Thomas McAuley

UI/UX Designer & Visual Strategist

Creative Direction

I bring a thoughtful, collaborative approach to creative direction, ensuring that every project is cohesive, impactful, and aligned with the client’s goals. My focus is always on developing compelling visual narratives and strategies that not only capture attention but also deliver results.

What sets me apart is my ability to seamlessly integrate a diverse skill set—traditional graphic design, storytelling, branding, and UI/UX design—into every project. Whether you need a brand identity that resonates, a marketing campaign that stands out, or design leadership that inspires, I’ve done it all across industries. With experience spanning everything from small businesses to enterprise-level clients, I’m confident in leading creative processes that drive success.

Creative Direction Portfolio

Bexar County, Texas'

Your County. Be Counted.

Voter Education and Outreach Program

Pic: Bexar "County's Your County. Be Counted." logo graphic

About the Program

This comprehensive voter outreach and education campaign required an innovative and multifaceted approach to engage and inform the diverse population of Bexar County, Texas. 

Unique Challenges

  • Population
    Bexar County being one of the largest counties in the region, the first challenge was getting the message out to as many voters as possible.
  • Binlingual Considerations
    With nearly 1/3 of Bexar County’s population primarly speaking Spanish, it was necessary that everything we planned, designed, and distributed were bilingual
  • Politics As Unusual
    In the rapidly changing and increasingly contentious political climate of the time, the challenge lay in addressing voter misconceptions, misinformation, navigating legal sensitivities, and creating a campaign that fostered trust and engagement.

My Role & Key Contributions

I served as the primary campaign creator, designer, and copywriter. Collaborating closely with a small team, I spearheaded the campaign from the initial RFP response to final execution. My responsibilities included designing all campaign collateral, writing compelling copy for print and digital materials, TV and radio spots, and co-directing a TV spot, in each case ensuring the message resonated with its target audience.

  • RFP Success: Co-planned, co-wrote, and designed the winning RFP response, securing the project.
  • Campaign Strategy: Rapidly gained expertise in legal voter education nuances by coordinating with legal advisors over a six-month timeline.
  • Design Execution: Delivered a wide array of collateral, including mailers, TV and radio spots, flyers, newsletters, social media posts, and event signage.
  • Creative Direction: Co-directed a TV spot and designed materials that adhered to strict guidelines while maintaining visual appeal and clarity.

Impact

This project showcases my ability to lead a campaign of significant scale, balancing creative design, strategic messaging, and compliance with legal requirements. It demonstrates my capacity to take ownership of every aspect of a project—from ideation to execution—and to collaborate effectively under tight deadlines.

Pic: Bexar County "Your County. Be Counted." campaign video still
Pic: Bexar County "Your County. Be Counted." campaign poster
Pic: Bexar County "Your County. Be Counted." campaign website and voting pin
Pic: Bexar "County's Your County. Be Counted." Spanish language mailer

Defining the Creative Vision for Kūbs

Logo: kūbs. Logo design and creative direction

About the Product

Kūbs is a groundbreaking platform revolutionizing game development and empowering game developers with its all-in-one approach to project management, collaboration, and production.

Creative Direction

As the Creative Director for Kūbs, I shaped the product’s identity, UI, and UX, aligning every visual and interaction with its mission, taking on much of the work directly while provided direction and oversight to a talented team of designers and maintaining close collaboration with developers and stakeholders to ensure the team’s work met the project’s ambitious goals.

Brand Identity

The foundation of Kūbs’ success is its distinctive brand. Being team member with the most coporate branding experience, I assigned myself the task. From its bright, tech-forward green to the use of modern typography, the brand identity reflects both innovation and approachability, aesthetic but also highly functional.

Design System

A product as multifaceted as Kūbs requires a strong design backbone. I developed the Kūbs Design System to unify the product’s visual and interactive elements. With reusable components, standardized patterns, and clear documentation, the design system became a vital tool for scaling the product efficiently and cohesively.

Pic: kūbs design system with cropped areas of dark mode, light mode, button, and typography frames overlaid to create one image.

Homepage and Product Design

The Kūbs homepage serves as the product’s introduction to users, encapsulating its purpose and capabilities. I designed a homepage that balances compelling visuals with practical information, setting the tone for the product. Beyond the homepage, I directed the design of key screens, from dashboards to project workflows, ensuring every element adhered to the Kūbs brand and enhanced usability.

(Ethically unable to showcasing primary product pages.)

Pic: kūbs responsive mobile and desktop homepage
Pic: kūbs internal dev page

Crafting Winning RFP Responses: A Creative Process

Responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) is a unique and challenging creative process that parallels many of the stages in executing the project itself. It requires a clear understanding of the client’s goals and requirements and the ability to distill those objectives into a compelling and well-structured response that stands out from the competition.

My role in RFP responses goes just assembling documents—it’s about creating a vision, a brand, a strategy, and often a comprehensive campaign outside of the document itself, all of resonates with the client.

The RFP Process as a Creative Discipline

Much like the projects these RFPs represent, responding to an RFP begins with research and strategy:

Understanding the Client’s Goals: I dive into the client’s vision, challenges, and requirements to ensure the response aligns perfectly with their objectives.

Market and User Research: I analyze the target market, user needs, and industry trends to propose solutions that are not only innovative but also grounded in real-world context.

From there, the creative process unfolds:

Campaign Branding: I co-create (or often lead the creation of) campaign branding, which may include slogans, type treatments, and logos that visually and conceptually encapsulate the client’s goals.

