Sarah Davidson

Sarah Davidson

I’m a senior designer with a background in journalism—a Swiss Army Knife who thrives telling visual multimedia stories. Working at the world’s top magazines taught me to measure twice and cut once; the Bay Area taught me to move fast and break things. Now, I never let work that’s too safe go out the door.

⚡️ Let’s Do This
Email | LinkedIn

Creative Director | TogetherSF
2021–2025

TogetherSF is a watchdog organization that reaches 100K+ San Francisco voters. As the Creative Director, I built the brand from the ground up, leading a team of content creators that drives big impact. Through attention-grabbing (and sometimes controversial!) messaging, we secured millions in city funding to fight the fentanyl epidemic, brought attention to corruption in City Hall, and helped unseat an incumbent supervisor for the first time in two decades. Our ongoing integrated marketing campaigns regularly see up to 800K impressions, while our larger, omni-channel initiatives have driven 50M–200M ad impressions.

team feedback

“Sarah is a thoughtful, highly effective manager, always pushing her team to put out the best possible work. She's able to keep complex, ever-changing projects on track with limited resources, all while developing high-quality work herself. Her creativity and guidance helped me create some of the most impactful work of my career.”

—Shawn Dillon, Content Manager

Team Feedback

“Sarah is an exceptional Creative Director who inspires me with her leadership and vision. At TogetherSF, she managed everything from refining creative ideas to delivering impactful designs across various media, including but not limited to print, website, blog posts, campaigns, and social media. What sets Sarah apart is her empathy and genuine care for her team—working with her always felt collaborative and supportive. She’s the kind of leader who instills confidence in your work and pushes you to grow. It’s been an honor to work with her and learn under her guidance.”

—Gurvinder Kaur, Graphic Designer

 

Art Director | Los Angeles Magazine
2018–2019

Being part of the team at this award-winning and iconic magazine that celebrates a city I love was a career highlight. I directed food shoots, commissioned illustrators, scouted new artistic talent, pitched and reported stories, and saw sections through the production process from conception to release. During this time, I also had an encyclopedic knowledge of the LA restaurant scene, a party trick I sorely miss.

team feedback

“I first worked with Sarah at Los Angeles Magazine and later at MasterClass. In both roles, her dedication to design excellence and conceptual thinking was evident in every project she took on. She has a remarkable ability to craft visual narratives that resonate with diverse audiences, seamlessly blending layout, typography, and both commissioned and original illustrations. Sarah is more than just a skilled designer; she’s a creative thinker and reliable collaborator who always goes above and beyond. Her work consistently elevates the brands she contributes to, and her kindness and professionalism foster an environment where creativity and collaboration thrive. I’m always excited for the next chance to work with Sarah!”

—Rose DeMaria, Senior Art Director

 

Brand Designer + Consultant | MasterClass
2020–2022

In addition to its high-quality course catalogue, MasterClass also produces guides—mini magazines with articles, additional tips and tricks, and supplemental content from class instructors. I art directed and designed these guides for classes featuring VIPs like Alicia Keys, Amy Tan, Es Devlin, Apollonia Poilâne, LeVar Burton, and more. I also edited the entire course catalogue to prepare all guides for translation in foreign markets.

 

Brand Designer + Consultant | OneTable Shabbat
2020–2022

OneTable is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people keep the Jewish tradition of Shabbat. As a long-term branding consultant and designer, I helped the marketing team refresh their visual identity and create marketing collateral on an ongoing basis.

 

Designer | InStyle and BRIDES
2013–2016

As a designer at BRIDES Magazine at Condé Nast, I conceptualized custom content for our sales team to pitch to major brands like Secret, CoverGirl, Anthropologie, Mary Kay, and more—as well as designing advertorials once brands came on board as partners. I also designed visual branding and design systems for events and special projects.

As a designer at InStyle, I designed pages, scouted celebrity trends, directed shoots, and assisted the creative director.

 

Writing Samples

 

magazines

LA’s Pot Czar | Los Angeles Magazine

Book Review: Marlena by Julie Buntin | the Same

In Defense of Dating Apps | The San Francisco Standard

Go Ahead, Ghost Me | The San Francisco Standard

A Myth I Believe About Love | Man Repeller

brands

What Is Direct Air Capture? | Patch.io

What Is Biochar? | Patch.io

What Is Carbon Sequestration? | Patch.io

All About Hygge | Bungalow

How Conflict Resolution Skills Benefit All Relationships | Bungalow