Duane Stephenson, Designer in Nashville, TN, United States
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Duane Stephenson

Bio

Duane is a creative design leader who turns complicated ideas into visuals people actually understand. With decades across brand and marketing, he helps companies look sharper, speak clearer, and sell smarter. Equal parts storyteller and problem solver, Duane builds scalable systems, persuasive presentations, and precision design that works as well as it looks.

Portfolio

Work Experience

Senior Designer and Illustrator

2010 - PRESENT
Freelance Clients
  • Designed the user interface for a B2B iOS sales enablement tool that was later acquired by IBM for $6 million.
  • Served as a core member of a multidisciplinary design team supporting multi-phased Department of Defense proposals for privatized military housing projects valued over $1 billion and spanning 50-year service terms.
  • Delivered high-stakes proposal presentation design for Lendlease, shaping complex development narratives into clear, persuasive visuals that supported major bids and helped win multi-million dollar projects.
  • Designed presentations for One Network Enterprises (Blue Yonder), translating complex supply chain and AI concepts into clear visuals for sales enablement, executive briefings, and product demos that supported deal momentum and client adoption.
  • Produced sales and campaign assets for NCR's Digital Services pitch to Starbucks EMEA, contributing to an additional $6.5 million in annual profit.
  • Designed a comprehensive suite of communication tools for the Children's Bureau of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including a high-profile annual report on human trafficking delivered to the president of the United States.
  • Delivered presentation design for Thompson Research Group, translating industrial and construction financial analysis into clear visuals for investor reports and briefings, improving clarity and supporting decision-making.
  • Delivered high-impact presentation design for SaaS startups, healthcare orgs, and enterprise teams, translating complex ideas into clear, persuasive visuals for product launches, investor decks, and executive storytelling.
Technologies: Brand Design, Information Design, Marketing Design, Presentation Design, Logo Design, Illustration, Advertising Design, Visual Communication, User Experience Design, Google Slides, PowerPoint Design, Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Suite, Branding, PowerPoint Templates, Presentations, Template Design, Typography, Visual Hierarchy, Visual Design, Corporate Identity Design, Slideshows, Apple Keynote, Acrobat Pro CC, Enterprise Software, Art Direction, Icon Design, Collaboration, Cross-functional Design, Marketing Collateral Development, Proposal Design, Collateral Design, Event Design, Healthcare Management Systems, Government Contracting, Sales Enablement, Data Visualization, Business to Business (B2B), Immersive Experiences, Executive Presentations, Sales Presentations, Pitch Presentations, Client Presentations, Technical Presentations, Financial Presentations, Graphic Presentations, Board Presentations, Investor Presentations, Key Visuals, Investment Presentations, Funding Presentations, Targeted Presentations, Presentation Boards, Presentation Development, Visual Design Language, Pitch Decks, Creative Design, Creative Direction, Creative Strategy, Pitch Deck Design, Pitch Deck Consultant, Color Theory, Design, Print Design, Print Marketing Design, Marketing Agencies, Brand Guidelines, Visual Brand Guidelines, Software Sales, Tech Conferences, Information Visualization, Infographs, Internal Communications, Employee Experience, User Interface (UI), Data-driven Design, Data-heavy Design, Collateral, Event Branding

Creative Lead and Senior Designer

2022 - 2025
L7 Informatics
  • Directed the creation of a unified visual brand identity that positioned L7 as a market leader in data orchestration for biotech and pharma, strengthening credibility with enterprise customers and partners.
  • Designed and delivered executive-level presentations, conference decks, and sales narratives that translated complex life sciences and informatics concepts into clear, persuasive visual stories for diverse audiences.
  • Produced infographics, data visualizations, and process diagrams that clarified advanced concepts in genomics, bioinformatics, and digital laboratory operations for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
  • Built a complete visual language and brand system, including a comprehensive style guide and a custom-illustrated asset library, starting from minimal inherited brand materials.
  • Collaborated closely with UI/UX designers and front-end architects to ensure alignment between product experiences and corporate branding across platforms and touchpoints.
  • Co-created and branded L7 Universe, the company's flagship industry event with over 600 attendees, more than 50 speakers, and over 20 exhibitors, overseeing branding, environmental graphics, stage visuals, swag, and digital collateral.
  • Designed a visual framework for an integrated data visualization tool within the flagship software platform, aligning product UI with brand identity.
  • Ideated and designed event marketing materials, including trade show booths, stage visuals, signage, and digital collateral, delivering cohesive, high-impact brand experiences at global industry events.
Technologies: Microsoft PowerPoint, PowerPoint Design, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Figma, Google Slides, Jira, Slack, Notion, Canva, ChatGPT, Adobe Creative Cloud, Presentation Design, Graphic Design, Adobe Creative Suite, Branding, PowerPoint Templates, Presentations, Template Design, Typography, Visual Hierarchy, Visual Design, Board Decks, Corporate Identity Design, Slideshows, Enterprise Software, Data-informed Visual Design, Icon Design, Collaboration, Cross-functional Design, Marketing Collateral Development, Collateral Design, Event Design, Customer Experience, Data Visualization, Marketing Design, Business to Business (B2B), Executive Presentations, Sales Presentations, Pitch Presentations, Client Presentations, Technical Presentations, Financial Presentations, Graphic Presentations, Board Presentations, Investor Presentations, Key Visuals, Investment Presentations, Funding Presentations, Targeted Presentations, Presentation Boards, Presentation Development, Visual Design Language, Pitch Decks, Creative Design, Creative Direction, Creative Strategy, Pitch Deck Design, Color Theory, Design, Print Design, Print Marketing Design, Brand Guidelines, Visual Brand Guidelines, Software Sales, Tech Conferences, Information Visualization, Infographs, Internal Communications, B2B, B2B Marketing, User Interface (UI), Data-driven Design, Data-heavy Design, Collateral, Event Branding

