We are an experienced team of senior strategists, writers, designers, and project managers committed to our work, our clients, and each other. Our team has worked together for over a decade on average—this dedication and stability fuels the work we do. We partner seamlessly with qualified and long-standing experts in our key focus areas, and in digital communication, social marketing, and public relations work.
Values-Driven
Several years ago we began using the term values-driven strategic communication to describe what we do at M Creative. We put it on our business cards, etched it on the glass that fronts our Trade Street office in downtown Winston-Salem, and incorporated it into presentations to prospective clients. It was language that just felt right to our clients in describing both them and us.
We’ve helped values-driven clients raise over 700 million dollars in capital campaign gifts over the last 12 years.
We’ve helped values-driven clients raise over 700 million dollars in capital campaign gifts over the last 12 years.
So what do we mean by Values-Driven Strategic Communication?
We believe it means understanding and clearly articulating what truly makes your organization different, assessing the degree to which your values contribute to that difference, aligning the values of your organization with the values of your key constituents, and synthesizing and translating that information into persuasive narratives and creative design that give internal constituents the tools they need to talk confidently about the organization and external stakeholders the emotional connection they need to wholeheartedly engage.
We believe this a critical difference worth understanding when you’re looking for a communication partner.
The combined years our team has worked together is more than twice the age of the internet.
The combined years our team has worked together is more than twice the age of the internet.
Just “B”-ing Ourselves.
M Creative is a certified B Corporation, a designation granted by B Lab to organizations that believe in the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Certification requires a serious commitment to higher standards of transparency, accountability, and performance to all stakeholders, including employees, clients, and vendor partners. It also means that we are diligent in operating our firm in a sustainable way. M Creative is the only Certified B Corporation in the Triad. We invite you to join the movement.
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Forrest Causby
Partner
Forrest is a collaborative, thoughtful, and dedicated designer, committed to bringing people together and building community. A graphic designer by training, his vision for the role of design is expansive — able to transform social systems, build equity, and heal divides.
He joined the M Creative team in 2016, and along with Iris Cole, acquired the firm in 2024. He is a founding board member of the Community Design Studio of Winston-Salem and a founding board member of the Triad NC chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. In 2017 he was named one of the Triad's 40 Leaders Under Forty by the Triad Business Journal. His design work has been recognized by PRINT Magazine, PRINT + HOW Books, TheDieline.com, PICA, the Healthcare Advertising Awards, and the Aster Awards. He is a graduate of the College of Design at NC State University where he received his Bachelor of Graphic Design degree. -
Iris Cole
Partner
Iris is an innovative, strategic, and bi-lingual leader with an international profile and 20+ years of experience working as an executive and sustainability consultant in both the public and private sectors.
She came to M Creative in 2019, and along with Forrest Causby, acquired the firm in 2024. Iris is a social entrepreneur, having launched several companies including FEF Group, Inc., a design and project management firm with a focus on sustainable development, She Raises the Bar, a strategic CSR and sustainability consulting firm, and most recently Do Good Artist, an innovative company creating social impact through multi-sector collaborations between the arts and other industries. Iris serves on numerous boards including Senior Services, Project Space 411, Leadership Winston-Salem, Arts Council, Reynolda House, and is the Board Co-Chair of the REACH Women’s Network and Board Chair of Flywheel Foundation. -
Rob Blumenauer
Designer
Rob is a designer, illustrator, and plant parent. He graduated magna cum laude from The Maryland Institute College of Art in 2020 with a BFA in Illustration, and joined the M Creative Team in 2022. Rob works in a variety of visual styles and mediums, preferring to work with clean lines and geometric shapes. His work tends to incorporate a strong sense of narrative, and makes use of bold and harmonious color palettes. When he isn’t drawing or designing, he is busy playing games, watching video essays, or feeding his podcast addiction.
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Jon Hyland
Sr. Designer
Jon joined M Creative in 2006 after graduating with a Master’s degree from the College of Design at North Carolina State University. Although Jon hails from the Bull City of Durham, he has taught English in Japan, sold cheese in Rhode Island, shoveled snow in Colorado, and cycled from Nice to Madrid—all the while perfecting his skills as a graphic designer. He has also worked for an ad agency in Boston, and freelanced in Hillsborough, NC. Jon studied painting in college, and adds illustrative and identity development capabilities to the team. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Salem College teaching Introduction to Graphic Design to undergraduates. Jon enjoys rigorous exercise, although we have yet to see him so much as walk to work from his nearby Washington Park home.
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Elizabeth Kidder
Account Strategist
Liz joined M Creative in the summer of 2024. A self-proclaimed marketing nerd, Liz is passionate about the protection, health, and education of children. Before joining M Creative, Liz was the Marketing Communications Specialist for local nonprofit, The Parenting PATH and prior to that taught at Ardmore Methodist Through The Week School, focusing on on early childhood developmental and educational assessment. A graduate of Ohio University in Visual Communications, she met her husband while in college. Liz started her career in the Boston area with Acom Healthcare where she focused on strategic communications for biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device clients. When not working, Liz is spending time with her husband, three boys, and two dogs. Her love languages include laughter and sharing good (dairy-free!) food with loved ones.
