Ariel Wang is an Asian American Design Strategist & Storyteller focused on co-creating tangible and digital programs through civic engagement.
Today, Ariel leads the strategic direction and execution of institutional engagements and communications at University of Washington’s Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus.
📍 The Seattle Central Library
Ariel is a first-generation college graduate of UC Berkeley, where she earned her Double Major degree in Media Studies and Political Science.
When playful adventure calls, you can find Ariel tide pooling or tasting a sweet treat like mung bean milk.
She lives in a Taiwanese-Vietnamese-American home in Seattle, Washington.
Nature in the City Map
Role
2015-17 Design research
2017-19 Campaign media strategy
Scope
Nature in the City empowers city dwellers to learn and engage with local biodiversity in San Francisco. My website focuses on how I designed a digital ecosystem to drive civic engagement with the Nature in the City Map and corresponding hands-on education programs.
Designing a map with community input help create a more complete story.
Ariel moderates a panel discussion on map design process at the Global Climate Action Summit at SFMOMA. (Photo: SFMOMA.)
The Presidio Trust & James Corner Field Operations
Role
2015-16 Communications strategy, design operations
Scope
The Presidio Trust is a federal agency responsible for managing 1,191 acres of national park land at the foot of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Trust partnered with James Corner Field Operations to kickstart the ‘imagine’ phase to co-produce schematic designs for a new tunnel top park informed by community feedback. In 2015, I joined the project during the ‘design’ phase to spearhead the community design programs. My website spotlights my holistic communications and large scale operations strategy.
In collaboration with the National Park Service and the Golden Gate Parks Conservancy, the project fundraised more than $98 million dollars to design 14-acres of parkland with Field Operations.
Ariel targeted, organized, and led design charrettes to glean actionable design feedback to design San Francisco’s national park. (Photo: Presidio Trust)
Storytelling Scientist, Project of Grass Jelly Studio
Role
2015-16 Wilderness medicine
2016-17 Social impact program management
2018 Strategic partnership
Scope
Storytelling Scientist is an interactive bilingual English/Chinese leadership education program with a DE&I focus, created based on my scientific observations as a NatureBridge Field Science Educator at Olympic National Park. My website centers on my creative process and targeted audience engagement outcome.
Ariel leads “Storytelling Scientist: Exploring Environmental Science Through Our Immigrant Identities" at PGM ONE, summit dedicated to economic and environmental racial equity, backed by the Sierra Club Foundation. (Photo: Lan Ngo)
Partnered with civic leaders at the Crissy Field Center to pilot the program. This project could not have been completed without the support of Lan Ngo, Co-Founder of EEOC (Environmental Educators of Color), Carpenter, and Orchid Estate Garden Consultant.
REI
Role
2019 Stylist, lifestyle model
Scope
REI is an American outdoor retailer. As part of the REI Brand Stewardship and Impact campaign, I teamed with REI producers, vendors, and photographers to style, model, and produce digital assets. My website showcases our photographs shot by Ryan Tuttle for REI.
Our photograph appears on the front page of rei.com in 2021. (Source: REI.com)
Encourage local exploration and REI member engagement with branded newsletter graphics. (Source: REI Co-Op Newsletter)
Gensler
Role
2020-22 Design operations, communications
Scope
Gensler is a global design firm. I joined Gensler during the pandemic as one of the first two people to be 100% virtually onboarded in the firm’s 55 year history. I wear many hats in my cross-functional role: business administration, graphic design, event planning, and more. My website looks at how I foster a collaborative culture through virtual community engagement and communication design.
I collaborate directly with industry leaders in Architecture and Design, and help translate ideas into compelling visual stories and interactive cultural programs.
As a design consultancy, Gensler builds upon longstanding relationships to create best-in-class flex work and play spaces such as State Street Market, an office plus food hall project spearheaded by my design studio leaders Brian Corbett and Corinda Wong. (Photo: Jason O’Rear)