What I’ve Learned from Sticking Around

I’m Praise — an art director, creative strategist, and builder of beautifully functional design systems.

If there’s one through-line in my career, it’s this: I stay. I stay long enough to understand how things really work. Long enough to build trust.
Long enough to make something better than I found it.

For the past 17 years, I’ve grown inside teams I believed in — shaping campaigns that moved the needle, building systems that scaled, and leading creative that’s equal parts thoughtful and effective. I’ve never chased titles. I’ve chased impact.

My career began at Restoration Hardware. I was hired as a Web Designer and stayed for nearly a decade. Over time, I became Digital Creative Lead, overseeing the full digital ecosystem for seasonal launches, product storytelling, and eCommerce experiences. I helped architect and maintain a proprietary digital asset library of more than 175,000 images and SKUs — a system built for precision and longevity. I became the bridge between creative, marketing, and tech. I developed a meticulous eye for luxury styling, retouching consistency, and the invisible details that make a brand feel expensive and cohesive.

From there, I joined Level Studios to support Apple. I started as a Senior Interactive Designer and was promoted to Creative Design & Production Lead. Apple’s standard is famously high — and I thrived in that environment. I led a team of 11 full-time retouchers embedded on-site, implemented systems that mirrored Apple’s internal workflows, and ensured every landing page, product visual, and digital asset met an exacting bar. The work demanded calm precision, cross-functional fluency, and deep respect for craft. It sharpened my ability to lead without ego and to scale quality without sacrificing nuance.

Eventually, I brought that blend of executional rigor and creative leadership to Walmart Connect. I joined as a Senior Designer and advanced to Lead Art Director for Motion & Video. There, I directed concept art, storyboards, and motion-driven campaigns across Walmart’s retail media ecosystem. I partnered with producers, writers, and brand partners to shape cohesive narratives. I mentored younger creatives. I introduced collaboration tools that streamlined visual alignment across fast-moving digital teams. And I helped evolve Walmart’s supplier-facing brand presence into something clearer, stronger, and more intentional.

Across all three chapters — Restoration Hardware, Apple, and Walmart — what’s consistent isn’t just longevity. It’s growth.

Each time, I moved from hands-on designer to systems thinker. From individual contributor to trusted creative leader. From executing assets to architecting ecosystems.

Sticking around taught me that great creative isn’t just about the big idea. It’s about stewardship. It’s about building frameworks that outlast campaigns. It’s about earning trust so your voice carries weight in the room. And it’s about caring enough to refine something until it truly works — not just for today, but for the long term.

Whether I’m directing a motion campaign, refining a retouching pipeline, building a scalable design system, or designing the menu for my retro-arcade deli side venture, I bring the same approach: thoughtfulness, consistency, clarity — and just enough irreverence to make it memorable.

I believe in staying. I believe in building. And I believe the best creative work happens when you’re invested enough to see it evolve.

I’m always looking to collaborate with teams who feel the same.