Mentors
Professional designers volunteered as mentors to help formalize, refine, and clarify flags with the 23 semi-finalist teams. Flag Advisory Panel members selected design mentors from both Cook County and the Forest Preserves graphics departments, as well as college professors and advertising agency design leaders.
Mentors and students spent countless hours working closely to professionally refine the student designs to the incredible graphics you see on this site. We invite you to take a moment to meet our mentors!
Lauren Meranda
Founder & Designer Studio Brazen
Dave Straus
Vice President of Sales & Marketing Chicago American Manufacturing LLC
Mark Jarzemsky
Creative Director Manifest Digital
Josh Witherspoon
Creative Director of Brand Density
Scott Rench
Associate Creative Director Keurig Dr Pepper Inc
Dan Chodrow
Creative Director Freelance
Jim Kelly
Executive Creative Director closerlook, inc.
Sarah Davis
Freelance Creative Director
Denis McNamara
Graphic Designer
Steve Batterson
Partner & Creative Strategy Director Simple Truth
Heather Anderson
Graphic Designer Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Denny Liu
Senior Designer The Office of Experience
Martin Burciaga
Graphic Designer Cook County Bureau of Administration
Jonathan Meitus
Partner WEBSTER9
Lisa Lee
Executive Director National Public Housing Museum
Carl Vogel
Director of Communications Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Faiz Razi
Design Faculty Northwestern University
John Geletka
Founder Geletka+
Martinez E-B
Adjunct Professor Harper College Art Department
Bill Gatewood
Bill Gatewood Mentor