Hi, I'm Clarissa

I am a Senior Design Lead, with plenty of agency and freelance experience. I love turning complicated ideas into clear, engaging creative.

My background is rooted in animation, but my work has grown well beyond the timeline. I’ve led motion projects, shaped visual direction, worked directly with clients and stakeholders, scoped budgets and timelines, mentored creatives and taught animation at university. I’m as comfortable discussing the strategy behind a piece of work as I am opening After Effects and making it happen.

I’ve worked across agency, freelance and education with global brands including Dove, Unilever, EDF, Airbus and WHX Health.

I am particularly interested in the space between creativity and delivery; how strong ideas become work that is not only visually compelling, but purposeful, achievable and commercially useful.

I’m naturally curious, quietly obsessive about making things better, and happiest when I’m solving a problem with a good team around me. Alongside my creative practice, I’m completing a PRINCE2 Project Management apprenticeship and continuing to develop my approach to leadership, emerging technology and creative production.

VALUES

I’ve actively contributed to making agencies a more inclusive place to work, including leading an agency’s Neurodiversity policy, organising Pride Month initiatives, supporting the Mental Health teams and helping survey colleagues to understand what they needed from our ERGs.

Inclusive

Collaboration sits at the heart of how I work. I’m comfortable working across disciplines, whether that’s in person or remotely, and I actively seek out different perspectives when developing creative work. Colleagues and teams I’ve worked with have consistently valued my ability to listen, communicate clearly and build on other people’s ideas rather than simply bringing my own to the table.

Collaborative

Creativity has always extended beyond my job title. Alongside my professional work, I’ve taught animation at university, mentored emerging creatives and volunteered within my local community. I’m happiest when I’m learning, making or helping someone else develop. I am deliberately building a career that allows me to do all three and senior creative roles, particularly those that specialise in motion graphics, allow for that.

Passionate

I’ve never been particularly interested in staying comfortable. From moving countries to taking on unfamiliar roles and responsibilities, I’ve consistently sought opportunities that challenge me and expand what I’m capable of. That mindset extends to my creative practice: I actively explore emerging technology, including GenAI, stay current with developments across Adobe’s tools and continually look for better ways to approach the work.

Brave