Hej Nordiska ministerrådet!
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My name is Camila and I am honoured to be applying for your Graphic Designer position. I want to prove that great things can be achieved through, creative thinking, powerful visual communication, and diplomatic work.
I am confident I am a strong candidate for the position for the following reasons:
• Building award-winning visual communication projects. As a cross-platform graphic designer in the space of social development, I specialize in design aimed toward large-scale impact, driven by the big challenges affecting humanity.
Until early 2020 (pre-pandemic), I led a graphic design team at the UNICEF at the United Nation’s headquarters in New York, working with issues affecting children as part of a division focused on data, research, and policymaking. My team was responsible for producing a large amount of UNICEF’s research and evidence reports, fact sheets, web design, infographics, and translating complex information into easy-to-understand policy pieces. Our big-data project Marble, won the Design & Art Director Awards for Best Branding in London 2019. One of the most prestigious design awards in the industry.
I also led the re-design of UNICEF’s Official Brand Guide, an extensive process spanning strategy, usability and universal design, as it affected the organisation globally.
Today, I operate as an independent creative consultant which has allowed me the flexibility to navigate projects for both public and private sector.
• 13 years of experience with a background in advertising. I started my career in the international advertising industry (Ogilvy and BBDO). With my core base in graphic design, I have specialized in building brands for consumer markets and the luxury sector - from diamonds in South Africa to the Emirati government of the United Arab Emirates. Nowadays I dedicate my visual art skills and steadfast attention to detail, to projects for social advancement.
• A passionate advocate for Nordic design and our influence for good. Born and raised in Malmo Sweden, I early on adopted a strong love for the clean lines and intentional aesthetics of nordic design - where less is more, but never compromising on quality. With parental roots in Bolivia, I grew up in a multicultural setting, with an awareness of how our Nordic societal structure was unique, equal and something to be immensely proud of.
I graduated from Malmo University with the highest honours for my thesis Design as a tool for Social Development. Forever championing Scandinavian design, my passion for culture has taken me to different corners of the globe; from vibrant South Africa (Ogilvy), and the United Arab Emirates (BBDO), to Latin America and the United States (UNICEF, United Nations).
I’m an advocate for the power of effective visual communication and its ability to influence important topics. Truly great design is universal and inclusive. I am fine-tuned to the nature of cross-border and culturally sensitive contexts, such as gender issues, and I am adept at visually synthesizing for wide audiences from rural communities to global diplomatic settings.
I am excited to explore Nordiska ministerrådets vision and needs and to further continue the conversation of how we with design can fuel our Scandinavian voice on the global scene.
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Looking forward,
Camila Garay
Highlights
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Awards
D&AD Awards - Best Branding, Graphite Pencil
Type Directors Club Win
ADC Merit Win x2
One Screen Shortlist
Brand Film Shortlist
Featured
Digital Arts Mag
UN Sweden
Unicef Stories of Innovation
Campaign US
UnderConsideration
Talks
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab - Creativity for Humanity
D&AD Festival - Design Diplomacy
Apolitical - Data & Design
Experience
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CREATIVE DIRECTOR
MALMO, SWE / CAPE TOWN, SA — FEB 2020 TO CURRENT
Consulting Creative Director in the space of technology, science, and social development. heading up design initiatives for the public and private sector.
ART DIRECTOR
UNICEF, UNITED NATIONS HQ
NEW YORK, USA — JAN 2015 TO FEB 2020
Creative direction for UNICEF Data, Research & Policy. Leading a design team composed of designers and strategists, in the intersection of data science, visual arts, and innovation.
Led the creation of award-winning initiative ‘Marble’, a rarity for a United Nations agency. Total wins: x4 Shortlisted: x2
Headed up the largest call for creative services in UNICEF’s history, across 8 categories; publication design, presentation design, general graphics, creative concepts, visual identity, illustration, exhibit/ambient design, data visualization.
Results: Today serving the organization’s 190 offices with creative services. I developed the strategy for the process, formed the internal evaluation panels for all categories, and managed the process of hundreds of applications from creative agencies across the world.
Designed UNICEF’s global Brand Book and supported the rollout of the organization’s new Brand Strategy in 2017.
Provided design strategy and creative direction to secure high-profile external partnerships (Google, Telefonica, Parsons School of Design, and UN sister agencies).
Led conceptualization and design of various global flagship reports, including digital global marketing. E.g. the report Progress for Every Child; Sustainable Development Goals which was downloaded >5000 times in its first week of release, a record for a data-centric UNICEF report.
Supervision and mentoring of design staff, hires, and internships (Data, Research & Policy division).
Served as creative advisor across larger UNICEF, Department of Communication, including National Committee offices, regularly ‘lent out’ to support the needs of initiatives with high visibility.
Presented our creative work at NASA Space Agency, Jet Propulsion Lab, in February 2020, to the institution’s design director and team.
DESIGNER
UNICEF, UNITED NATIONS HQ
NEW YORK, USA — 2015 TO 2016
Designer for the Division of Data, Research & Policy appointed to lead the identity development of a new division, plan and manage design projects across multidisciplinary teams.
FOUNDER, GARAY FORM
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA — 2011 TO 2015
Independent design studio focused on clientele within the luxury and the non-profit sector (50/50).
DESIGNER
UNICEF, COUNTRY OFFICE
NICARAGUA — 2013
Design consultant for UNICEF Nicaragua’s Social Policy Division. Appointed to lead the branding process and visual communication of Sociopreneur, a pioneering project based on a new model for sustainable tourism through social entrepreneurship.
ART DIRECTOR
IMPACT BBDO
ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — 2012 TO 2013
Art director, part of the head creative team responsible for advertising campaigns and designs for the Middle Eastern market. Working closely with an Emirate clientele and the UAE Government.
ART DIRECTOR
OGILVY & MATHER
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA — 2010 TO 2011
Art director for the New Brand Team, responsible for design, brand development, and a large majority of the studio’s pro-bono portfolio.
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
PURE PUBLISHING & DESIGN
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA — 2009
Designer for a boutique agency that focused on upscale projects for new businesses and the luxury sector.
Education
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BA. GRAPHIC DESIGN
MALMÖ UNIVERSITY, SWEDEN
Graphic Design Program – Class of 2008
Distinction – highest grade (VG) for thesis
Design as a Tool for Social Development
CAPE PENINSULA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Graphic Design International Exchange — Spring 2007
— RECOGNITION —
MINOR FIELD STUDIES SCHOLARSHIP, SIDA — 2008
Area of Research: Social design and design education in Africa
THE GRAPHIC ACHIEVEMENTS AWARD — 2005
By Graphic Institute of Stockholm, for exceptional study
performance (Swedish High School)
Other &
References
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QUALITIES
Big picture vision
Creative Management (+ passionate mentor)
Spotting and sourcing exceptional talent
Meaningful, clear and effective visual language
Attentive listener/analyzer
Structured synthesizer
Diplomatic, cross-platform storyteller
LANGUAGES
English, Swedish, Spanish
REFERENCES
Natalia Adler
CEO, Pebble Analytics
(former Data, Research and Policy Manager, UNICEF)
+34 696 796 220
natalia@pebbleanalytics.com
Wesley Furrow
Innovation Manager, Generation Unlimited, UNICEF
+1 917 265 4643
wfurrow@unicef.org