Document Layout and Production:
The response document itself is a work of art, often running into the scores of pages. It requires:
  • Copywriting and editing tailored to the client’s specific requirements.
  • Designing and styling inline graphics, tables, and figures to make complex information accessible and visually appealing.
  • Indexed document layout for clarity and ease of navigation.
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association

+40 RFP Response Efforts

A Win Rate of 20%

Pic: RFP Response cover: Nonprofit, YMCA of Greater San Antonio

Nonprofit

Pic: RFP Response cover: Healthcare, The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD (Houston, TX)

Healthcare

Pic: RFP Response cover: Military, Nebraska Air National Guard

Military

Pic: RFP Response cover: Commercial, Galveston Wharves

Commercial

Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, VIA (San Antonio, TX)

Government

Pic: RFP Response cover: Nonprofit, Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas (San Antonio, TX)
Pic: RFP Response cover: Nonprofit, Workforce Solutions Coastal Bend
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, The Texas General Land Office
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, H-GAC (Galveston, TX)
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, Texas Health and Human Services (HHS)
Pic: RFP Response cover: Nonprofit, Peace Corps
Pic: RFP Response cover: Healthcare, UT Health (San Antonio, TX)
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, Southeastern Crescent Regional Commission (SCRC)
Pic: RFP Response cover: Nonprofit, Workforce Solutions North Texas
Pic: RFP Response cover: Government, VIA (San Antonio, TX)

Creative Director Related Skills

Creative Leadership & Strategy

Creative Vision Development
Team Leadership
Project Ideation and Direction
Strategic Branding
Campaign Planning and Execution
Creative Strategy Alignment with Business Goals
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Concept Development
Goal-Oriented Decision Making
Mentorship and Team Development
Resource Management
Conflict Resolution
Creative Workflow Optimization
Stakeholder Communication
Pitching Ideas to Clients and Executives
Client Relationship Management
Trend Analysis and Forecasting
Innovative Problem Solving
Creative Direction for Multi-Platform Campaigns

Design Oversight & Execution

Overseeing Design Standards
Art Direction
UI/UX Oversight
Multi-Platform Content Creation
Graphic Design Supervision
Visual Storytelling
Collaborating with Copywriters
Ensuring Brand Consistency
Typography Direction
Color Palette Curation
Iconography Supervision
Mood Board Creation
Photography and Video Direction

Campaign Development

Integrated Marketing Campaigns
Multi-Channel Advertising
Social Media Campaigns
Digital Campaigns
Print Campaigns
Email Marketing Direction
Event Marketing Materials
Creating Comprehensive Media Kits
Product Launch Campaigns
Developing Campaign Timelines

User Client & Industry Expertise

Understanding Client Needs
Adapting to Various Industries
Military/Federal Design Expertise
Enterprise-Level Campaign Management
B2B Campaign Development
Consumer-Focused Marketing
Crisis Communication Campaigns
Nonprofit Campaigns
Healthcare Branding and Design
Entertainment and Gaming Campaigns

Copywriting & Messaging

Crafting Clear Messaging
Advertising Copywriting
Tagline and Slogan Creation
Editing and Proofreading
Creative Writing for Narratives
Marketing Copywriting
RFP Writing and Proposal Development
Script Writing for Ads and Media
Speech and Presentation Writing

Technical & Design Tools

Adobe Creative Suite Expertise
Figma
InVision
Prototyping Tools
Presentation Software (PowerPoint, Keynote)
MidJourney (AI-Assisted Design)
ChatGPT (AI-Assisted Copywriting)
Project Management Tools (JIRA, Monday.com, Asana)
Design System Implementation
Digital Asset Management

Brand Development & Management

Developing Brand Guidelines
Creating Visual Identities
Rebranding Initiatives
Brand Storytelling
Establishing Brand Voice
Logo Design Oversight
Packaging Design Supervision
Ensuring Cohesion Across Platforms
Product Naming and Identity

Collaboration & Team Dynamics

Fostering Creative Collaboration
Building Inclusive Teams
Facilitating Brainstorming Sessions
Delegation and Task Management
Encouraging Innovation
Inspiring Teams to Achieve Goals
Maintaining Open Communication
Balancing Client Needs with Team Input
Motivating Under Tight Deadlines
Coaching and Career Development for Team Members

Storytelling & Narrative Development

Creating Compelling Narratives
Developing Story-Driven Campaigns
Worldbuilding for Brands
Character and Scenario Development
Gamified Storytelling
Integrating Narrative with Visual Design
Tailoring Stories for Target Audiences

Client Presentation & Feedback

Leading Client Presentations
Handling Constructive Criticism
Implementing Client Feedback
Client Education on Design and Strategy
Building Client Trust
Developing Long-Term Client Relationships

Emerging Technologies & Trends

Adapting to AI in Design
Exploring New Design Tools
Staying Updated on Industry Trends
Pioneering New Creative Solutions
Integrating AR/VR in Campaigns
Understanding the Impacts of Social Media Algorithms

Soft Skills & Leadership Traits

Empathy in Design
Adaptability
Critical Thinking
Attention to Detail
Big Picture Thinking
Time Management
Active Listening
Creative Problem Solving
Managing Stress Under Pressure
Encouraging Open Feedback
Maintaining a Positive Team Environment

Let’s Work Together!

Call, Email, or Reach Out on LinkedIn