Karen Hodo
ABOUT ME
I’m a Chicago-based visual strategist and designer who helps nonprofits and community organizations make their design systems clear, consistent, and accessible.
With over 15 years of experience in design strategy, art direction, and systems development, I translate complex processes into practical, reusable guides, tools, and assets that teams can maintain confidently over time.
I chart the invisible terrain between people and the systems they navigate.
MY PRACTICE
Fields served
Healthcare, education, nonprofit, software, civic and community spaces.
How I work
Design audits and small survey pilots to shape project goals.
Focus on defining and collaboratively creating a clear scope
Design assets created with reusable parts like templates, task guides, and more.
Measurable impact and analysis
Design Ethics
Guide audience to the things that improve their holistic quality of life.
Facilitate inter-departmental communication, connection, and trust.
Research Ethics
Support audience and client agency through early collaboration in design process.
Take accountability by documenting positionality, whether as a researcher or client. (Taking accountability)
Focused, human-centered qualitative data collection through empirical data collection.
Services
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Audits, surveys, and usability reviews that reveal communication gaps to get your team on the same page
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Templates, campaigns, and design systems that keep your messaging consistent, even as teams and tools change.