I’m an art Director based in seattle and working everywhere.
raeavramenko@gmail.com
I cannot begin to fully describe my esteem for Rae.
Her talent, her work ethic, her imagination, her flexibility, and her steady presence … made her bar-none one of my all-time favorite coworkers. Over the years I watched Rae grow to a fully-realized Art Director, able to think strategically and abstractly, to present compelling work with passion, and to see through the aesthetics for the underlying business value.
Can she write copy? She certainly can. Did she pick up motion design and excel at it? Of course she did … What sets Rae head and shoulders above the rest is not only her quality of work but her dedication and speed to results … I always knew that if I gave an assignment to Rae, I would soon be delighted with the output.
Rick Gore
Creative Director; managed Rae directly at Avalara and Catalysis
Rae is a remarkable talent and an exceptional teammate.
Her design process and thinking are meticulously detailed, always aligning seamlessly with campaign and business objectives. She possesses a unique ability to translate complex ideas into much simpler, visual representations, consistently exceeding expectations … all of which make her an invaluable addition to any creative team.
Dickson Bueno
Creative Director; managed Rae directly at Avalara
Denver
Los Angeles
Seattle
My creative interests began in elementary school, which eventually put me on a path to studying the design fundamentals at the University of Northern Colorado for two years. Seeking the creative hubs in the West coast, I began studying graphic design and advertising in Los Angeles at OTIS College of Art and Design, where I discovered the joys of print and poster design, the art of good presentation, and studied in-depth the “ideal” relationship between a creative and client.
Before graduating with a BFA, I worked as a creative for Seed Agency, a marketing studio in El Segundo, California. I joined the Catalysis team shortly after moving to Seattle in the summer of 2017, and three years later I joined Avalara and their goal to be the cloud compliance platform “that is part of every transaction in the world.” When I'm not fiddling with Photoshop and Illustrator, I take language classes, attend Orange Theory, play Pokemon, eat popcorn, and bounce between linocut printmaking and watercolor.
Skills
FLUENT
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, Microsoft Office
PROFICIENT
After Effects, Premiere Pro, UX Design
Experience
AVALARA
Seattle, WA, Sep 2020 – Jun 2025
Art Director
Led creative direction for Avalara’s flagship programs, including the five-year Avalara Tax Changes reports by overseeing structure, data visualizations, and messaging across nine industries. Built templates and ensured a cohesive visual identity across guides, emails, social ads, landing pages, and events. Managed design teams and developed a brand strategy to demystify the education and sales process for tax compliance.
Communications board member,
Women of Avalara employee resource group
Selected to serve on the board for Avalara’s women-focused ERG for a two-year term, managing communications and brand presence. Oversaw email lists, composed Slack and email announcements, polished the Women of Avalara visual identity, hosted virtual events, and helped foster a safe, supportive community for women and allies.
CATALYSIS
Seattle, WA, Jul 2017 – Aug 2020
Senior Graphic Designer
Created multi-channel campaigns for clients such as Microsoft, AWS, and glassybaby by integrating digital ads, motion graphics, email marketing, web and app UX, large-scale events, and out-of-home advertising. Contributed to Catalysis visual identity by developing style guides, templates, and website design while providing pro-bono branding for community organizations.
SEED AGENCY
El Segundo, CA, Jun 2016 – Aug 2017
Intern, promoted to part-time Creative
Developed brand identities, websites, email campaigns, and multi-channel marketing collateral for clients such as The Bloc LA, luxury wineries, and nonprofit organizations, creating cohesive visual systems that strengthened brand presence.
PLASTEK CARDS
Carson, CA, Mar 2016 – Jul 2016
Intern
Product photography and brochure design. Worked with marketing team to generate media for website and print matter.
Honors
and awards
“Collaboration Champ” and
“Delivery Wizard” award winner
Avalara, 2023
Key leadership and creative role on award-winning Avalara Tax Changes team (see the project here).
“Impact” award nominee
Avalara, 2021
“Someone who consistently goes above and beyond their job to help others and the company be successful … They work tirelessly to raise the bar for those around them.”
Dean’s List
Otis College of Art and Design, 2014 - 2017
Awarded every semester in attendance.
Presidential Scholarship recipient
Otis College of Art and Design, 2014 - 2017
Award based on merit and portfolio work.
Presidential Leadership Program
Greeley, CO, 2012 - 2014
An honors program that requires students to take extra coursework in leadership and teambuilding studies.
Work featured in exhibition
Florence, Italy, 2013
“Most Accomplished Learner Award”
Parker, CO, 2008