Heather Winkel

Senior Art Director, Baltimore office

1. Can you tell us about your role at MCI USA?

I’m a Senior Art Director in the MCI Baltimore office, working as a creative project leader and collaborating with editorial, marketing and design teams to craft high-caliber visuals and smart design solutions. I primarily work on publications—everything from launching new projects and leading redesigns to ongoing print and digital magazine design work—but I also step in on various other print and digital projects. I’m interested in leveraging my figure-it-out attitude and expertise in design strategy to expand our work into new, innovative areas.

2. What do you like best about your job?

I love the collaborative environment within our project teams, larger design team and with our clients. We introduced original, commissioned artwork to one of our largest magazine projects in 2018 and as the art director of that project, I absolutely love collaborating with photographers and illustrators from around the world to turn the ideas in our heads into reality. By leveling up and working with talented hired artists on concept development and execution, we’re able to bring more impact to stories and elevate the overall look and feel of the magazine.

3. What doesn’t the average person know about magazine design?

Making a magazine uses all parts of your brain and skillset. It requires both creative vision and attention to detail. One day you’re creatively concepting ideas for the cover story and the next you’re deep in data trying to make sense of it all for an infographic. You have to jump back and forth between tasks and be creative on demand because you’re often working on three issues at a time.

4. Where do you get your inspiration?

Everywhere! While I do have a robust Pinterest board collection, I also like to get out and about away from the computer for inspiration. I love to travel (a great resource for color palettes), I walk the aisles of the grocery store looking for interesting typography on packaging and I follow artists who work in disciplines that are outside of my wheelhouse (textile designers, architects, product designers).

5. You were just named 2018’s All Star of the Year in the MCI Baltimore office. (Congrats!) What does that recognition mean to you?

I definitely shed a tear—and I’m not even a crier! I’ve been with MCI Baltimore for almost 11 years and have won many awards for my design work in that time. It’s certainly nice to be recognized by the industry for your work, but it means even more to be recognized for the overlooked side of the work we do day in and day out to deliver that award-winning work for our clients. During a character-building year of evolving client expectations and grueling schedules, when you think there can’t possibly be one more good idea in you, and yet, somehow, you prevail, that’s when recognition means the most.