Creative + Art Direction – Designer – Strategist

Ideas are dreamed up or made better here. Then I make them come to life.

  • Hello — I’m J’Nay Penn, a deeply curious creative focused on art and creative direction with 10+ years of experience leading teams and solving a wide mix of communication challenges for global brands.

  • Hey — I’m J’Nay Penn, a Creative and Art Director experienced working in small, agile groups and within fully integrated teams, where I specialize in inspiring, developing and designing high-performing multi-channel digital content and campaigns.

    I've spent half of my 10 year professional career leading teams in both a physical and digital capacity. In this role, I’m known for having a sharp eye for detail, being a committed advocate for emerging designers and the creative process, along with enhancing the ideation skills of my team to set them up as vested members of their project strategy.

    Most recently, I’ve been an Art Director and/or lead designer on award-winning, top performing projects for clients like Hilton, Google, YouTube, Meta, Delta Air Lines, CAVA Group and many more. Blessed to have been born and raised on tiny St. John, in the US Virgin Islands, I spend most of my free time escaping with a good book, scrolling through Twitter or connecting with my loved ones in the USVI.

  • In 2020, I started a digital journal called pennsive.co with an accompanying IG account built for self expression. It continues to be a safe space for me where I talk about my loc journey, creative career, navigating my 30s and much more.

SELECT CLIENTS

Hilton

Google

Meta

YouTube

Delta Air Lines

CAVA Group

SheaMoisture

Hilton – Google – Meta – YouTube – Delta Air Lines – CAVA Group – SheaMoisture –

Honors + Awards

Communicator Award of Excellence (9), 2023

Won by Creative Theory Agency in 2023 in collaboration with AdCouncil/FEMA on the subject of emergency preparedness and it’s first custom effort focused on Black Americans. Link to ‘Protecting Legacy’ case study.

Creative Communications Awards (C2A)(3), 2023

Won by Creative Theory Agency in 2023 for it’s partnership with Google to highlight internal and external Black History Month initiatives along with their commitment to the Black community. Link to ‘Google Cultural Moments’ case study.

Gold SABRE Award, Public Education The Holmes Report, 2018

Semifinalist, Packaging Adobe Design Achievement Awards, 2013

Magna Cum Laude, Philadelphia University, 2013

Distinguished Honors Scholar, Philadelphia University, 2013

Valedictorian, Ivanna Eudora Kean High School, 2009


Unless otherwise noted, © 2024 J'NAY PENN. All Rights Reserved.