Problem: A fundraising gala has one evening to move people emotionally and financially at the same time. The design has to make the mission legible, make it felt, and make the ask feel like a natural extension of the experience rather than an interruption of it.

Process: Every GCM gala starts as a collaborative brief between the creative and development teams, defining a theme, visual identity, and missional messaging to present to gala stakeholders. I then art direct across venue and production teams to orchestrate a plan for immersive art installations, sensory activations, unexpected food and drink presentations, and entertainment that tells a story rather than fills a room. Every moment, from designing the invitation and night-of collateral to directing the mission video, is in service of the same through line.

Outcome: The GCM gala's theme changes every year, and the events have become known for being full of surprises. Imagination Factory transformed a warehouse venue into a place Where Play Was Made, with human-powered vending machines and artful happenings that tied back to the museum's mission. Imagination Excavation turned an outdoor tent into a lush dig site under the stars, hinting at the arrival of a new dinosaur exhibit through a preview of its armature and culminating in a live auction for a fossil dig in the Badlands with the paleontologist who unearthed it. The galas are now consistently sold out, and guests know to expect the unexpected.