Liz Rose Chmela

UX Designer

Graphic Designer

Creative & Brand Strategist

Washington, DC, US

AI-Native

Web Accessibility

Content Strategy

Rapid Prototyping

Design Systems

Low-code

UI/UX Design

Brand Identity

Collaboration

Available for hire fromNegotiable

Creative Director | 15+ Years Building Design Systems & Websites

Creative Director with 15+ years of experience designing brand systems and building high-performing websites. Specializes in collaborating with nonprofits, startups, and mission-driven organizations to create thoughtful, conversion-focused digital experiences, with expertise in Framer and modern no-code workflows for fast, flexible website development.

Projects

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

For the national launch and rebrand, I produced the unified web design system that successfully brought the new 988 identity to life online, reaching 6M+ active users over 12 months. We collaborated closely with Vibrant Emotional Health and the overseeing government department, SAMHSA, for a coordinated joint launch. Scope _ Strategy _ Brand Expansion _ Web Design _ WordPress Dev _ Multilingual _ Migration Results - Top 1% Performing Homepage for Accessibility Ranking from WebAIM 2025 - 6M+ Active users over 12 months - 100% Lighthouse Mobile Best Practices Score - 200 Custom branded components configured in Figma in 4 color modes - 83% increase in average engagement time See More

Work History

Founder & Creative Director

Made by WeAs the Founder and Creative Director of Made by We, I have partnered with agencies and internal teams to deliver brand systems, marketing sites, and scalable design frameworks. Known for balancing speed, quality, and collaboration in fast-moving environments. Notable clients include: NMWA, 988 Lifeline, City of NYC, Harvard Medical School, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, and Vibrant Emotional Health.

Creative Director for Cultures Magazine

American Society for MicrobiologyFreelancerJan 2014 - Dec 2017 • 4 yrsAs Creative Director for Cultures Magazine, a quarterly publication produced by the American Society for Microbiology, I helped launch the new publication from its very first issue. I oversaw design, layout, print and digital production of four issues annually, translating complex scientific concepts into visually engaging, publication-ready editorial content. My work included designing detailed infographics, technical diagrams, and data visualizations alongside feature stories and interviews with notable public figures including Jane Goodall and President Jimmy Carter. I collaborated closely with editors, scientists, and contributors to ensure accuracy, clarity, and strong visual communication while meeting strict publication deadlines and print specifications. This role required balancing technical precision with clean, approachable design, particularly when simplifying complex information into polished, editable visual formats suitable for academic and professional audiences.

Education

Miami University

Bachelor's Degree, Graphic DesignMar 2006 - Aug 2010

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