Board members

President

Mira Alden, founding President of AIGA Maine and  Principal of Alden Design Studio, has over 15 years of experience in the field of design and visual communications. Mira holds a BFA in Studio Art from the University of Hawaii and an MFA in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design. After moving to New York City, she worked for five years producing original design solutions at MJM Creative Services (WPP Group). Mira is dedicated to the belief that a collaborative, process-based approach yields both innovative design and successful business solutions. Her favorite Pantone color depends on her mood.
Phone: (207) 671-1341

David Siegel is Vice President of ALR, a service company in South Portland. Previously, David spent 20 years in the digital printing industry. His personal interest in design and AIGA has been influenced by the talented designers he’s had the pleasure of working with over the years. Through his position on the board, he is able to help improve the infrastructure for and recognition of design in the state of Maine. David is proud to be the only person at his company that uses a Mac.
Phone: (207) 318-7670

Rand Ardell is a principal at Portland-based Simmons Ardell Design. Rand leads the strategic effort on all client projects and manages the firm's client relationships. He is also responsible for the firm's business development and marketing activities, project management, and operations. Rand was most recently the director of marketing for Bernstein Shur, one of northern New England's largest law firms. Earlier, he was the director of client services at McCabe, Duval + Associates of Portland, Maine, and a vice president and director of operations at MacLaren McCann, one of Canada's largest advertising agencies.

Dave Weinberg is Senior Art Director of the web site at L.L.Bean in Freeport, Maine. He has an extensive background in design and branding across media that extends back to Boston and NYC where he spent many years freelancing and operating his own studio. Dave is also an accomplished illustrator. He holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts. In his other life Dave is a stand-up comic, a member of an improvisational theater company, and a proud and adoring Dad. Dave wishes that all clients everywhere had easy no-brainer access to vector-based versions of their logos!

Kevin Kayne currently holds the position of Design Manager for TD Banknorth where he designs as well as art directs their in-house creative team. In addition Kevin also works collaboratively with many of TD Banknorth's local agency partners. Before making the transition to corporate design, Kevin held the position of Creative Services Manager at RSN Television for 3 years. At RSN Kevin designed and managed national print, web and television campaigns for the network. In addition Kevin also led a cross function brand team responsible for the further development of the RSN brand. Much of his work for RSN can still be found in many ski resorts around the country. Prior to moving to Portland in 2002 Kevin worked in Boston for the web design firm The Screen House. While there Kevin had the opportunity to work on several large web design projects like IKEA.com and Airwalk.com. In his spare time you can most often find Kevin and his wife at Sunday River where they spend most weekends.

Jennifer Merrill received her BFA in Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design. Five days later, she packed two suitcases and moved to New York City to work for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia where she was an Art Director for the award-winning magazines Kids: Fun Stuff To Do Together, Body+Soul, and the newly launched Blueprint. After calling it quits at Martha, Jen was a designer for Little Fury, a small East Village studio, where she had the opportunity to work for clients like MTV, StartHere, and Target. Done with crazy fast-paced city life, Jen moved to Maine in September 2007 where she is currently a freelance designer. When not scowling at tragic incidents of Comic Sans and kerning gone awry, Jen enjoys local produce, national parks, zooming around in her Mini Cooper, and rocking out to country music.

A Maine native, Jessica Simmons studied graphic design at MeCA and has been working as a designer for over 15 years. Prior to moving back to her home state, she held positions at Milton Glaser, Inc. in NYC and Alexander Isley Inc. in Connecticut. Upon return she spent five years at McCabe, Duval + Associates as design director. She works in a wide range of design disciplines, including advertising, editorial design, branding and identity, and web design. She recently started her own business in SoPo. First design project: Poster for an animal conservation group at age five, entitled, "Save Our Friends." (Payment was a dwarf apple tree; it was recently chewed down by a beaver.)

Karan Cushman is principal of Cushman Creative and believes strongly in working with organizations who are making a difference in our communities. Karan’s expertise and desire to raise awareness has made a difference for international biotech corporations such as Genzyme and local non-profit organizations like Make-A-Wish of Maine. Karan has 15 years in the business and holds degrees from Rochester Institute of Technology in Design and Photography. Off-duty, Karan moonlights as a recreational lobsterwoman to help feed her addiction.

Erica Hebold is the Design Director at Lapchick Creative in Portland's Old Port. Erica’s use of modern typography and unique grids skills breathe life into her communications. Her second passion for interior design means she integrates texture and contemporary palettes into her work at every possible opportunity. When not manipulating graphics on the screen, Erica spends her time at hip-hop dance class, with her cats and with her husband, in that order. In her role at AIGA Maine, she engages young adults in art education to help them cultivate their passions and discover the world of design.

Elli O’Connell, a native to Maine, currently works as a Senior Designer at The VIA Group, an advertising agency headquartered in Portland, Maine, working for clients like DuPont and the New York Academy of Sciences. Before returning to Maine, she’s put down roots in New York, Rhode Island and New Mexico working at various agencies for clients such as Xerox, Key Bank, FM Global and Outside Magazine. She holds a BFA in Design and Photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Her latest creative passions: sustainable design, information architecture and cyanotypes.

Mark Smith received his BFA in Communications Design from Pratt Institute and worked in New York for several prestigious clients before moving to Maine in 1988. He also studied with Milton Glaser at the School of Visual Arts and has instructed graphic design courses at the Maine College of Art. Mark is co-owner of curvwork, a design firm in Portland practicing in print, web and environmental design. He enjoys being at home in Falmouth with his family, being on the water in the Gulf of Maine, photography, and cooking.