Willy helps organizations and entrepreneurial leaders imagine possible futures, create opportunities and drive ambitious growth through design.
Studio collaborations include The Strategist, Turnstyle, Row House, Mark Foods, Motivate CitiBike, Index, National Parks Now, ArtPlace America, editorial projects, and special initiatives for philathropic, cultural and stealth-mode clients. For eight years, Willy stewarded the global brand of the City of New York as Chief Creative Officer at NYC & Company and led cross-functional teams that enhanced the NYC visitor experience.
domains
brand development, experience design, art direction, venture strategy, cultural production, creative placemaking, content & experiential marketing.
past clients
NYC: American Express, Google, AT&T, Jetblue, Delta, American Airlines, Travelocity, Expedia, Booking, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Macys, Barneys, Coca-Cola, Heineken, Stella, Snapple, Vogue, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Summit Entertainment, Dreamworks, Disney, AMC, HBO, Sesame Workshop, Nick Jr, NatGeo, Bravo, Syfy, NFL Superbowl40.
Agency/Studio: Coca-Cola, Clinique, McGraw-Hill, Hennessey, Godiva, Perry Ellis, Running Subway, Birchbox, Cynthia Rowley, Nylon, Rizzoli, Creative Time, Wingspace, Art Directors Club, Base Design, Panthera, The Nature Conservancy, Common Impact, Sugarhill Children’s Museum, Centre Pompidou Foundation, Museum of Sex, Yale School of Architecture, Time Inc, JP Morgan Chase.
Agency/Studio: Coca-Cola, Clinique, McGraw-Hill, Hennessey, Godiva, Perry Ellis, Running Subway, Birchbox, Cynthia Rowley, Nylon, Rizzoli, Creative Time, Wingspace, Art Directors Club, Base Design, Panthera, The Nature Conservancy, Common Impact, Sugarhill Children’s Museum, Centre Pompidou Foundation, Museum of Sex, Yale School of Architecture, Time Inc, JP Morgan Chase.
background
Willy teaches venture development and interaction design at the School of Visual Art’s MFA Design and BFA Design programs. He also leads a graduate marketing course at The New School College of Performing Arts. He’s been guest critic/lecturer at Cooper Union, Parsons, MICA, FIT, NYU, Columbia, Princeton and Yale.
Willy has served as the board president of AIGA/NY, board member with the Center for Urban Pedagogy, and advisory committees for Times Square Arts, FIT Illustration, NYC Landmarks 50, Hudson River Park, Adobe Partners by Design, SXSW Interactive.
Recognition for his endeavors include Crain’s 40 under 40, Art Directors Club’s Young Guns, Print’s New Visual Artist, among other industry awards, etc.
Willy earned his AB in from Dartmouth College and MFA from Yale University.
Willy has served as the board president of AIGA/NY, board member with the Center for Urban Pedagogy, and advisory committees for Times Square Arts, FIT Illustration, NYC Landmarks 50, Hudson River Park, Adobe Partners by Design, SXSW Interactive.
Recognition for his endeavors include Crain’s 40 under 40, Art Directors Club’s Young Guns, Print’s New Visual Artist, among other industry awards, etc.
Willy earned his AB in from Dartmouth College and MFA from Yale University.
select media
The Atlantic: Interview
Design Boom: Interview
Monocle: The Urbanist Interview
Dezeen: NYCxDesign
Daily News: Interview
NYMag: NYC Tourism
TechCrunch: NYCgo + Google
SEGD: NYC Info Centers
NYTimes: nycgo.com crash hit
Adweek: NYC Map App
OPENForum: Branding
Core77: Design for Govt
Inspiration Room: Oasis Grandy
92Y: JATL Spoof 1 + Spoof 2
past talks