Jeff Walls
Brand and graphic design, Portland, Oregon
—
AHello
I love design, and I believe in its power to change things and improve lives. I try to bring that love for the work into what I do every day. I’ve built things to help people learn, improve global health outcomes, and take fear and confusion out of people’s financial lives.
I’m currently a lead brand designer at Zapier.
BNow
I’ve had fun exploring some ideas relating to nature, science, and design recently and have grouped these projects together as ochre.works. These projects use data and patterns from the natural world to create generative sound and music with the goal of deepening people’s sense of the beauty, complexity, and mystery that surrounds us all the time. Check them out if you have a couple spare minutes. I’d love to hear feedback.
CWork
- Zapier · Senior, then Lead Brand Designer2022–now
On the brand studio team: mostly the website, and the brand design systems and visual identity behind it.
- Propel · Senior Product Designer2021–22
Building respectful, well-designed software for low-income Americans. Providers helps 5.9 million people a month manage benefits like SNAP; I helped launch a debit product to over a million users.
- Khan Academy · Senior Product Designer2019–21
On the learner-facing team: tools to help students in 280+ partner districts relate to and understand their coursework.
- Instrument · Designer to Associate Design Director2017–19
Brand and product work for Meta, Snapchat, Levi’s, Intel, the NBA, Thumbtack, PATH and others.
- Simple · Designer to Senior Product Designer2014–17
An early design hire at a start up trying to make banking less terrible for people, and to help them have a better relationship to their money. Brand, then product and design systems, with some wayfinding and illustration.
DAbout
Born in Michigan, based in Portland. I’ve been a designer for about fifteen years, depending on how you count. The main things I’ve learned: stay curious, really listen to people, and be kind whenever possible.
Other things I love: music, reading, running, gardening. My wife and two little daughters are central to everything I do.
ECurrently
- Reading
- Breakneck, Dan Wang
The Future of Truth, Werner Herzog - Listening
- Tiarn, Hana Stretton
Florida Water Blues, Twisted Teens