About our studio

Beth champions client relationships and thrives when designing through conversation, to enable the most informed and nuanced creative work. With a pragmatic approach to problem solving and a mind that loves narratives of all kinds, Beth’s superpower is organising information into deliverables that truly effectively communicate; be they a print report, a story-telling animation or an entire website.

Chris is a Senior Designer, supporting and leading across both print and digital projects, ranging from brand focused deliveries, website rebuilds to campaigns. Having joined in 2019, Chris has become an integrated and established member of the team, delivering identities and global reports for Civic Futures, the launch of the NHS Lothian Charity website and campaigns for WWF and the Stroke Association.

Chris’ methodical approach and understanding of on and offline processes adds a reliable and collaborative touch to projects. Operating with multiple years’ experience in the sector and as a core member of Ave, Chris is able to provide tried and tested methods and alternative ways to approach tasks for existing and new organisations and charities. Chris enjoys crafting striking identities for brands, engaging solutions for campaigns and typesetting beautiful reports.

What I bring to work:

A conscientious approach to design with a commitment to dissect and contemplate a brief in entirety.

What I bring to the party:

An embarrassing amount of impromptu dad jokes, eclectic song requests and a worryingly large sweet tooth.

My favourite project:

The ‘Extraordinary Collection’ project for The Willow Foundation and Coutts was especially rewarding – witnessing our work implemented in full force at the charity live auction event.

As our Account Director, Dan’s job is to oversee the day-to-day workflow of the team, to support clients in finding the design solution for their needs and to create the project plans that deliver on those.

Dan is friendly, calm, pragmatic and can often be found on the phone with clients discussing logistics to ensure a smooth and successful project process, and to build strong, trust-based relationships. He looks after the administration of the studio, too, from issuing contracts to invoices.

With degrees in Classics and English Literature and a 5-year stint at the publisher Penguin Random House, he’s also our go to wordsmith and grammar guru.

Darren is a Creative Director with over thirteen years of experience in designing for print, digital, and branding projects. He joined Ave in 2016 and has been involved in a wide variety of exciting projects since then.

Some of his notable achievements include leading the digital strategy and web design for the Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK, as well as working on brand awareness campaigns for Avon, Barnardo’s, and WWF.

One of Darren’s passions is illustration and animation, which is evident in his work on the three-minute animation that brought to life the NHS Confederation’s values. In addition to his design expertise, Darren has experience in behavioural change campaigns.
He played a leading role in the ‘ForwardMotion’ brand and website design project for Southend Borough Council, and he was also involved in The Centre for Ageing Better’s ‘The State of Ageing in 2020’ report design and animation.

Darren is not only a talented designer but also a team player who loves collaborating with others. He enjoys working alongside his colleagues, sharing his experience, and contributing to the creative process. His collaborative nature helps foster a positive and productive work environment, where ideas are freely exchanged and everyone’s input is valued. This teamwork approach allows him to bring out the best in each project he’s involved in, making him a valuable asset to Ave and any team he works with.

What I bring to work:

A passion for all things illustration and a constant quest to create beautiful, user centred websites. And a great passion for flat caps.

What I bring to the party:

Infinite Spotify playlists, an embarrassing repertoire of accents, and a reputation as an excellent terrarium creator!

My favourite project:

ForwardMotion was a great project to work on. It had so many aspects to get stuck into; branding, website design, illustration and animation. Being part of the team that created such a vibrant look and feel, for an awesome initiative, is definitely one of my highlights.

Ellie is the Founder and Director of Ave, an agency she established over 12 years ago to deliver thoughtful, impactful design for charities, not-for-profits, and public sector organisations. With a background in graphic design and a Master’s in charity brand strategy, Ellie has built a career rooted in helping purpose-driven organisations communicate more clearly and connect more meaningfully with their audiences.

Ellie leads on strategy and innovation, overseeing the creative delivery, and nurturing strong relationships across the charity and not-for-profit sector. She is passionate about the role good design plays in driving positive change and shaping inclusive, accessible experiences.

Ellie is currently undertaking the Clore Experienced Leadership Programme, further deepening her leadership practice and commitment to the sector. Alongside her work at Ave, she is a mentor with CharityComms and supports mums navigating career transitions via Mentor Mums. She has recently completed trustee training through Getting on Board, strengthening her understanding of governance and the vital role trustees play in the sector.

Most recently, she launched On Purpose, a new programme of thought leadership and knowledge sharing designed to support professionals working in the charity and not-for-profit space. It’s an evolving platform focused on equipping others with the tools, insight, and confidence to make design and communications work harder for social impact.

Whether through client work, mentoring, or sector-wide initiatives, Ellie is committed to championing a more thoughtful, collaborative, and effective approach to creative communications in the sector.

What I bring to work:

An obsession for meticulous planning, a love of all things digital and a reputation as a very good Googler (and pastries on a Friday morning!).

What I bring to the party:

A continuous string of ‘Would you rather?’ questions, a refusal to partake in karaoke, and a lot of uncontrollable laughing.

My favourite project:

Our first Cancer Research ‘Emeralds & Ivy Ball‘ visual identity will always be a project close to my heart. It marked a key milestone in the evolution of Ave and was a huge team effort, with each designer working on the project.

Laura is Creative Director at Ave. With a specialism in branding and print design, her role includes brand strategy, visual identity and bringing brands to life across multiple touchpoints, understanding how format, design and messaging can be tailored to resonate with target audiences.

With 20 years of experience, ten of these at Ave, she both leads projects and supports colleagues with their creative outputs. She flexes her skills cross multiple sectors, taking previous experience in corporate work and a deep understanding of the charity sector to produce effective communications to build brands that engage and help make the world just that little bit better. Key projects include new identities for Ipswich Theatres, Royal Berks Charity and Glaucoma UK, and campaign and sustainability work for Avon, CALM and WWF.

What I bring to work:

Well-considered, effective design solutions. A passion for print and a kick-ass font library. Shoulders to lean on. Tunnocks teacakes.

What I bring to the party:

Disco naps. Gin. An obsession with weddings and industrial buildings. An array of accents.

My favourite project:

The Queen’s Theatre rebrand project is still one of my favourites – it was our first theatre rebrand I loved visiting the venue to soak up its history and the team’s passion for all things Queen’s and bring it back to the studio to inspire the team.

Rosie is our newest member of the Ave team. As project manager, Rosie takes projects through from initial briefing to final delivery, arranging the team’s schedules to ensure we meet all deadlines and client targets.

With a background in customer service, Rosie is friendly, professional and dedicated to providing the best possible service to our clients.

Having a creative background and experience volunteering with charities, Rosie is passionate about the work we do at Ave and is excited to help our clients with their projects.