ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
BRANDON, SCOTTSDALE AZ
Sunny is a dynamic creative leader with over a decade of experience spanning agency leadership, startups, freelance work, in-house roles, and higher education. As Associate Creative Director at Brandon, she is recognized for driving transformative creative solutions at one of the most results-obsessed and tech-forward marketing agencies in the country. Known for cultivating creative excellence, refining processes, and sparking meaningful growth, Sunny thrives on solving complex brand challenges with bold, innovative strategies that help clients achieve their fullest potential.
Beyond her role at Brandon, Sunny is committed to shaping the future of design as a Faculty Associate at The Design School at ASU. There, she mentors the next generation of designers, helping them develop not only their technical skills but also the mindset and confidence to thrive in their creative careers.
Based in Scottsdale AZ, Sunny enjoys a fulfilling life with her husband and their two fur babies: a playful miniature pinscher puppy and a tuxedo cat. Outside of work, she finds joy in cooking, fitness, antiquing adventures, and backyard birding.
HOW DO YOU SEE AI AND OTHER EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IMPACTING THE FUTURE OF GRAPHIC DESIGN? ON CREATIVITY? PRODUCTIVITY? EMPLOYMENT?
AI is an exciting addition to our toolkit as designers, helping us iterate and refine ideas quickly. It’s not a magic wand — what you prompt, your workflow of “tool stacking,” and how you refine and edit AI-generated content are creative disciplines in themselves.
By practicing AI processes and understanding its strengths, we can work smarter, deliver better solutions, and remain indispensable to clients. I think the key is to view AI not as a replacement, but as a partner in unlocking our best, most efficient work.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR SOMEONE JUST STARTING A CAREER IN GRAPHIC DESIGN?
My advice to someone starting out is:
1. Stay curious — immerse yourself in creative work, analyze what stands out, and understand why it’s effective. This builds your internal reference bank and sharpens your decision-making.
2. Develop strong typography skills, as they are the backbone of great design.
3. While developing a personal style can be valuable, remember that as designers, our role is to adapt and ensure the work aligns with the client’s goals, not just our preferences.
