Hi, I’m Yea — a brand design leader driven by clarity, empathy and curiosity.

My passion for storytelling and art began in my childhood in South Korea and has developed into a decade-long career focused on creating meaningful brand experiences across the technology, healthcare and marketplace industries.

At the age of fifteen, I left my parent’s home to come to the U.S., pursuing a career in design. I ultimately earned my BFA in Graphic Design from SCAD. This pivotal move shaped my approach to everything I do: with purpose, resilience, and imagination. Throughout my career, I have led creative initiatives that have helped a global tech company unify its brand presence across various platforms. I also helped guide a health-tech startup in establishing a distinct B2B voice.

Currently, I am evolving the U.S. brand expression at OPENLANE, a leading digital automotive marketplace, where I serve as Brand Design Manager. In this role, I oversee the end-to-end creative direction, scale brand systems, and lead cross-functional collaborations to ensure every campaign, asset, and interaction builds trust and makes a meaningful impact. My strength lies in designing scalable visual systems that represent a brand’s identity with integrity while enabling teams to work efficiently and remain aligned. I believe that great design is about unlocking clarity, forging emotional connections and driving outcomes that matter.

I am committed to nurturing collaboration, mentoring junior designers, and inspiring teams with vision and structure. I bring fresh energy, strategic thinking, and a bias toward action to every environment I am part of.

Let’s connect—whether to discuss a new opportunity, brainstorm your next big idea, or explore brand philosophy over coffee.

Experience

OPENLANE

Brand Design Manager

Present

Senior Brand Designer

1 year 5 months · 2023–2025

Creating Yeah

Freelance Brand & Creative

2023–Present

Kinsa

Senior Brand & Creative Designer

1 year 3 month · 2022–2023

Lenovo

Senior Brand Designer

5 months · 2021–2022

Brand Designer

4 years 5 months · 2017–2021

Staff Graphic Designer

3 years · 2014–2017

Capabilities

+ Brand Strategy & Identity Development

+ High-Level Design Execution

+ Cross-Functional Collaboration

+ Design Systems & Scaling Visusal Identity

+ Marketing Campaign & Content Innovation

+ Project & Stakeholder Management

+ Packaging Design and Production Management

+ User Testing and A/B Testing

+ Leadership & Mentorship

Ways to connect with me:

Yea brings 150% to every project, initiative, and committee she is a part of. Her ability to execute at a high-level on a large variety of tasks is unmatched only but the depth of strategic thinking she puts into her work and strength of character she possesses.
Micah Ellis
Design Director / Brand Strategist
The creativity she delivered was always exceptional and with purpose. No detail was ever left unexplored. Not only was she a reliable and hardworking member of the team, but she was also a delight to be around.
Melissa Herboth
Senior Design Manager at Lenovo
Yea is an incredibly talented designer and one of the hardest working teammates I’ve ever had. She strives for nothing less than the best possible outcome and actively engages with her colleagues to push the work further than she or they could take it alone.
Brig Eckrich
Head of Design at Homethrive