Measurable Impact Through Design, Communications & Data
Shaping Brands, Cultivating Trust, Leading Teams
With Vision, Quality & Clarity
Kaya Gordon currently serves as the Managing Director of Charm City Cultural Cultivation, where she leads programming, partnerships, branding, and communications with a focus on creating culturally resonant, high-impact work. A dynamic creative strategist and organizational leader, she brings proven expertise in business development, program management, and strategic partnerships, backed by a designer’s eye and a strategist’s mind.
Her approach—what she calls synthesized creative—is rooted in the understanding that design is most powerful when informed by social perception and the subtle psychological cues that shape whether people decide to try something new or give it their attention. With a background in marketing and a deep understanding of decision-making psychology, she creates experiences and campaigns that connect on both emotional and practical levels.
Kaya’s unique blend of skills, from building teams and operational systems to shaping brand aesthetics and forging high-value partnerships, makes her an intangible asset to any team. She prioritizes quality and accessibility in every project, ensuring creative work is not only compelling but also inclusive and strategically aligned for lasting impact.
12
years of cross-disciplinary leadership in brand strategy, marketing, design, and communications — spanning corporate, startup, and cultural organizations.
1000+
Campaign attests directed and delivered multi-channel campaigns across brand, digital, and experiential platforms, reaching audiences of 1M+ collectively.
20
cross-functional teams led, mentored, or collaborated deliver integrated campaigns that aligned creative, communications, and business goals.
Streamlined Communications& Marketing Success
Over the years, I’ve developed what I call a synthesized creative approach: the ability to weave strategy, design, and communications into a single, seamless process. I learned early on that a brand only thrives when its integrity carries across every touchpoint. My work begins with listening and deep analysis, aligning business goals with audience needs, and then translating those insights into a unified brand experience.
I recognize the natural tension between brand and marketing. One is lead by aesthetics, the other by profit. But, both ultimately serve conversion. My role is to lead that balance, ensuring the brand remains aspirational and trusted while the marketing delivers measurable growth. The outcome is more than polished creative; it’s a disciplined system of storytelling that builds recognition, deepens loyalty, and drives long-term impact.
case study
Driving Brand Engagement & Trust
with the Power of Synthesized Creative Strategy
The Challenge
CCCC was a newly formed cultural hub created to unify three existing programs that were gaining traction in Baltimore’s nonprofit arts sector. While programming was strong, the brand was fragmented, with no consistent narrative across its events, communications, or community touchpoints.
Without a cohesive brand strategy, the organization faced real challenges in building recognition, and establishing the credibility needed to secure funding and long-term sustainability, and deepening trust with stakeholders, which include artists, donors, community partners, and press. In a competitive cultural landscape where perception is as important as impact, CCCC needed to establish a clear, consistent, and inspiring brand voice.
Approach
Begining with a market analysis, we gained insight to better understand how CCCC could authentically connect with its diverse community of artists, partners, and supporters. This research shaped the strategy, ensuring that every decision was grounded in audience insights and real data rather than assumptions.
From there, the brand was built with communications and usability at its core. The visual system, voice, and narrative were crafted not just for aesthetics but for impact: to function seamlessly across campaigns, platforms, and engagement efforts.
Once established, the brand was strategically integrated across multiple touchpoints, including:
Signage and environmental applications to reinforce presence in physical spaces
Email newsletters to drive ongoing engagement and donor confidence
Social media campaigns to amplify reach and build community visibility
Print design and collateral to support fundraising and programming efforts
This holistic integration ensures that Charm CCCC presented a consistent, recognizable, and trusted identity.
Brand Strategy
The unified brand identity, voice, and narrative for CCCC were designed to stand apart from competitors by being clean, bright, systematics but approachable. This positioning struck the right balance between professionalism and accessibility, giving the organization a distinctive and trusted presence in the cultural sector. From this foundation, we defined the look and feel of all communications and digital assets, including:
A redesigned website to serve as the central hub for information and engagement
Cohesive social media templates and posts to create transparency, share impact, and strengthen donor and stakeholder relationships
A branded email newsletter to expand visibility and foster community
We also developed brand guidelines and content frameworks to ensure consistent storytelling across marketing, programming, and development efforts.
Impact
The results were tangible: In its first year under the new communications strategy, Charm CCCC transformed from a promising but fragmented initiative into a recognized and respected cultural hub with the momentum to scale.
Established Charm CCCC’s clear position in the market, differentiating it from competitors
Significant growth in participants and collaborations, as the refreshed brand drew new partners and audiences
Increased social media followers and digital engagement by 40%, expanding the organization’s reach
Improved transparency and reporting content for stakeholders, fueling donor confidence and reinforcing trust
In its first year under the new communications strategy, Charm CCCC transformed from a promising but fragmented initiative into a recognized and respected cultural hub with the momentum to scale.
Integrated Communications & Media Strategy
To position Charm CCCC as a credible and visible leader in Baltimore’s cultural sector, we developed a 360° communications strategy that spanned external media, internal alignment, and digital storytelling.
On the public relations front, we proactively engaged local and regional news outlets while also securing placements in larger cultural publications like Whitewall. We built media kits, press releases, and executive talking points that positioned Charm CCCC as both innovative and community-centered, elevating leadership through interviews and speaking opportunities.
For corporate communications, we established clear systems to align staff and board around brand priorities, drafted transparent messaging for donors and partners, and created a crisis playbook to safeguard reputation during organizational shifts. These systems reinforced consistency and professionalism across all channels.
