Portfolio
Design the story.
Power the change.
Helping values-driven organizations share their mission through strategies and stories that spark action.
Where missions meet momentum
Design the story.
Power the change.
Helping values-driven organizations share their mission through strategies and stories that spark action.
Featured Articles
10 September 2025
What the Dashboard Can’t Tell You
22 August 2025
AI in Human-Centered Work
7 August 2025
Building Inclusive Digital Spaces
Meet the Strategist
The Story Behind
the Strategy
Industry Experience
10+ years
Highest Education
Master’s in Design Management & Communication
For nearly a decade, I built my career in agencies, startups, and large corporations, designing strategies that fueled growth, shaped brands, and drove results. The work was fast-paced, rewarding, and full of lessons. But too often, the focus was on profit above people.
I knew design could do so much more. Today, I focus on nonprofits, civic groups, and values-driven businesses – organizations where strategy and storytelling don’t just sell, they serve. My work helps mission-driven teams turn complexity into clarity, so their stories move people, inspire action, and power lasting change.
Meet the Strategist
The Story Behind
the Strategy
From Profit to Purpose
For nearly a decade, I built my career in agencies, startups, and large corporations, designing strategies that fueled growth, shaped brands, and drove results. The work was fast-paced, rewarding, and full of lessons. But too often, the focus was on profit above people.
I knew design could do so much more. Today, I focus on nonprofits, civic groups, and values-driven businesses – organizations where strategy and storytelling don’t just sell, they serve. My work helps mission-driven teams turn complexity into clarity, so their stories move people, inspire action, and power lasting change.
Industry Experience
10+ years
Highest Education
Master’s in Design Management & Communication
Key Projects
Impact in Action
From community energy to civic transparency, these projects reflect how strategy and design can move people and shape meaningful outcomes.
Civic efforts to bring transparency & accountability to Detroit courtrooms.
A community initiative advancing energy literacy & equity in Boston’s Chinatown.
Turning a clinical beauty system into a story of authorship and care for Black women.
Strategic Prinicples
What Guides My Work
My approach is rooted in design thinking and storytelling, guided by principles that put people, clarity, and impact first.
01.
People First
Design should start with listening. Every strategy begins with understanding the needs, voices, and lived experiences of the people it’s meant to serve.
02.
Clarity > Complexity
Complex challenges demand clear communication. My work simplifies the technical and the abstract into stories people can understand and act on.
03.
Story as Strategy
Facts inform, but stories move. I use storytelling to bridge ideas and people, making missions memorable and meaningful.
04.
Impact That Lasts
Design isn’t about quick wins, it’s about building trust and creating change that carries forward long after a project ends.
Offered Services
Methods in Motion
Strategy & Storytelling
Every strong initiative starts with insight. Using qualitative research, participatory methods, and narrative analysis, I surface the human perspectives behind complex challenges. These insights become strategies and stories that organizations can carry into campaigns, reports, and community engagement.
- In-depth interviews, focus groups, and field research
- Narrative frameworks rooted in lived experience
- Strategic roadmaps that guide decision-making
Brand & Identity
A mission is only as strong as the way it’s communicated. Through research-driven positioning and message testing, I build brands that reflect organizational values while resonating with diverse audiences. Beyond logos and taglines, this is about creating a foundation of trust and recognition.
- Values and mission alignment workshops
- Message testing and audience analysis
- Brand systems: voice, identity, and guidelines
Website & Digital Design
Digital platforms should be designed as systems, not static pages. My approach integrates UX research, content strategy, and iterative prototyping to ensure websites communicate clearly and invite meaningful action. The result is digital design that simplifies complexity without losing nuance.
- UX research and user journey mapping
- Content architecture and information design
- Web systems that adapt to growth and change
Campaigns & Advertising
Campaigns succeed when they are rooted in strategy and insight. By combining creative development with qualitative audience research and data-driven optimization, I design campaigns that not only expand reach but connect authentically with the communities they’re meant to serve.
- Campaign strategy and creative direction
- Multi-platform digital advertising (Google, Meta, LinkedIn)
- Performance analysis and iterative refinement
Latest Articles
From the Blog
What the Dashboard Can’t Tell You
We talk a lot about being data-driven. But more often…
AI in Human-Centered Work
Al In Human-Centered Work Author Hayley Moro Date August 22,…
Building Inclusive Digital Spaces
Building Inclusive Digital Spaces Author Hayley Moro Date August 7,…
Substack Newsletter
Field Notes
On Substack, I write about design as a tool for change – from participatory methods and civic tech to alternative economies and community storytelling. Each piece explores how we move beyond profit-driven systems toward clarity, equity, and impact.
Stories of Collaboration
Partner Perspectives
2020
Hayley was fantastic in creating an in-depth Brand Guide. The amount of work she put into it was beyond what I expected. Hayley’s ability to communicate well, and understand her client, is perhaps her greatest asset. There are plenty fo people that do “great design”, but finding people who are at once collaborative, good listeners, and ingenious, is quite another thing.
2023
It’s rare that you come across standout talent like Hayley’s. Her exceptional skills in crafting effective customer-centric design strategy are unmatched. Seamlessly blending design aesthetics with practical usability and detailed costumer insight. She has valuable expertise in conducting user research, implementing creative strategies, and developing intuitive user interfaces.
2023
I highly recommend Hayley for her exceptional talent and leadership as a strategist. I’ve had the pleasure of working alongside her and I was consistently impressed by her creative vision and ability to deliver outstanding results. Hayley’s attention to detail and ability to effectively manage client relationships made her an invaluable asset.
2023
Hayley is amazing. She deeply understands marketing and design, but most of all, she understands how to make things happen. Hayley made our company what it is today and we are so grateful for her hard work and dedication throughout the years. We’ve partnered with her many times over the last 5 years and we hope to continue this partnership in the years to come. Thank you for all of the help, Hayley!
2024
Hayley has been presented with 2 of our top-tier clients who require a lot of time and effort. Not only has she been communicating with them, asking questions and working through feedback on a regular basis, but she has been creating top notch designs for both. She’s been managing relationships like a pro, expressing our best practices while looking for ways to make the client as happy as possible.
2025
Hayley, great work. Everything is done with excellent context and creativity. Your research was realistic, achievable, and well defined. Your story has been coming together nicely throughout the project and you will only now have to build upon what you have in order to land the plan in the final presentation. Excellent work and looking forward to seeing the finished product.
