Jessica Koman

I've been working as a graphic designer for 35 years, and I've been in my current role at IQ Solutions, a public health communications company, for 20 years. My work has evolved significantly, especially in the last two years with changes to the National Institutes of Health. My responsibilities include design, concept, layout, print production, PDF remediation for Section 508 compliance, and project management. I was always drawn to typography, logos, and magazine layouts from an early age. My parents and grandparents would take us to museums, auction houses, and art galleries, so pursuing this career felt like a natural path. I started out working in design studios before transitioning to public health communications. I was working at Wake Forest University when I decided to move back to Baltimore because my parents were getting older and my grandmother had Alzheimer's, and I wanted to spend more time with them. A friend of mine was working at IQ Solutions and suggested I come in for freelance work. I talked to some people, and the next thing I knew, I was filling out paperwork and had my job. One of my proudest achievements was early in my career when my boss, David Ashton, got the contract to work on the signage for Oriole Park at Camden Yards. I was able to design some signage and the scoreboard, and there's a big sign on the warehouse as you're driving into the parking lot. With the rise of AI, people are craving more hand-made things where they can see a human behind the work, so I've been pivoting towards hand lettering and printmaking. I'm seeing more interest in lettering internationally, and people are finding ways to monetize their personal work through t-shirts, greeting cards, and small batch custom designs for individuals rather than large companies.