Ryan Vellinga

Nevada Public Radio

In-House Graphics for the Las Vegas NPR Station

Employer

Nevada Public Radio is a nonprofit public media organization serving Southern Nevada through local journalism, podcasts, and community programming.

Scope & Role

I work across every visual touchpoint—podcast branding, digital ads, web design, event signage, donor materials, and promotional collateral. The role comes with a high degree of autonomy, which has pushed me to self-direct: making judgment calls about consistency, quality, and brand evolution.

Outcomes

Visually, Nevada Public Radio now speaks with one voice. Print, digital, events, and donor materials share a unified palette, typography, and design philosophy. The fragmentation is gone—replaced by a system that feels solid, trustworthy, and grounded in a chaotic media landscape.

On the digital side, engagement time increased by nearly 40 seconds on average per month and engagement rates rose 20% by year end. More importantly, the organization now has the building blocks of a cohesive digital strategy where none existed before.

Challenges

When I started, the visual output was fragmented. Events, digital, and print felt like separate organizations. Work went out without consistent color, sometimes without logos. Beyond the visuals, there was no digital strategy. The website existed, but there was no intentional approach to engagement, lead generation, or content structure.

Solutions

I built coherence. I established a restrained palette, consistent typography, and a design philosophy rooted in trust and simplicity. News is chaotic; Nevada Public Radio should feel like the grounding readers are searching for—solid, trustworthy, here to serve.

On the web, I restructured the full digital experience. I introduced related content modules, strategically placed newsletter signups, and designed non-intrusive donation asks. I also designed web content to deepen engagement. 

Online Media Kit utilizing custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript solutions.
 
The media kit became a proof of concept, custom-coded beyond our CMS limitations, that opened the door to broader web improvements.
2025 Spring Pledge Drive Ads. The graphics for this campaign were all created by hand. 

Nevada Public Radio

In-House Graphics for the Las Vegas NPR Station

EMPLOYER

Nevada Public Radio is a nonprofit public media organization serving Southern Nevada through local journalism, podcasts, and community programming.

SCOPE & ROLE

I work across every visual touchpoint—podcast branding, digital ads, web design, event signage, donor materials, and promotional collateral. The role comes with a high degree of autonomy, which has pushed me to self-direct: making judgment calls about consistency, quality, and brand evolution.

CHALLENGES

When I started, the visual output was fragmented. Events, digital, and print felt like separate organizations. Work went out without consistent color, sometimes without logos. Beyond the visuals, there was no digital strategy. The website existed, but there was no intentional approach to engagement, lead generation, or content structure.

SOLUTIONS

I built coherence. I established a restrained palette, consistent typography, and a design philosophy rooted in trust and simplicity. News is chaotic; Nevada Public Radio should feel like the grounding readers are searching for—solid, trustworthy, here to serve.

On the web, I restructured the full digital experience. I introduced related content modules, strategically placed newsletter signups, and designed non-intrusive donation asks. I also designed web content to deepen engagement. 

OUTCOMES

Visually, Nevada Public Radio now speaks with one voice. Print, digital, events, and donor materials share a unified palette, typography, and design philosophy. The fragmentation is gone—replaced by a system that feels solid, trustworthy, and grounded in a chaotic media landscape.

On the digital side, engagement time increased by nearly 40 seconds on average per month and engagement rates rose 20% by year end. More importantly, the organization now has the building blocks of a cohesive digital strategy where none existed before.

Scroll to Top