About

Hi, I’m Jan. I’m a creative director driven by a deep sense of purpose and a passion for creativity and belonging. With an eclectic background spanning diverse industries, I have spent 7+ years shaping global brands and building lean teams.

The Beginning

That’s me – right smack in the middle. Mom stands tall behind me. You can see Papa on the far right strutting a white barong.

Growing up immigrant in America has made my journey multidimensional. And for the most part, colorful. Sandwiched between a Filipino family meant experiencing life through the lenses of others. An intimacy of good and bad, and the just is.

In hindsight, these circumstances planted the seeds for my career path. One characterized by human connection and a desire to uncover surfaces for substance.

In Pursuit of What

2009 was driven by Tumblr during the blogging heyday. This became my canvas.

Here, I immersed myself in online communities and shared various content. From freshly developed film prints to poems and thrifted clothing. It was an era of play and daydreaming.

I read and kept tabs on other creatives who gambled on building a life around creating things. For the first time, I could see myself pursuing art and design for a living.

Pen to Paper

I was eager. College became my playground for exploration in the studio. With an enthusiastic yes to every opportunity that came my way.

Here, I soaked in the wisdom of critiques, found my voice as a creator and was a risk taker. I found myself in rooms with smarter folks and helped launch an online blogazine, interned at a fair-trade startup and briefly worked in higher-education.

Grounded Today

My professional journey has taken me through many sectors. With each season, I’ve grown my skills as a full-stack marketing and design professional, learning so much along the way. For the past 7+ years, I have worked as a marketing coordinator, digital media specialist, marketing director and now, creative director, for America’s largest research park.

My growth is ongoing fueled by mentorship and lessons through every project.

Today, I am most interested in developing branded environments and adaptive reuse.

My biggest flaw is positioning basketball courts as a creative solution for every underutilized grey space.

Get in Touch

Currently based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
mactal.jcm@gmail.com