Senior Creative Director, Blood Cancer United, Rye Brook NY

Faye Pite Beresner is a Senior Creative Director at Blood Cancer United (formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society), where she leads impactful content and design initiatives that support the organization’s mission and amplify its national presence. With a career that began in freelance graphic design, Faye built a reputation for creative excellence and leadership, eventually guiding teams for global brands such as Victorinox and ASSA ABLOY. Her work spans brand identity, campaign development, and strategic creative direction, consistently balancing innovation with purpose.

Blood Cancer United is a leading U.S. based nonprofit dedicated to advancing research, advocacy, and proving patient, family and caregiver support and resources for individuals affected by all blood cancers — including leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma. The organization is driven by a twofold mission: to find cures for blood cancer and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Through groundbreaking research funding, patient services and education programs, and policy initiatives, Blood Cancer United plays a critical role in shaping the future of blood cancer care and support. Faye and her team partnered closely with JKR to successfully launch the new brand on August 28. From strategy to activation, they brought the refreshed identity to life across all channels, ensuring it stayed true to Blood Cancer United’s mission while elevating its presence on the national stage.

Tell us how and why you became involved in socially responsible design, any thoughts on why design is an especially effective tool in achieving positive goals, and, if you wish, give us an example of a project of which you are proud?

Faye Pite Beresner’s path into socially responsible design stems from a deeply personal place — her desire to give back after witnessing the impact of leukemia and other cancers on her family. These experiences deepened her awareness of how vital research, support, and education are for patients and their loved ones, inspiring her to harness creativity as a tool for positive change. After building a successful career across agencies and corporate in-house roles, Faye reached a turning point. She realized her next chapter needed to be grounded in purpose rather than scale. Her time in the corporate world honed her strengths in strategic thinking, team leadership, and delivering high-impact campaigns — skills she now brings to Blood Cancer United. This meaningful shift allowed her to align her professional experience with her personal values, contributing to a mission where creativity supports patient wellbeing and every project holds the potential to make a lasting difference.

Given the confluence of events and challenges our society now faces, does this moment in time present any special opportunities, urgencies or particular obstacles to designing for good?

In today’s rapidly evolving social and healthcare landscape — including research and funding, the need for clear, compassionate communication has never been greater. Creatives are uniquely positioned to translate complex issues into experiences that inform and mobilize action. For Blood Cancer United, this moment underscores both opportunity and urgency: every campaign, visual story, outreach initiative, and public awareness. As a nonprofit, Blood Cancer United relies entirely on donations, channeling these resources into life-saving research, advocacy programs, and patient support and education services that improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by blood cancers.