ABOUT
Hi, I'm Brenna, a brand architect specializing in strategy, positioning, and narrative systems that drive long-term brand clarity, coherence, and growth.
I've designed unified brand frameworks that align meaning and messaging across complex organizations, enabling 150+ brands across B2C, B2G, and B2B sectors to achieve stronger consistency, relevance, and results.
Trained in brand advertising as a systems discipline, my work has consistently evolved upstream over my 30 years of experience creating brand architecture and governance that set the conditions for advertising, marketing, and PR teams to execute with clarity, integrity, and durability over time.
My path to brand leadership began in ad agencies, where I worked as an art director after completing my brand advertising training at the Academy of Art University. Curiosity and a commitment to continuous learning led me to leave agency life in 2006 for freelance work. In 2010, I accepted a three-month contract at the California Museum that evolved into a decade-long role and reshaped the trajectory of my practice.
During that decade, I refined my brand architecture approach to center on cultural meaning, narrative clarity, and message systems that drive awareness, loyalty, and ROI. The Museum’s mission to inspire Californians through history, arts, and culture provided the scope to design brand frameworks that unify story, experience, and audience impact—delivering consistent, measurable outcomes. The leverage-based process I refined there became the principles that continue guiding my work today.
7 key principles guiding my approach:
1. Brand architecture is a system of leverage that drives ROI.
I design unified messaging and meaning across advertising, marketing, and PR, creating structural advantages that deliver measurable financial outcomes.
2. Alignment is a strategic discipline.
I eliminate silos and create shared clarity that accelerates decision-making, reduces friction, and enables unified execution across teams.
3. Purpose works only when it becomes action.
I connect brand values to data-informed storytelling that turns intention into attention and motivates audiences to engage, purchase, and stay loyal.
4. Craft scales when strengthened by technology.
I combine the rigor of classic brand strategy with AI and digital innovation to deliver creative and operational excellence across brand systems.
5. Leverage turns lean resources into outsized ROI.
I prioritize impact, turning limited budgets into disproportionate returns, including transforming $20K into $300K in value with a 1400% ROI.
6. Co-creation creates stronger solutions.
Collaborative processes accelerate adoption, improve alignment, and generate work that moves KPIs and organizational culture forward.
7. Diversity expands commercial opportunity.
Narratives built for multicultural audiences increase recognition, reach, and revenue. With the U.S. nearing a non-majority demographic, inclusive brand architecture is a competitive advantage.
CERTIFICATIONS & RECOGNITION
Beloved Brands
Mini MBA Certified
Led by Graham Robertson, Top 10 CMO
& Industry Thought Leader
Top 25 Portfolios of Design Leaders & Execs
— Marissa Louie, iOS Lead Designer at
Apple, Expedia, SiriusXM
Artificial Intelligence in Marketing Certified
Top 10% of Cohort; Recommended by former Google Chief Evangelist
SELECT CLIENTS & PARTNERS
Arts & Culture
California Museum
Charles M. Schulz Museum
Film Noir Foundation
Eames Office
Eames Institute of Curiosity
Skirball Cultural Center
Smithsonian Institution
Consumer
Black Angus Steakhouse
E&J Gallo
Go Girl/Nor-Cal Beverage
Redwood Creek Vineyards
Shoei Foods, USA
Pottery World Home Décor
Tower Records
Enterprise & Public Sector
Coit Services, Inc.
Dine Marketing
Maloof Sports & Entertainment
Mercedes-Benz USA
Milgard Windows
Offices of Governor Gavin Newsom & First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom
RESUME HIGHLIGHTS
Experience
Brand Architect
Consultant | 2022-Present
Communications & Marketing Director
CASBO | 2023-2025
Communications & Marketing Director
California Museum | 2010-2022
Creative Director
Freelance | 2005-2010
Associate Creative Director/Senior Art Director
Clark + Associates | 1998-2005
Senior Designer/Production Artist
Ross Marketing | 1996-1998
Education
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Major: Advertising Design (Art Direction)
Minor: Copywriting
Academy of Art University
Digital New Media & Journalism
American River College
Platforms & Software
Adobe Creative Suite
Figma
Google Analytics (GA4), GSC & GTM
Salesforce
Pardot Lightning
Meta Business
Mailchimp
Constant Contact
Drupal
WordPress
Webflow