charity: water’s charity: ball

In 2012, I returned as Design Lead for the annual charity: ball, the flagship fundraising event for charity: water. Hosted by Seth Meyers, the event brought together donors, partners, and supporters for an evening dedicated to funding clean water projects around the world. The gala raised more than $3 million, helping provide access to clean and safe drinking water for over 80,000 people.

As Design Lead, I was responsible for developing the visual experience of the event across both physical and printed touchpoints. I designed the exhibition signage and all event print materials—including the invitation suite and program—as well as the packaging for the ticket wristbands. Each piece was crafted to reinforce the organization’s mission while creating a cohesive and memorable experience for attendees.

charity: ball 2011

This was my first year spearheading the visual identity and experiential design for charity: water’s largest fundraising event of the year. Hosted by Jessica Biel and Tyler Perry, the gala raised $2.7 million to support clean water projects worldwide.

My role included designing the event’s signage, invitation suite, and supporting print materials, ensuring a consistent visual language throughout the space. In addition, I conceptualized and designed the event’s centerpiece fundraising installation—an interactive exhibit inspired by the classic toy Lite-Brite. Guests could purchase colored light bulbs and screw them into a large wall installation; as the wall gradually illuminated over the course of the evening, it symbolized the collective impact of the donors. Once the wall was fully lit, a new water project was funded. The installation became both the visual focal point of the event and its most successful fundraising initiative.