07/11/2026
Lately, it feels like there's been a lot of heaviness in our social feeds.
This past week, though, a few posts stopped me in my tracks—in the best way. One of them was celebrating News - Domestic Violence & Sexual Abuse Services' 45th anniversary, and it prompted me to reflect on a chapter of my life that I'm incredibly grateful for.
Today I serve the State of California, but before that I spent more than two decades running my small design studio, Folia Design in Napa County. Looking back, one of the greatest privileges of that season was partnering with organizations whose work truly changed lives.
Seeing News celebrate 45 years of serving our community—and seeing posts from Monarch Justice Center and SANE SART —reminded me that good branding isn't about a logo. It's about helping tell the story of a mission that deserves to be seen, understood, and supported.
I'm honored that I was invited to help shape the brands behind organizations like Napa NEWS, Monarch Justice Center, and SANE/SART. These organizations exist because people recognized that survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder abuse deserved compassionate, coordinated, and safe places to turn for help. Their impact reaches far beyond anything a designer could create.
A few people deserve a special thank you.
In 2016, my talented friend and marketing strategist, Heather Piazza, introduced me to Tracy Lamb at Napa NEWS. Thank you both for trusting me to help bring that vision to life. It's especially meaningful to look back knowing Napa NEWS is now celebrating 45 years of advocacy, support, and hope for survivors. That opportunity became the beginning of relationships that would eventually lead to work with Monarch Justice Center and SANE/SART.
In 2020, Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley called me on a Sunday to ask if I'd be interested in meeting about creating the brand for Monarch Justice Center. I'll never forget that phone call. Thank you for believing in the process and for leading a collaboration that brought together law enforcement, victim advocates, health professionals, and community partners to better serve survivors.
Then, in 2022, Kari Kuh Cordero entrusted me with developing the brand for SANE/SART as the organization expanded its work serving survivors across Napa and Solano Counties. Kari, thank you for your confidence and partnership.
I'd also be remiss if I didn't recognize Brendan Murphy and the team at Camaleo. Brendan and I worked together for 24 years, with Camaleo bringing these brands to life online through thoughtful web development. Brendan, you've been an exceptional collaborator, and I'm grateful for the opportunity we had to build so many meaningful projects together.
When I look back on my career, I'm reminded that the projects I'm most proud of were never the ones with the biggest budgets—they were the ones with the biggest purpose.
Congratulations to Napa NEWS on 45 years of extraordinary service, and thank you to everyone at Napa NEWS, Monarch Justice Center, and SANE/SART who continue to show up every day for people during some of life's most difficult moments. Your work matters. Napa and Solano Counties are stronger because of you.
I'm grateful our paths crossed, and I'm excited to see your missions continue to make a difference for years to come.
(Photos borrowed from their social feeds. I encourage everyone to read more about them and their incredible services)
