HELLO!
I am a creative designer and storyteller with 9+ years of experience bringing branded environments, attractions, family entertainment destinations, museum exhibits, retail spaces, food and beverage venues, corporate events, and guest-centered experiences to life.
My background spans industrial design, toy design, furniture design, themed entertainment, and experiential design, and I’ve always been drawn to work that creates connection, the kind of spaces and moments that invite people to explore, interact, imagine, and feel something.
I love immersive and playful design, whether that means shaping a full themed destination, developing a branded experience, or finding the small details that make a space more memorable. I’m known for balancing big creative ideas with clear communication, thoughtful collaboration, and practical execution.
Outside of work, I find inspiration through travel, fitness, family, and everyday moments of play.
I am a proud alumna of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, where I studied Industrial Design, and I’m always looking forward to bringing the next new product, place, or experience to life.
Resume
What i LOVE TO DO
Brand Experiences
Immersive environments, activations, retail moments and themed F&B.
Play & Family Spaces
Children’s experiences, family entertainment centers, play programming, and other interactive environments that foster play and curiosity.
Creative Direction
Concept development, art direction, storytelling, team leadership, and presentation development.
Selected brand experience includes:
Nickelodeon • Hasbro • Mattel • CAMP • Ferrari • Warner Bros. • Netflix • Sony • Hershey
Crayola • Volvo • Bass Pro Shops • Ghirardelli • Minecraft • Harry Potter • Mercedes • Squid Game
“I can’t recommend Mary Cate enough. She is passionate about what she does, she has an internal drive, innate excitement and deep commitment to her work that propels her take on new challenges. She takes initiative and always overdelivers. Doing the “bare minimum” is not in her vocabulary. She is curious and seeks to understand how to improve a system and/or her owns skills.
I had a design mentor who I asked, “How do you know when it’s time to stop designing?” His reply was, “When it’s due.” Mary Cate is one of those fairly rare designers who does very well with time management. She can effectively manage multiple priorities and keep up in a fast-paced environment while maintaining quality work.
Lastly, she is collaborative and genuinely a really fun positive personality that brings levity and a terrific sense of humor to even the most challenging projects. I look forward to any opportunity where I can bring Mary Cate onto a project.”