Kinesis has managed to merge the dance of the group and the individual into the core of its culture, and it’s a truly special phenomenon. We are all seen as three dimensional, not cogs in a machine, and the company is dedicated to freely giving us the tools and trust we need to achieve the work/life balance that helps each of us thrive.

This place is constantly evolving; this could be scary for some, but to me this is essential, even if at times road blocks along the way cause a little discomfort. I feel lucky to have found Kinesis; every single person who works here lives with thoughtful intention and gratitude. This dedication to realness makes me better at my job and more dedicated to my own growth.

We're appreciative of your dedication to realness too! What would you say is your favorite aspect of your role here?

I love pairing strategy with creativity. They are two sides of the same coin, and for a designer it’s the best of both worlds – merging the analytical, organized left brain with the creative, boundless right brain.

At Kinesis, this is central to everyone’s role. I love that I am encouraged to think big and am given so much support from the rest of the team. Every project and every decision, whether it be strategy or design-related, is packed with intentional purpose. This focused energy delivers the best outcomes for our client partnerships, and that’s the icing on the cake.

And if I'm not mistaken, that creativity extends beyond just your professional life - correct? What are some of your interests outside of work?

Life outside of work for me consists of working on my other craft—music. I play shows with a band pretty regularly as writer, lead vocalist, and keys player. I also collaborate on other music projects, and am working on an album. I look forward to getting to the finish line with the album and hopefully finding a home for it so I can focus less on the many logistical aspects of being a musician and more on the actual making of the music.

My biggest dedication in life is my rescue animals. I have two dogs, Mama and Goose, who showed up together as emaciated strays, and a cat, Hops, who came from a feral cat litter. I’m a big animal lover and devote a lot of my spare time toward their health and happiness. Goose is a certified therapy dog, and I hope to get her back to visiting assisted living centers and hospitals in the near future.

Other interests include yoga, running, hiking with the dogs, traveling, gardening, and expanding my culinary palette (I’m not much of a cook but nothing brings me as much immediate joy as eating amazing food).

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