McKenzie has been a designer, in-house illustrator, art director, pretty good DND player, your local barista, Washingtonian turned Portlander, and most importantly, a photographer for her two cats.
Education
Bachelor of Fine Art Degree
George Fox University | 2015-2019
Here’s the story all about how…
After graduating in 2019, an internship with Soma Games became a full-time role as Marketing Designer for projects like The Lost Legends of Redwall. McKenzie got to hold a camera part time and click a mouse with the rest of it, creating everything from filmed ads to web pages launching new games.
A job offer from George Fox meant that in 2020, she moved into the role of Lead Designer for a new Learning Management System. Together with both a remote and local team, she lead branding and web design until the project’s conclusion.
George Fox then hired her into the Marketing and Communications department as an In-House Illustrator and Designer where she worked on print materials, online ad suites, and campus-wide promotional materials. (A forty foot mural and a pack of game cards were a few highlights.)
Pursuing a pivot towards freelance work, McKenzie began working full-time with her own clients in 2022 while also working weekly with Willamette Week as a Contract Editorial Designer. As one of a two-person design team, she worked on weekly layouts, directed photographers and other illustrators, illustrated covers, and generally had a blast getting to be part of local journalism. (She even won an award…Thanks Society of Professional Journalism!)
In addition to her work as an artist, she also strives to be a helpful mental health advocate. She grew up with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and is interested in the power of illustration to promote mental health awareness.
Now she’s designing layouts, illustrating, and generally having a great time as Art Director at Eugene Weekly.
Skills
Adobe Creative Suite
Traditional and Digital Illustration
CMS and Email Marketing
Art Direction and Project Management
Branding and Visual Direction
Video and Motion Editing
Grants & Awards
First Place Illustration- The Society of Professional Journalism, 2024
Best in Illustration - The Society of Professional Journalism, 2023
Make Build Learn Grant - Regional Arts and Culture Council, 2021
The Lippi Award- George Fox University, 2019, 2018
Clients
“McKenzie brings such creativity and a fresh, poetic way of looking at leadership content. We love working with her.”
-Jen Furl, Instructional Designer at Verb | goverb.com
“Could not recommend a better graphic designer! McKenzie brings our brand and ideas to life!”
-Saalfeld Griggs PC | sglaw.com
Reviews
Socials
Recent Exhibition Record
2025 Group Exhibition, Yo Gabba Gabba: The Super Art Friends Show, Brea Gallery, CA
2025 Group Exhibition, Quality of Character: The Illustrated Works Scott Aasman & McKenzie Young , Lindgren Gallery, OR
2024 Group Exhibition, Four Eighths, Sherwood Center for the Arts, OR
2024 Solo Exhibition, Tigard Art Week, Symposium Coffee, OR
