Sarah Mossey

Always Growing.

My Recent Work.

My Skills.

“Styles come and go. Good design is a language, not a style.” 
 — Massimo Vignelli

  • Concept Development

    Concept Development

    Print and Digital Ad Concept for the University of Rochester’s NFL Micro-Image Campaign

    Audience: General Population
    Timeframe: Summer 2025
    My role: Concept Development (initial creative draft adopted for the full campaign)

    I developed the core creative concept for a high-stakes, high-visibility advertising campaign, leveraging a striking drone image from the University’s catalog. The concept was carried into the 2025 NFL Yearbooks for both the Buffalo Bills and the New England Patriots, and expanded into geofenced digital display ads and mobile billboards, broadening the University’s visibility across multiple platforms.

    I specialize in making visual connections and uncovering big themes. By blending strategy with creativity, I help spark campaigns that resonate and scale.

  • Systems Design

    Systems Design

    Enterprise Annual Benefits Open Enrollment System for the University of Rochester

    Audience: University of Rochester Faculty and Staff
    Timeframe: Fall 2025
    My role: Graphic Design, Project Management, Relationship Management

    As lead designer and project manager, I partnered directly with Human Resources to develop the University’s expansive Open Enrollment communications system. This annual initiative involves more than 25 coordinated print and digital pieces and requires rapid turnaround, cross-unit approvals, and alignment with numerous internal and external stakeholders. Cascading a single creative concept (the Image Campaign) across the entire system simplified the complexity of the essential information and reinforced the University’s brand.

    I guided both the design and functional strategy, ensuring consistency across an expansive multi-channel system.

  • Information Design

    Information Design

    Easy-Edit Enterprise Flyer for the University of Rochester

    Audience: Government Relations and Stakeholders
    Timeframe: May 2025
    My role: Graphic Design in Powerpoint

    At no other time has it been more important to clearly communicate the value of research institutions like the University of Rochester. Aligning with assets and visual themes from the University’s enterprise Image Campaign, this handout is functional and informative, but still elegant.

    I adapt to meet people in their chosen program on their preferred platform, which is often a crucial skill when engaging with non-communications colleagues across the enterprise. Often these types of high level “roadshow” publications require updating on the fly, which can only be provided in universal programs like Microsoft Powerpoint and practical design choices like margins and white backgrounds.

    I bake these practical considerations into the design from the very beginning.

  • Audience Engagement

    Audience Engagement

    Direct Mail Cards and Enclosure for an Enrollment Marketing Campaign at the University of Rochester

    Audience: Newly-Admitted students
    Timeframe: Spring 2025
    My role: Graphic design and project management

    I designed this concept for a first-of-its-kind direct mail packet, including a folio and card set, sent to more than 1,200 admitted students. This represents one tactic in an anti-melt campaign aimed to deepen engagement and improve enrollment yield. Although another concept was ultimately chosen for the campaign, this project demonstrates my ability to focus on audience. Compact yet content-rich, the design delivered essential information while showcasing the University’s personality: fun, quirky, and intelligent—just like Rochester students.

    This set of cards also highlights my ability to use typography as a design tool. I embrace the challenge of working with limited graphic elements and text-heavy content.

  • Leadership Communications

    Leadership Communications

    Illustrated Presidential End-Of-Semester Email Messages

    Audience: Office of the President
    Timeframe: Winterbreak 2021-2023
    My role: Illustration and Design

    This set of illustrated e-cards was created for the Office of the President to send to internal audiences to celebrate the end of the fall semester in 2021, 2022, and 2023. I created the artwork in Procreate for consideration of the President. It’s always tricky balancing the expectations of both a student audience and the administrative stakeholders, but the result is a series that feels both fun and presidential, and that is a reflection of the University’s spirit and warmth.

    I’m especially drawn to projects that allow me the opportunity bring a more personal, creative touch to institutional communications.

  • Community First

    Community First

    Promotional Materials for the Annual University of Rochester United Way Campaign

    Audience: Faculty, staff, providers, and patients across the University system
    Timeframe: Spring 2021
    My role: Project Management, Graphic Design, and Creative Direction

    I served as the United Way departmental coordinator for University Marketing and Communications from 2015 to 2024. Each year I also supported the promotion of the University’s enterprise-level annual spring campaign by creating promotional assets used by other coordinators across the enterprise. In 2021, deliverables included posters, digital advertisements, and digital screens, all designed to stand out from the University’s traditional brand palette.

    To bring the campaign to life, I drew on my extensive network to recruit a diverse group of spokesmodels representing many facets of the community. The campaign not only captured attention with a bold visual approach but also surpassed its fundraising goal.