Hi! I’m Jillian Rees.
I’m a brand designer and illustrator based in New York City. Born in the Bahamas and raised across Beijing, Cebu, Osaka, Macau, Bali, Beirut, and Dubai, I bring a global perspective to every project. My work is shaped by cultural awareness, emotional clarity, and a commitment to building thoughtful, cohesive brand worlds. Above all, I design with care, for people.
Let's create
digital experiences
brand worlds
visual identities
cool sh*t.
︎︎︎
RESORTS WORLD NYC, 2025
Client: Actum LLC for Resorts World NYC
Scope: Cross-channel campaign creative, design system adaptation, production toolkits
Client: Actum LLC for Resorts World NYC
Scope: Cross-channel campaign creative, design system adaptation, production toolkits
Challenge
Design a cross-channel campaign for NYC's first downstate casino license bid. Working within Resorts World's existing brand guidelines, create a scalable system for $5M+ in paid media targeting three audiences: Queens residents, policymakers, and the licensing board.
Design a cross-channel campaign for NYC's first downstate casino license bid. Working within Resorts World's existing brand guidelines, create a scalable system for $5M+ in paid media targeting three audiences: Queens residents, policymakers, and the licensing board.
Impact
︎︎︎$5M+ paid media spend across TV, radio, print, and digital
︎︎︎Reached tens of millions of voters and stakeholders
︎︎︎Campaign strengthened public awareness and favorability
︎︎︎Resorts World won the competitive casino license
︎︎︎$5M+ paid media spend across TV, radio, print, and digital
︎︎︎Reached tens of millions of voters and stakeholders
︎︎︎Campaign strengthened public awareness and favorability
︎︎︎Resorts World won the competitive casino license
ALICE TAM TIEN FOR CIVIL COURT, 2024
Client: HZQ Consulting for Alice Tam Tien Campaign
Scope: Brand identity, multilingual campaign system, print production
Client: HZQ Consulting for Alice Tam Tien Campaign
Scope: Brand identity, multilingual campaign system, print production
Challenge
Design a complete brand identity and campaign system for a NYC Civil Court special election across Lower Manhattan's diverse neighborhoods. Materials needed to work seamlessly across three languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin) while maintaining visual consistency and cultural sensitivity.
Design a complete brand identity and campaign system for a NYC Civil Court special election across Lower Manhattan's diverse neighborhoods. Materials needed to work seamlessly across three languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin) while maintaining visual consistency and cultural sensitivity.
Impact
︎︎︎Campaign materials distributed to 50,000+ voters
︎︎︎Engaged diverse communities across Lower Manhattan
︎︎︎Won decisively with 43,944 votes (~99%)
︎︎︎Campaign materials distributed to 50,000+ voters
︎︎︎Engaged diverse communities across Lower Manhattan
︎︎︎Won decisively with 43,944 votes (~99%)
NBCUNIVERSAL, 2022–23
Team: Gillian Hally, VP of Product & UX, Entertainment Brands; Ed Mazzucco, Director of Design, Digital
Team: Gillian Hally, VP of Product & UX, Entertainment Brands; Ed Mazzucco, Director of Design, Digital
Bravo Guessing Game
Scope: UI/UX design, front-end design, cross-platform experience
Challenge
Design a trivia game activation for BravoCon 2022 that would drive engagement across mobile, tablet, and desktop while maintaining Bravo's bold brand personality and encouraging social sharing.
Impact
︎︎︎74M+ cross-platform engagements at BravoCon 2022
︎︎︎Earned Brand Strategy & Audience Growth Award
︎︎︎Successfully drove social sharing and brand awareness
︎︎︎Responsive design system across mobile, tablet, and desktop
Scope: UI/UX design, front-end design, cross-platform experience
Challenge
Design a trivia game activation for BravoCon 2022 that would drive engagement across mobile, tablet, and desktop while maintaining Bravo's bold brand personality and encouraging social sharing.
Impact
︎︎︎74M+ cross-platform engagements at BravoCon 2022
︎︎︎Earned Brand Strategy & Audience Growth Award
︎︎︎Successfully drove social sharing and brand awareness
︎︎︎Responsive design system across mobile, tablet, and desktop
BravoTV.com Accessibility Audit
Scope: WCAG compliance audit, design specifications, stakeholder presentations
Challenge
Conduct a comprehensive keyboard accessibility audit of BravoTV.com and create actionable specifications to bring the site into WCAG compliance. Produce deliverables clear enough for multiple development teams to implement consistently.
Impact
︎︎︎Comprehensive reports delivered to VP-level leadership
︎︎︎Technical specifications for focus states and interaction patterns
︎︎︎Standardized accessibility best practices for development teams
︎︎︎Improved site usability for keyboard and assistive technology users
Scope: WCAG compliance audit, design specifications, stakeholder presentations
Challenge
Conduct a comprehensive keyboard accessibility audit of BravoTV.com and create actionable specifications to bring the site into WCAG compliance. Produce deliverables clear enough for multiple development teams to implement consistently.
Impact
︎︎︎Comprehensive reports delivered to VP-level leadership
︎︎︎Technical specifications for focus states and interaction patterns
︎︎︎Standardized accessibility best practices for development teams
︎︎︎Improved site usability for keyboard and assistive technology users
SIRAJ RESTAURANT, 2022
Studio: Bright Polka Dot
Scope: Brand identity, visual system, brand applications
Challenge
Reimagine the brand identity for Siraj, a distinguished Emirati-Levantine restaurant in Dubai. Create a visual system that honors cultural roots while appealing to contemporary audiences and scaling into new markets, such as New York.
Reimagine the brand identity for Siraj, a distinguished Emirati-Levantine restaurant in Dubai. Create a visual system that honors cultural roots while appealing to contemporary audiences and scaling into new markets, such as New York.
Impact
︎︎︎Created a flexible identity system balancing tradition with modernity
︎︎︎Designed applications across menus, signage, and environmental graphics
︎︎︎Established a scalable brand framework for future market expansion
︎︎︎Created a flexible identity system balancing tradition with modernity
︎︎︎Designed applications across menus, signage, and environmental graphics
︎︎︎Established a scalable brand framework for future market expansion
THE BRONZ ZOO, 2020
Studio: Zaino Design
Scope: Typographic poster series, environmental graphics
Challenge
Create a series of large-format typographic posters for The Bronx Zoo that would engage both on-site visitors and New Yorkers while reinforcing the zoo's playful, contemporary identity. Transform each animal's name into the illustration itself using bold, accessible design.
Create a series of large-format typographic posters for The Bronx Zoo that would engage both on-site visitors and New Yorkers while reinforcing the zoo's playful, contemporary identity. Transform each animal's name into the illustration itself using bold, accessible design.
Impact
︎︎︎Created a distinctive visual series using a three-color palette
︎︎︎Transformed typography into illustration across multiple animal subjects
︎︎︎Strengthened the zoo's contemporary brand presence through environmental graphics
︎︎︎Engaged diverse audiences with an accessible, playful approach
︎︎︎Created a distinctive visual series using a three-color palette
︎︎︎Transformed typography into illustration across multiple animal subjects
︎︎︎Strengthened the zoo's contemporary brand presence through environmental graphics
︎︎︎Engaged diverse audiences with an accessible, playful approach
