Jenna Josepher

Freelance Creative Director

New York, NY

www.jennajosepher.com
instagram @deejennarate

 

Q What do you do?

I’m a freelance Creative/Art Director, Designer, and Content Strategist with over 10 years of experience working across studios, agencies, and brands.

Think of me as the person who takes a brief, (or sometimes just a vague idea) and helps shape it into something real and resonant.

I work across the full creative lifecycle: from concept development, ideation, and strategic positioning, all the way through pre-production, on-set, and post. I have a particularly strong background in social media, photo, and video campaigns, meaning I not only think in big ideas, but I know how to execute them across the platforms and formats where audiences actually live.

Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?

I have a degree in Graphic Design with a minor in Set Design- a combination that, looking back, perfectly set the stage (literally) for a career that lives at the intersection of visual storytelling and spatial thinking. My first job out of school was as a Graphics Art Director for stand-up comedy specials on Comedy Central and HBO, which taught me early on how to work fast, think visually under pressure, and never take myself too seriously.

From there, I landed at The New York Times' T Brand Studio as Graphic Designer first and later as an Associate Creative Director, where I had the opportunity to build and lead a design team from the ground up, one that spanned creative strategy, ad marketing, and ad innovation. It was the kind of role that sharpens every muscle at once.

Next, I took on the Creative Director role at Function of Beauty, a beauty-tech startup, where I got to flex on brand-building at a different scale and pace entirely. Scrappier, faster, and deeply creative.

Five years ago I made the leap to freelance. Since then I've helped brands, agencies, and in-house teams build campaigns, brand identities, social strategies, and content with clients ranging from Spotify and Meta to Amazon. Tech, fashion, beauty, health, and B2B.

Q How do you stand out in your field?

Honestly, the people I've worked with would probably describe this better than I can, but here's my best attempt.

As a freelancer, I'm often brought in when an internal team is stretched thin, which means my first job is always to make things easier, not more complicated. I try to remain aware of any environment I'm stepping into. I usually come in with a sharpened pencil and a lot of questions.

What I've been told sets me apart is my ability to connect a brief to a creative execution that actually makes sense for the brand, for the audience, and for the business. I think of myself as a liaison between worlds: I speak strategy and I speak creative, which means I can sit in a boardroom and then walk straight into a shoot and feel equally at home in both rooms.

Q What are you working on right now?

I'm currently an ACD at &Walsh helping with ideation, concept development, strategy, and shaping visual worlds.

Q What’s your style?

I'm known for colorful, unexpected, and widely shared creative work.

Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?

I'd like to work more collaboratively with editors, videographers, and photographers.

Q What is frustrating you right now?

Client risk appetite.

Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?

Research.

 

Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?

"Be patient with yourself and stay humble." — Me, to me, circa 2011.

I graduated into the aftermath of the 2008 recession, which meant the pressure to hustle was immediate and relentless. I spent the early part of my career chomping at the bit, always wanting to be further along, do more, move faster. What I didn't fully appreciate then was that every unglamorous project, every small job, and moment of feeling like I hadn't 'arrived' yet was actually doing exactly what it was supposed to do: building me.

The irony is that the traits I'm most proud of now like being adaptable, collaborative, unafraid of a messy brief were forged in that slow burn. Patience is actually one of the hardest and most useful things you can practice in a creative career, especially when the world is telling you to sprint.

I'd also add: stay humble because humility is what keeps you curious. And curiosity is everything.

 

Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?

Retirement ;)

Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?

Contract, freelance, part time, project-based — Open to full-time hours as well.

Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.

A team that loves the work they do and really gets behind it.

Q: What is your rate?

Depending on the project I typically work in the range of $100-$150/hr. Open to day rates as well.

Q How should someone approach you about working together?

Email is great. It's great when budget is included in the intro, but that might not make sense for everyone.

 
 

Q Who is a creative you admire?

Natalia Mantini - Photographer
Agustina Biasutto - Videographer
Eumi Pok - Designer
The list goes on.

Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?

Protecting my time is part of the creative process. When I'm not burnt out, the ideas are better and honestly, so am I to work with.


This member profile was originally published in March 2026.