On the content and social side, we launched a digital storytelling strategy that highlighted resident artists, events, and community milestones. We designed editorial calendars, reminder emails, newsletters, and campaign frameworks while producing high-quality photography, infographics, and video assets. This ensured consistent engagement and gave stakeholders a steady flow of shareable, mission-driven content.
Impact
Secured coverage in 5+ major outlets and national cultural publications, leading to a 25% increase in donor engagement and grant applications.
Grew the newsletter subscriber base by 45%, with open rates averaging 38%, while reminder emails boosted event attendance by 20%.
Increased internal communication satisfaction by 30%, improving alignment and transparency.
Achieved a 250% rise in social engagement and tripled program inquiries from artists and partners.
Leadership & Collaboration
I mentored and led a small but agile creative team, streamlining workflows across design, copy, and digital to deliver high-quality campaigns with efficiency. Beyond managing execution, I also consulted organizational leadership on how to effectively talk about the brand, promote its initiatives, and reinforce its credibility in the market.
Collaboration was central: I partnered with program managers and external agencies to maximize reach, ensured cross-department alignment between programming, development, and communications, and created systems that balanced speed with consistency. This cross-functional approach ensured that the brand narrative carried seamlessly from internal messaging to public-facing communications.
Impact
Campaigns were delivered 20% under projected costs while increasing overall delivery speed by 35%. More importantly, the consolidation of Charm CCCC’s programs under one unified brand created the organizational need for a new leadership position. Due to my visioning and future-focused approach, I was offered the role of Managing Director—demonstrating how effective brand and communications strategy can shape not just perception, but also organizational structure and long-term direction.
Conclusion
The transformation of Charm CCCC illustrates the measurable impact of integrated brand and communications leadership—the very capabilities PayNearMe seeks. By unifying brand identity, strengthening media and community engagement, and streamlining internal and external communications, I demonstrated how strategy and execution together build trust, visibility, and growth.
For PayNearMe, this translates into a proven ability to:
Elevate Brand Strategy: Create a cohesive, distinctive brand presence across all touchpoints, ensuring clarity and resonance with clients, partners, employees, and the industry.
Strengthen PR & Corporate Communications: Proactively shape narratives that inspire confidence among stakeholders, reinforce reputation, and position leadership as trusted voices in the market.
Drive Social & Content Marketing Impact: Lead storytelling that deepens engagement and expands reach, aligning communications with strategic business goals.
Lead with Vision & Collaboration: Partner with executives, teams, and external partners to align on priorities and deliver campaigns that exceed expectations in both impact and efficiency.
At Charm CCCC, these efforts led to a 40% increase in brand recognition, a 250% boost in engagement, and greater donor and partner confidence. For PayNearMe, I bring the same synthesized creative approach—combining strategic marketing, copywriting, design, funnel-building, and leadership—to advance the company’s mission of reimagining payments and establishing an industry-leading voice.
FAQ
Understanding The Value Of My Expertise
What’s the process for translating business priorities into a unified brand narrative?
After years of experience across design, communications, and marketing, I’ve developed a synthesized creative approach: one that preserves brand integrity across every touchpoint while translating high-level business priorities into real impact. My process starts with research and market analysis, moves through narrative development and design strategy, and ends with execution that feels seamless to both stakeholders and audiences. The result? Faster results, stronger customer retention, and brands that command trust because they sound and look like one clear voice.
What does it look like when you lead cross-functional projects from concept to execution?
When I lead cross-functional projects, I begin by listening deeply to leadership and stakeholders to extract not just goals, but the intent behind them. From there, I run alignment sessions to ensure product, sales, and marketing are looking at the same North Star. Once direction is clear, I shift into execution mode—building the roadmap, setting checkpoints, and owning delivery. I’m collaborative upfront but autonomous in follow-through, which means the team doesn’t have to babysit the process. This approach has consistently allowed me to take projects from concept to launch faster than expected, without sacrificing quality, and in many cases has created frameworks that other teams later adopt.
How do you balance creative vision with budget and operational efficiency?
I treat creativity and efficiency as partners, not opposites. I start with the bold idea that will move the needle, then strip it down to its most impactful, cost-effective execution. I’m skilled at leveraging multi-use assets, scalable templates, and strong vendor relationships to stretch every dollar. For example, in past roles, I delivered campaigns that came in 20% under budget while still outperforming engagement benchmarks by over 2x. The real trick is knowing where to innovate versus where to standardize—pushing originality in the brand’s narrative and customer touchpoints, while streamlining production behind the scenes.
What type of collaborator are you?
I’m the kind of teammate who brings warmth and openness into every interaction. I believe conversation is more than just chatter—it’s how trust is built and how new ideas emerge. I enjoy sparking discussions that uncover opportunities or creative angles others might not have considered. My natural curiosity and wide range of interests make me approachable, while my listening skills ensure others feel heard and valued. At the end of the day, I make collaboration feel seamless and engaging, helping the team move forward with clarity and energy.
Why are you an asset for impact-driven teams
I bring a trageted, strategic approach that bridges business goals with human connection. I’m skilled at listening deeply, distilling complex priorities, and translating them into clear brand narratives and campaigns that resonate.
My background spans strategic marketing, copywriting, design, funnel building, social media, and brand development—which means I can see across functions and execute with both creativity and operational discipline. I thrive in collaboration to set direction, then take ownership in execution, ensuring ideas don’t just look good but actually move the needle.
For impact-driven teams, my value lies in making vision tangible: building trust with stakeholders, increasing visibility, and creating communications that strengthen both internal alignment and external engagement. In short, I ensure the work isn’t just consistent—it’s compelling enough to inspire action and deliver measurable results.