Profile
I am Allati EL Henson from East Oakland, California. I am a dynamic designer/art director who firmly believes in potent, sophisticated and well-executed work. My perspective is informed by: my heritage as a Palestinian Moor; by my upbringing–loving and engaged; and by my circumstances–poor in money, rich in culture. These factors create a thoughtfulness unique to my vision that leads to innovative design. I absolutely love design and have a fundamental understanding that allows me to tackle any issue from various angles which results in unique solutions for every problem.
If you want to know more about me and the upbringing that shaped me as an artist, designer, thinker, and human, feel free to watch the film.
Resume
Work Experience
Cloudflare, San Francisco, CA
April 2019—Present
Position: Lead Designer/Brand Strategy/Art Director
My responsibilities at Cloudflare include: Brand strategy and copy-writing, brand design systems, creative strategy for brand campaigns, and high-level design execution.
Autodesk, San Francisco, CA
March 2016—April 2019
Position: Senior Designer/Art Director/2D Illustrator
As a multi-talented strategist/designer/art director/illustrator, I am in charge of many assignments at Autodesk. Ranging from, featuring my illustrations in the Future of Making book by Tom Wujec—to art directing other creative agencies ensuring Autodesk’s brand standards—to re-establishing a new brand identity and centralizing it on Autodesk’s very first brand hub. I am personally responsible for Autodesk’s first emotional branding strategy, color strategy, typography standards, and icon library/2d illustration style.
Endless Mobile, San Francisco, CA
November 2015—February 2016
Position: Senior Designer
Packaging, UX/UI for product website, Web Campaign Marketing.
Gershoni, San Francisco, CA
April 2014—November 2015
I was the lead senior designer in charge of high-level design-thinking and art direction working from
concept to completion on all projects, some of which are listed below:
Client: Googleplay
Position: Senior Designer/Art Director
Project: POP Holiday Gift Card Design
I conceptualized, art directed, and designed various holiday gift card designs for Googleplay.
The request from the client was to be creative and explore outside the boundaries typically known
to the Googleplay brand.
Client: Build Inc
Position: Senior Designer/Art Director
Project: India Basin SF Brand/Identity
Working with an international development corporation I was tasked with creating the brand identity for a newly imagined community along a naturally developed waterfront in San Francisco’s Hunter’s Point. Using both my illustration and design skills I was able to come up with a badge inspired logo which portrays the vision of the new community. Following the creation of the logo was a website to tell the story of the
upcoming project.
Tunein, Palo Alto, CA
April—May 2014 (Freelance)
Position: Brand Consultant
Project: Tunein Brand Consultation
Served as a Brand Consultant, helping to refine their brand and tighten up marketing efforts.
Words Pictures Ideas, San Francisco, CA
August 2012—April 2014
I served as the designer/production artist working with the creative director on all major projects listed below:
Client: San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
Position: Designer
Project: SFpark
As the project’s lead graphic designer, I helped steward the SFpark brand through outreach campaigns
and website updates.
Project: Fisherman’s Wharf Wayfinding Strategy/Signage Design
I created the strategy and redesigned all wayfinding signage for the Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco.
Project: SFpark Meter UX/ UI Strategy & Visual Redesign
I redesigned the user experience of all meters in San Francisco including single and multi-space meters.
In 2014, 30,000 new meters were installed citywide reflecting the new experience.
Client: San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Position: Art Director/Designer
Project: Prep Facts, Public Outreach Expansion Campaign
I created three illustration–based designs that were used to target an expanded demographic.The deliverables included bus posters, BART posters, palm cards, website expansion, web banners, and brochures. I served as the illustrator, graphic designer, project manager and print production
manager for this project.
Client: Illuminate the Arts
Position: Lead Designer
Project: The Bay Lights
I helped develop the brand strategy and created marketing collateral for both print and web. Ads were featured in 7X7 magazine, Where, California Style, and Axiom.
Client: Claude Lane, Franck LeClerc, Restaurateur
Position: Art Director/Designer
Project: Cafe Claude, Rebrand
I had the pleasure of rebranding San Francisco’s own Cafe Claude. The scope of work included a new brand/identity, business cards, signage, web experience, plates, and advertisements. I served as the
designer, art director, project manager, and print production manager for this project.
Education
California College of the Arts (CCA), San Francisco
Graduate with High Distinction—BFA in Graphic Design & Visual Studies,
2007—2012
Skills
Proficient in InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, Sketch, Keynote, MSWord, and Powerpoint. Copy-writing for brand strategy decks. Highly strategic and conceptual thinker. Knowledgeable when it comes to collaborating with developers. Strong problem-solving skills. I am quick witted, intuitive and decisive. Articulate with explanations of concepts and ideas to others. Comfortable with taking leadership roles and owning projects, as well as taking direction and receiving guidance. Awesome can-do personality
and fun to work with.
Awards & Accomplishments
Invited by Real Ideas Studios
to Cannes Film Festival 66 to feature a short film, 2013
Featured on Redbull Art
Collective’s website as an up
and coming designer/illustrator, 2013
Featured in Icograda’s
World Communication Design Day with digital billboard
debuted in London, 2013
Acknowledged at SF AIGA
Continuum, 2013
Packaging Design Finalist in the Adobe Design Achievement Awards,
Toronto, CN, 2012
Illustration Finalist in the
Adobe Design Achievement Awards, Toronto, CN, 2012
AIGA SF Tharp Scholar 2012
Invited by Real Ideas Studios to Cannes Film Festival 64, 2011