Media–Objectives Announces Growing Leadership Team
Chicago, Denver and San Francisco— Media–Objectives, an experiential design studio at Valerio Dewalt Train, has expanded its leadership team, announced Principal and Founder, Joe Lawton. The firm recently hired Daniel Meeker to serve as the team’s Senior Managing Director. Meeker joins Lawton and Studio Director, Amanda Jurmu, in leading M-O as the studio approaches its tenth anniversary. The leadership team is supported by Senior Designers Allison Rokusek and Cody Hartleben, and Marketing Manager, Alexa Chmura.
Daniel Meeker, AIA, SEGD, brings more than 25 years of practical and professional experience in the fields of design and design management, with expertise on experience design, visual communications, and graphic design focused on the built environment. As a Senior Managing Director, in addition to strategic planning for the studio, he will provide project management and creative direction. His recent projects include the AdventHealth Training Center for the Orlando Magic basketball team in Florida and signage and wayfinding for Chicago O’Hare International Airport Terminal 5 Expansion.
Currently, he is working on interpretive graphics and wayfinding for the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York, Pinterest’s Chicago and Dublin offices, and a wayfinding master plan for McMaster Carr. Daniel is passionate about cross pollinating ideas from all aspects of the built environment to further inform design decision making. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art History from DePaul University.
“I’ve admired Media-Objectives from afar for many years for their bold and creative solutions, variety of design services offered, and clients they collaborate with.”
–Daniel Meeker
Amanda Jurmu, AIGA SEGD, has been with the firm since 2017. Promoted to Studio Director in 2021, she is a key member of M–O’s leadership team and collaborates closely on the overall vision, process, standards and strategy for the studio, in addition to project direction from conceptualization to execution. Some of her recent project work includes offices for Glassdoor in San Francisco, Chicago, and Uniontown, Ohio; Pinterest’s Toronto office; and the Moen and House of Rohl showrooms in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart, which received an Interior Design Best of Year Award and IIDA Illinois Red Award.
Currently, she is working on experiential graphics, signage, and wayfinding for Pinterest’s offices in Mexico City, São Paulo, and Berlin. With a background in interior design, Amanda strives to integrate the sculptural nature of space into her work to form fully cohesive projects. "Our most impactful projects include collaboration with all parties involved: the client, the architects, the interior designers, the contractors, the artists etc. We're always working toward bettering our communication so that our work integrates seamlessly with the end product." - Amanda Jurmu. She received her Master of Science in Communications Design from Pratt Institute of Design and her Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Cincinnati.
Allison Rokusek, AIGA, SEGD,joined the firm in 2017 and was promoted to Senior Designer in 2022. Allison is committed to creating enriching user experiences through impactful gestures and subtle details. With a background in graphic design and industrial design, she has led creative direction on projects such as the Chicago Park District Ford Calumet Environmental Center exhibit, experiential graphics and wayfinding for Adobe’s San Francisco campus, experiential graphics for multiple Glassdoor offices, along with signage for Marshall’s Landing at the Mart.
Allison is currently working on a donor wall installation for the Boston Children’s Hospital, Capital One’s flagship cafe in the BackBay neighborhood of Boston, and interpretive graphics and wayfinding for Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communication Design and Designed Objects at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Cody Hartleben, AIGA, joined the firm in 2020 and was promoted to Senior Designer in 2022. He uses his background in brand design in print, digital, and physical environments to lead project creative direction on a variety of project types. His project experience includes an Upland Park brand identity, a Nicol Investment company rebrand, and experiential graphics at Linkedin Offices in Sunnyvale, California.
Cody is currently working on Capital One Cafe designs nationwide, interpretive graphics and wayfinding for Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, New York, along with a community based exhibit and mural for CRG in Madison, Wisconsin. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin - STOUT.
Upland Park
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Alexa Chmura, joined the firm in 2020 and was promoted to Marketing and Communications Manager in 2022. Using her education background in fine art and graphic design, and professional background in marketing, Alexa leads the marketing and communications team in developing project proposals, conducting firm outreach, and collaborating on the studio’s overall digital marketing strategy. She received her Bachelors of Science in Graphic Design and Communications degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Joe Lawton, AIGA, SEGD, joined the firm in 2010 and two years later founded M-O. As principal, Joe manages all client relationships, guides the M–O’s strategy and vision, and provides management and creative direction on the studio's work. Notable projects include experiential graphic design for Adobe offices in San Francisco and around the globe, Donor Signage at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, branding and wayfinding design for Shashi Hotel– a new Silicon Valley boutique resort, along with a wayfinding system for the Village of Mount Prospect. He is currently working on Capital One Cafe designs nationwide, a community exhibit and mural for CRG in Madison, Wisconsin, and various brand developments for Nashville-based Nicol Investment Company.
In 2018, Metropolis magazine selected Joe as “New Talent” of the Year, calling him the “Windy City Wunderkind” and Interior Design Magazine awarded him the HIP Award for Leader in Experiential Branding. Joe is passionate about giving back to the community and smaller businesses/organizations. He currently volunteers as the SEGD Chicago Chapter Co-Chair, has provided pro bono services to Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and Kiki Queens on their branding and marketing, and is currently directing our studio’s efforts on an experiential brand strategy for Kentucky based maker, Sunhouse Craft. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture and a Certificate in Urban Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
About Media-Objectives
Media–Objectives (M–O), founded in 2012, is an experiential design studio housed within architecture and interior design firm, Valerio Dewalt Train. M–O has a multidisciplinary focus with designers from various backgrounds working on projects ranging from brand identity, to experiential graphics, wayfinding, exhibit and website design. M-O has been recognized by awards programs such as Fast Company, Interior Design Magazine, Architizer, SEGD, AIGA, Core 77, and IIDA.
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