KATE ANDERSEN

Project Information

Tampa Bay Watch is a pioneering non-profit marine conservation organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of the Tampa Bay estuary. With over three decades of environmental stewardship, they needed a visual identity that could carry their mission forward while honoring their legacy.

In Spring 2023, I joined Tampa Bay Watch as an in-house designer and content creator during a pivotal moment in the organization's growth. Known for over 30 years of coastal restoration and marine education, Tampa Bay Watch had expanded its programming to include a new education center on the St. Pete Pier, additional marine science programs, and the transformation of its headquarters into a waterfront venue for eco-friendly celebrations. While these initiatives brought exciting opportunities, they also led to brand fragmentation and confusion across audiences.

Recognizing the need for clarity, I proposed a brand restructuring strategy to the CEO in Summer 2023—recommending a branded house approach that would unify the organization under a cohesive visual system. Around the same time, our marketing team discovered SPARK's Stoked campaign, which offers pro-bono branding support to nonprofits. We applied and were fortunate to be selected. Together with Jenna Rogers (Marketing Director) and Dwayne Virgint (CEO), I collaborated closely with SPARK to reimagine Tampa Bay Watch's brand—one that honors its iconic legacy and creates a sense of community among "Tampa Bay locals," human and wildlife residents alike.

Alongside the rebrand, Jenna and I initiated a full redesign of Tampa Bay Watch's website. I led the UX design and visual direction through custom wireframes and layout systems, prioritizing user flows that make complex conservation information accessible to diverse audiences. I also redesigned the Tampa Bay Watch Discovery Center website, improving both brand alignment and user experience to better serve the center's high volume of diverse visitors.

As the organization's lead creative, I oversaw all visual outputs to ensure brand consistency across platforms. This included designing educational signage, marketing collateral, merchandise, and digital content—all with a focus on user-centered design that makes environmental action feel approachable. I also directed two educational animations featured at the Discovery Center, located on the St. Pete Pier—a destination that draws millions annually.

The resulting work reflects a unified, flexible brand that communicates clearly with a wide range of audiences—from school children to scientific partners—while staying grounded in the beauty and purpose of the bay we work to protect.

Project Information

Mindful Action for Regeneration (MAR) connects Tampa Bay residents with nature through volunteer days, workshops, and community gatherings - restoring native habitats and building environmental stewardship along the way.

Our collaboration has spanned merchandise, event photography, and environmental graphics. That included an interpretive sign for their Gulfport coastal restoration site, paired with a phone stand and QR code linking to a "living archive." There, visitors can act as citizen scientists by submitting photos and watching the site change over time.

I was also brought on for site photography, helping capture the human side of planting days and stewardship. The everyday goal is to help make regenerative action visible, approachable, and collective.

Project Information

Nothing New Collective represents a unique intersection of vintage curation and modern retail in St. Petersburg's thriving design scene. As the city's premier vendor for mid-century modern furniture, they needed a brand identity that could bridge the gap between historical appreciation and contemporary aesthetics.

The visual identity system draws inspiration from the clean lines and organic forms characteristic of mid-century design, while incorporating a more contemporary and playful illustration style that appeals to St. Petersburg's design-conscious consumers. The color palette balances warm, nostalgic tones with crisp, modern graphic elements.

Typography plays a crucial role in the identity, with the use of Expressa, an iconic and period-appropriate typeface, combined with modern typographic principles that prioritize readability and accessibility. This approach creates a visual language that feels both timeless and current—much like the pieces in Nothing New's carefully curated collection.

The system extends across all customer touchpoints, from in-store signage to digital platforms, creating a cohesive user experience that elevates the brand beyond traditional vintage retail. The result is an identity that honors design of the past while still establishing Nothing New Collective as a contemporary design destination.

Project Information

The Pollinator Shop began with a simple yet powerful goal: to inspire individuals to protect pollinators through everyday action. These creatures are essential to our ecosystems, but are often overlooked. I was brought on to help shape a brand that could bridge the gap between education, sustainability, and design—to help make pollinator advocacy approachable, actionable, and beautiful.

