AIGA Los Angeles board members serve a two-year term that runs from June–May. In April of each year, chapter membership is asked to nominate other members which they will be an asset to the Board and our chapter at large.
Executive Team
Paul Woods
President
Founder & Partner at Alice
pwoods [@] aigala.org
Joseph Soto
President Elect
Director, Art and Brand at Nickerson
jsoto [@] aigala.org
Sales Representative at Typecraft
davidmayes [@] aigala.org
Development Team
Alexis Caban
Development Director
Senior Art Director at OUTFRONT Media
acaban [@] aigala.org
Alexis Elisa Cabán is a proud New Yorker living in LA. She is currently a Senior Art Director at OUTFRONT Media, a leading media company that specializes in out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Alexis has more than 15 years of experience in design and proudly brings her culture and perspective to her work at both large and small companies. Alexis currently leads the development of standout, award-winning campaigns for local and national clients in different industries. She’s also a co-founder of UnidosFRONT, a Hispanic employee resource group that aims to elevate the voices of OUTFRONT’s Hispanic employees and allies.
Alexis holds a BFA in Graphic Design and Advertising from the School of Visual Arts and a UX Design Immersive Bootcamp certificate from General Assembly. She is passionate about typography, illustration, branding systems, research, and UX design. She also runs her own freelance design business, where she creates one-of-a-kind branding systems, websites, marketing materials and more, for a variety of clients. She is fluent in Spanish and has won multiple awards for her creative work, including an Addy for the Greater San Francisco Ad Club, OBIE and Think LA.
Prior to working at OUTFRONT, she spent over 6 years as an Art Director for the Branded Entertainment team at Macy’s where she art directed award winning creative campaigns for Macy’s national, annual & special events.
Tia Clements
Membership Director
Visual Storyteller
tclements [@] aigala.org
Tia has built a global career in visual storytelling and thinking, shaped by a graphic design degree and work across four countries. She has led creative and brand strategy teams at Adobe, directed campaigns for luxury and fashion brands, and brings sharp insight into cultural impact and how visual language drives emotional connection. Whether she’s building a brand, mentoring a team, or contributing to LA’s creative community through the LA Design Festival and Creative Mornings, Tia brings curiosity, clarity, and a spirit of collaboration to everything she does.
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Team
Michelle Leclerc
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Director
Creative Director at Leclerc
mleclerc [@] aigala.org
Michelle Leclerc is a Chilean-American graphic designer, illustrator, data visualist, and educator whose work focuses on social justice and representation. Michelle’s design company Leclerc advocates that agencies create work that is reflective of the communities they serve. This means designing for an audience that is diverse in identity, gender, race, ethnicity, and ability. She also serves as Creative Director at Sawyer Agency, a full-service studio that designs visuals that are aesthetically pleasing, effective and impactful.
Social equity, inclusion, and activism are major aspects of Michelle’s work. She has developed design and data visualization for activist organizations like Yale’s Justice Collaboratory, Be a Hero, and Freedom Reads. In 2016, Michelle led the data visualization and design of Campaign Zero’s Police Union Contracts report. The organization’s data-based approach to activism is the subject of a new documentary, Making of an Activist on Hulu and Disney +. In 2017, she created the data visualization for Elizabeth Warren’s book, This Fight is Our Fight. In 2019, on behalf of Campaign Zero, she led the data visualization for the first police scorecard in the US, which sought to identify urgent issues surrounding police accountability and propose best-practice solutions. In 2022, her work was recognized by Latinas in Tech in partnership with Korbel California Champagne, who named her one of 30 Luminarias in the STEM fields.
Now, Michelle passes on her passion for statistical narratives to future generations through her instruction in infographic design at Tyler School of Art in Temple University and her substack, Statistic it to ’em!
Marketing Team
Nolan Havig
Marketing Director
Multimedia Designer
nhavig [@] aigala.org
Nolan is a multimedia designer, educator, and community advocate based in Los Angeles where he leads creative strategy across digital, print, and social platforms. With a strong background in branding, storytelling, and emerging technologies, he brings a thoughtful, inclusive approach to design and communication. Passionate about education, mentorship, and access, Nolan is committed to amplifying diverse voices, supporting student engagement, and building bridges between industry professionals and emerging creatives.
Programming Team
Olivia Leese
Programming Director
Lead Graphic Designer at Nickerson
oleese [@] aigala.org
Olivia Leese, Lead Graphic Designer at Nickerson, brings 8+ years of experience crafting visually compelling narratives for brands. Her multifaceted expertise spans branding, print, digital, and social, creating cohesive visual experiences across platforms. Olivia has spearheaded high-impact projects for industry leaders like Synergy, Housing Families, and JM Electrical. Notable achievements include developing a winning proposal for MassDOT’s Parcel 24 project and playing a vital role in Gulf Oil’s new brand image rollout across New England. With a BA from Roger Williams University, Olivia consistently pushes the boundaries of visual communication.
As the Founder and Creative Director of Peace and Balance LLC, Renée McKellar specializes in crafting visually compelling and culturally resonant branding solutions for businesses looking to stand out in a crowded market. With a passion for elevating brands, she blends strategy, design, and marketing to create experiences that leave lasting impressions. Beyond her work in branding and marketing, Renée serves as Adjunct Faculty in Graphic & Multimedia Design at College of the Canyons, where she guides the next generation of designers in developing their creative voice and technical expertise. With years of experience in both agency and entrepreneurial settings, Renée brings a unique perspective that fuses real-world application with industry best practices.
Renée McKellar
Education Director
Founder and Creative Director of Peace and Balance LLC
rmckellar [@] aigala.org
Social Media Team
Shijia (Bella) Luo
Social Media Director
Visual Designer
sluo [@] aigala.org
Shijia Luo is a versatile visual designer blending 2D and 3D with expertise in branding, typography, and motion. With over five years of experience across print, digital, and interactive media, she communicates through thoughtful visual storytelling. Her multidisciplinary background in marketing and design supports her engagement with local creative communities, including SFMOMA, the San Francisco Art Book Fair, and AIGA LA. Shijia sees design as a path to connect people and share stories, and she seeks to contribute more meaningfully to reflect diverse cultural perspectives.
Support Team
Julie Manthey
Operations Manager
Operations Manager,
AIGA Los Angeles
jmanthey [@] aigala.org
Outgoing Board Members
Hannah Richard, Vice President of Operations Courtnie Cotillo, Vice President of Finances Rachel Fujita-Esteffe, Interim Marketing Director Amanda Powell, Programming Co-Director Maggie Hollander, Interim Social Media Director
Past Presidents
2023 - 2000
Samantha Cabrera (2020–2023) Patrick Frederickson (2020) Amanda Hovest (2017–2020) Jason Adam (2014–2017) Noreen Morioka (2012–2014) Jimmy Moss (2010–2012) Michael Lejeune (2008–2010) Agustín Garza (2006–2008) Mick Hodgson (2004–2006) Pash Pashkow (2002–2004) Noreen Morioka (2000–2002)
1999 - 1980
Moira Cullen (1997–2000) Mary Scott (1996–1997) Sean Adams (1994–1996) Stan Evenson (1992–1994) Josh Freeman (1990–1992) April Greiman (1988–1990) Margaret Coy (1986–1988) John Coy (1984–1986)
