Lia has always loved using colors and design to tell stories. A creator who enjoys graphic design and photography, Lia first discovered her passion in high school while working on her high school’s theater program. From there, she went on to the University of Central Florida to earn two bachelor's degrees in Graphic Design and Visual Arts Management. Using her experience, Lia has gone on to freelance for many projects including, but not limited to, wedding packages, logos, printed materials, social media posts, senior portraits, family portraits, and more. In the classroom, Lia will share her passion for design with students in the hopes that they too will walk away with the same drive and passion. She wants to share with her students the same philosophy she lives by: “Do more of what makes you happy.”
Bryan is a graphic designer and illustrator specializing in branding and social media campaigns. It was not till late high school that he honed in an became an illustrator. Always maintaining a positive outlook towards new mediums, he fell in love with graphic design. Which then bled and merged into his illustration style. Later becoming certified in 3D Animation. His works only growing more refined as he pulled from these different experiences. Using his mastery over type and design fundamentals, he’s worked as a designer for both local and international companies. He’s managed ad campaigns for franchises of U.S Polo, American Weekend Entertainment, and Cool & Smooth. Working freelance he’s had the opportunity to take part in some amazing projects, some of which are still in use today. He’s designed posters for America’s Escape Game, designed unit coins for the military, and helped countless companies achieve brand goals.
"Nikki is an active freelance designer specializing in custom wedding stationery & signage for destination weddings in the Caribbean. She brings real-life experience of print, digital design and client management. Growing up on the tiny island of St. John USVI, she always gravitated towards art (hello two painter parents), but natural curiosity about the "why" behind everything, led her to Florida for more learning opportunities, and ultimately to UCF for design. A firm believer of pursuing and combining passions to make your own way in the world, you can see just how she does it herself @islandgirlcreative. While freelance work is very rewarding and challenging, her passion of helping others to pursue their own passions is fulfilled via teaching in the classroom, and workshops!"
Becca is a Graphic Designer with a passionate hobby for writing and digital illustrations.
Since a very young age, her school notes were surrounded by scribbles and drawings, constantly trying to replicate worlds that danced in her head.
Born and raised in Texas, Becca graduated from San Angelo with a BFA studying Graphic Design and a minor in Computer Science, and throughout college she realized her goal was to find her place and create works that will captivate people through incredible experiences and leave them in-awe and inspired.
Seizing her first job opportunity after graduation, Becca moved to the state of Florida where she worked on product packaging, website infographics, product brochures, sponsor videos, award designs, and corporate rebranding.
Now she plans to continue her professional journey through extending a helping hand towards students who aspire to find their own goals and passions and how to pursue them with confidence!
Henry first got into Graphic Design while in high school via the local music scene in Orlando. He made fliers, posters, album covers, t-shirt designs, and stickers for bands and friends. He earned his bachelor’s degree from University of Central Florida, where he focused on Painting and Drawing. After working for a while at Crealdé School of Art in Winter Park, he moved to New York City. There, Henry studuied at Parsons School of Design, completing their Graphic Design Certificate program.
Working as a freelancer, Henry has had the opportunity to work on logos, packaging, menus, invitations, promotional materials, branding, and business identity. This led to opening and managing his own business in NYC. In the classroom, Henry utilizes his
background
of fine art, graphic design, and business management to educate other creatives to pursue their dreams and follow their own path.
Silas Dixon is a Graphic Designer and Illustrator, with a passion for Comic Book storytelling.
This love started at an early age, writing and drawing his own stories starting in elementary school.
As a freelancer and editor he has been in the industry since 1989, working on projects for Cry for Dawn studios, Revolutionary comics, Advent comics, Dork Empire Ink, and Pilot studios among many others.
In a desire to combine his love for storytelling with a thirst for knowledge, he earned his Associates degree from FullSail University.
After completing his degree program Silas worked as a printshop manager for a local prop studio, combining large scale printing, 3d construction, and experimental fabrication techniques to complete projects for such clients as ABC, PepsiCo, Motion Twin Games, Coca Cola, the NFL, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, Lacroix sparkling water and Girl Scouts of America.
This hands-on experience in multi-disciplinary production enables him to share his broad knowledge base with his students.
Unique has grown up wanting a career in many different fields, but he is an idealistic and creative individual. This is what led him to pursue and complete an AS degree in Graphic Design and Interactive Design at Valencia College, where he discovered with these skills, he could work adjacent in almost any field as a creative. Since graduation, Unique has worked on various projects, including but not limited to branding, websites, and editorials. His specialization in both print and web design, while also having a knack for teaching, allowed Unique to dive into the field of education, where he teaches aspiring designers new skills and techniques. Unique currently tutors at Varsity Tutors in his free time. His advice to new aspiring designers is – “It can all be intimidating at first, but once you learn more, it becomes second nature, and we’re here to help you on that journey.”
Ryan has loved storytelling for as long as he can remember. Perhaps a little too much, in fact, as he often got in trouble for reading books during class in grade school! That love expanded as he was exposed to other story-telling mediums like film and video games, and it was this love that led him to pursue a degree in Computer Science and Animate Arts at Northwestern University, with the intent of becoming a video game developer. Life often takes us in unexpected directions though, and with the skills he developed in school, he instead walked a different path and spent the next decade as a full stack software developer, with a good chunk of that time doing consulting work for Facebook. As a developer, Ryan still enjoys projects with a more creative bent the most, and his favorite position is being the bridge connecting the tech side with the creative side. Teaching people how to use technology to accomplish their own creative, storytelling goals brings him a lot of joy, and he looks forward to sharing his skills and experience with the students at F.I.R.S.T.!
While being a born creative, it took accidently binging placed in the “Introduction to Graphic Design” course in high school for Nic to fall in love with digital design. After receiving an AAS in Graphic Design from College of the Mainland Texas City, TX and morning to Orlando, they immediately started freelance work specializing in branding, logos, and photo editing. Within a few years, they found themselves working as an in-house designer for a corporation that pushed their abilities to new heights. These experiences combined with digital and physical painting has led to a strong understanding of color and composition in design, and a special love for concept pieces and print work. Nic is excited to share the knowledge and skills needed to stay ahead of deadlines and succeed in today’s workforce, no matter what path the upcoming designers decide to take in the ever expanding field of Graphic and Web Design.
I got into art at a young age in elementary school. I remember my friends and I bonded over our love of comic books and that style of artwork, that’s where my passion for art in design was sparked. When I eventually started my career at an architectural firm, that fire was reignited when I found there was a graphics department. Once I started learning the Adobe software, I was able to integrate my design eye and craft presentations for the firm. This included title blocks, cover sheets, architectural illustrations, and even storytelling. Taking those skills, while learning about the power of branding, I spent several years with large corporations such as Hard Rock International and Wyndham Destinations and even worked in the world of themed entertainment designing amusement parks. I’ve been fortunate enough in my career to be able to wear multiple hats while also letting my creativity flow. Throughout all the accomplishments, and the challenges, one thing has always remained constant; I love what I do.