The challenge was to develop an identity that spoke to both seasoned gardeners and curious newcomers, while conveying the ecological urgency of pollinator conservation. The visual system draws from organic forms and natural geometry, creating a look that's refined yet friendly—scientific but not sterile. The tone is intentionally empowering, rooted in the belief that small-scale urban gardening can have a meaningful ecological impact.

From brand identity to product packaging and digital content, I designed a cohesive system that champions eco-friendly materials and intuitive, user-centered design. Every touchpoint—from seed kits to signage—is crafted with user experience in mind, making it easy for people to understand pollinator-friendly practices.

A portion of the shop's proceeds supports pollinator conservation through nonprofit partnerships, reinforcing the brand's mission at every level. The result is a unique combination of company and community, empowering pollinator stewardship one garden at a time.

Project Information

Oyster Boys Conservation is forging a new path in marine restoration, identifying as a grassroots movement built on grit. For their spring 2025 merch drop, I created a visual identity that complements their existing brand while carrying a few key elements to the forefront— strength, momentum, and an untamed edge— all grounded in purpose.

The centerpiece of the design features an osprey mid-flight, clutching a string of oysters—symbolizing resilience, restoration, and the wild harmony between predator and prey. This graphic, paired with a custom script wordmark and brand serif type drawn from maritime traditions, gives the artwork a bold, lived-in look that feels equally at home on a boat, a back road, or a city sidewalk.

To accompany the main artwork, I designed a modular "OBC" monogram inspired by traditional cattle brands and adapted from the Muara brand font. The result is a mark that feels rugged, modern, and very much theirs.

Project Information

With over 65 years of expertise in specialty dental and medical furniture, Boyd Industries has long been known for its craftsmanship and reliability. But as the company expanded into new markets—most notably through the acquisition of SMR, a premium ENT equipment line—it became clear the brand needed a visual system that could reflect its evolution.

The rebrand was driven by a desire to elevate Boyd's identity to match the quality of its products, while clarifying its growing brand architecture. The challenge was to modernize the brand without losing the equity built through decades of trust—especially in the dental market where Boyd is a category leader.

Inspired by the company's Clearwater roots and local supply chain—a key differentiator in an increasingly globalized industry—the new color palette incorporates Boyd Blue and Precision Navy, alongside a suite of metallic gradients: Platinum Silver, Satin Gold, and Slate Gray. These tones emphasize the durability and customization of Boyd's steel-based equipment, signaling a premium, future-facing brand built on solid foundations.

I redesigned the Boyd logomark with custom script and visual refinements to enhance legibility and modern appeal, while updating the broader logo system to feel more cohesive across all subsidiaries. New brand and photography guidelines were created to ensure consistency across marketing and sales materials—helping internal teams deliver a unified, elevated user experience.

I also led the UX/UI design and development of Boyd's new website, which will help launch the new visual identity across digital platforms. The UX strategy prioritizes clarity, efficiency, and accessibility and helps present Boyd Industries as a modern leader in healthcare equipment.

Project Information

The Scroll emerges at a critical moment in our relationship with artificial intelligence, as the line between human and machine-generated content becomes increasingly blurred. This web application serves as both a game and a tool for developing digital literacy in an AI-dominated landscape.

The UX/UI design prioritizes clarity and focus, removing distractions to allow users to concentrate on the subtle details that often distinguish AI-generated images from human-created ones. Through careful information architecture and user flow design, the game tracks users' progress, offering reflections based on their performance and decisions at the end of each round.

The goal is to build a user's confidence in their own judgment while providing simple guidance and prompts for reflection. The experience evolves with the user through progressive disclosure and adaptive interfaces, introducing increasingly subtle distinctions as their discernment improves.

The project represents an increasingly relevant approach to education by being immersive, timely, and engaging for users with limited time or attention. So far, thousands of users have played the game. The tool will continue to evolve with AI's technological developments, as well as user feedback (please email hello@kateander.com with feedback or questions).