Contract Senior Designer

2016 - 2021
ICF International
  • Designed and implemented a comprehensive visual communication system, translating complex federal child welfare policies, research, and training materials into clear, accessible digital content for a national audience.
  • Designed infographics, diagrams, and visual frameworks, translating complex federal child welfare policy and research into clear guidance for practitioners and program stakeholders.
  • Collaborated with policy experts, researchers, and program leaders to transform dense documentation into accessible visual communication used in national training materials.
  • Designed graphics and visual materials aligned with WCAG and Section 508 accessibility standards, ensuring usability for audiences relying on assistive technologies.
  • Developed a modular design system and reusable content templates that improved consistency across hundreds of training resources, tools, and guidance materials.
  • Simplified complex program models and implementation guidance through diagrams and explanatory graphics for state agencies and service providers.
Technologies: Adobe CC, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Microsoft Office, Information Design, Management Consulting, Public Policy, Training Materials, Research, Storytelling, Brand Design, Logo Design, Social Media Design, Design Systems, Accessible Design, Employee Experience, Data-heavy Design, Collateral

Skills

Tools

Microsoft PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Acrobat Pro CC, Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop CC, Adobe CC, Google Slides, Apple Keynote, Slack, Microsoft Office, Jira, Adobe Photoshop, Canva

Languages

Visual Design Language

Platforms

Figma

Other

Adobe Creative Cloud, Presentation Design, Information Design, Business to Business (B2B), Enterprise Software, Brand Design, Data-informed Visual Design, Visual Storytelling, Art Direction, Illustration, Iconography, Icon Design, Cross-functional Design, Collaboration, B2B Marketing, Marketing Collateral Development, Collateral Design, Proposal Design, Event Design, Customer Experience, Government Contracting, Commercial Real Estate, Sales Enablement, Data Visualization, PowerPoint Design, Graphic Design, Visual Design, Branding, PowerPoint Templates, Presentations, Executive Presentations, Sales Presentations, Pitch Presentations, Client Presentations, Technical Presentations, Financial Presentations, Graphic Presentations, Board Presentations, Investor Presentations, Investment Presentations, Funding Presentations, Targeted Presentations, Presentation Boards, Presentation Development, Template Design, Typography, Visual Hierarchy, Key Visuals, Pitch Decks, Board Decks, Corporate Identity Design, Slideshows, Creative Design, Creative Strategy, Creative Direction, Pitch Deck Design, Pitch Deck Consultant, Color Theory, Design, Print Design, Print Marketing Design, Marketing Agencies, Brand Guidelines, Visual Brand Guidelines, 2D Design, 2D Print Design, Ad Design, Collateral, Event Branding, Event Artwork, Event Signage, Event Collateral, Promotional Leaflets & Flyers, Customer Experience (CX) Design, Digital Design, Digital Marketing Design, Digital Experience Design, Digital Art, Screen Printing, Storytelling, Content Design, Content Marketing, Design Leadership, eCommerce, Merchandise, Visual Merchandising, Brand Strategy, Campaigns, Ad Campaigns, Campaign Design, 2D Illustrations, Digital Illustration, Vector Illustration, Hand-drawn Illustrations, Technical Illustration, Cartoon Illustration, Pixel-art Illustration, Scientific Illustration, Character Illustration, Graphics, Vector Graphics, Digital Graphics, Graphic Arts, Environmental Graphics, Tradeshow Design, Trademarks, Visual Art, Expo Design, Experience Design, Maps, Chart Design, Page Templates, Infographs, Information Visualization, Tech Conferences, Internal Communications, B2B, Charts, Data-heavy Design, Data-driven Design, Office 365, ChatGPT, Fresco, Immersive Experiences, User Experience Design, Healthcare Management Systems, Web Design, User Experience (UX), Video Direction, SEO Marketing, Software Sales, User Interface (UI), Midjourney, Notion, Marketing Design, Logo Design, Advertising Design, Visual Communication, Infographics, Enterprise SaaS, Data Management Platforms, Design Systems, Government to Government (G2G), Public Policy, Document Design, Cross-functional Collaboration, Color Schemes, Military, Public Sector, Management Consulting, Training Materials, Research, Social Media Design, Accessible Design, Employee Experience, Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Experience

  • Microsoft PowerPoint - 20 years
  • Adobe Creative Cloud - 20 years
  • Data-informed Visual Design - 20 years
  • Business to Business (B2B) - 20 years
  • Presentation Design - 20 years
  • Information Design - 20 years
  • Visual Storytelling - 20 years
  • Brand Design - 20 years

Tools

  • Microsoft PowerPoint
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