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Alandria Nixon
Account Executive
Alandria joined the M Creative team in 2022 after meeting Mary on a plane ride from GSO to NYC. A recent graduate from North Carolina A&T State University with a BA in Psychology, she shared with Mary all her hopes and dreams in a shared instance neither of them could have possibly imagined. Alandria’s knowledge of social and cognitive psychology aid in the discussion and implementation of strategic growth opportunities for the clients we serve. She previously worked as a recreation counselor for children ages 3–5 in High Point, NC. Alandria caters to her succulents; she crafts door wreaths, homemade headboards, and various DIY projects; she spends time with her friends and family; and she draws and captures precious moments of her experience.
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Garrett Osepchuk
Sr. Designer
Garrett brings a wealth of branding expertise and design experience to M Creative as Senior Designer. Raised in Massachusetts, he has been building brands for over a decade and has worked with organizations such as Target, HGTV, Champion, Wake Forest University, Coca Cola, Biscuitville, and Cone Health. Prior to joining M Creative, Garrett was a Designer, Art Director and Strategist, working at various agencies and as a freelancer across the Piedmont Triad. His approach to design combines compelling visuals with strategic thinking to help solve complex communication challenges for our non-profit clients. When he isn’t designing, Garrett enjoys spending time with his wife, Laura, and their two children, Knox and Emeline. He enjoys working out, discovering new music and practicing the ancient art of making beef jerky.
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Miyako Woodhouse
Sr. Project Manager
Miyako Woodhouse is an avid sports fan and self-proclaimed Andy Griffith junkie, who looks forward to Mayberry Days held annually in Mt Airy, NC. She joins the team with 20 years of project management experience. Miyako has spent most of her career with the Center for Creative Leadership. During her tenure, she managed Marketing Communications strategies and Global Sales Events, supported US Government projects, and most recently served as Senior Project Manager with the Center’s Societal Advancement group. She has worked with the esteemed Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation International Program for Public Health, Colorado Health Foundation, and Margaret Waddington School Principals Institute. When Miyako is not cheering for her favorite teams or vegging on classic television, she explores her creative side and plans neighborhood and children’s celebrations. From time to time you may also hear a loud and proud “Aggie Pride” from Miyako, who graduated from NC A&T State University with a BS degree in Marketing.
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Stephen Young
Creative Writer
Stephen Young writes. Letters to his grandmother, apologies to his wife, silly songs for his son. He’s written travel diaries from Paris, Venezuela, and the broken-down lane of the New Jersey Turnpike. As far as unpublished novels, yes, of course, and he forgives anyone inclined to hear this and groan. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill, Stephen hauled lobster traps off the coast of Maine, tilled manure into various North Carolina gardens, taught a few minutes of high school English, and once nearly died (yes, really) in a disastrous experimental drug study. He now feels fortunate to have less troublesome employment finding and arranging the right words for MCreative projects.
Forrest Causby
Partner
Forrest is a collaborative, thoughtful, and dedicated designer, committed to bringing people together and building community. A graphic designer by training, his vision for the role of design is expansive — able to transform social systems, build equity, and heal divides.
He joined the M Creative team in 2016, and along with Iris Cole, acquired the firm in 2024. He is a founding board member of the Community Design Studio of Winston-Salem and a founding board member of the Triad NC chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design. In 2017 he was named one of the Triad’s 40 Leaders Under Forty by the Triad Business Journal. His design work has been recognized by PRINT Magazine, PRINT + HOW Books, TheDieline.com, PICA, the Healthcare Advertising Awards, and the Aster Awards. He is a graduate of the College of Design at NC State University where he received his Bachelor of Graphic Design degree.
Iris Cole
Partner
Iris is an innovative, strategic, and bi-lingual leader with an international profile and 20+ years of experience working as an executive and sustainability consultant in both the public and private sectors.
She came to M Creative in 2019, and along with Forrest Causby, acquired the firm in 2024. Iris is a social entrepreneur, having launched several companies including FEF Group, Inc., a design and project management firm with a focus on sustainable development, She Raises the Bar, a strategic CSR and sustainability consulting firm, and most recently Do Good Artist, an innovative company creating social impact through multi-sector collaborations between the arts and other industries. Iris serves on numerous boards including Senior Services, Project Space 411, Leadership Winston-Salem, Arts Council, Reynolda House, and is the Board Co-Chair of the REACH Women’s Network and Board Chair of Flywheel Foundation.
Rob Blumenauer
Designer
Rob is a designer, illustrator, and plant parent. He graduated magna cum laude from The Maryland Institute College of Art in 2020 with a BFA in Illustration, and joined the M Creative Team in 2022. Rob works in a variety of visual styles and mediums, preferring to work with clean lines and geometric shapes. His work tends to incorporate a strong sense of narrative, and makes use of bold and harmonious color palettes. When he isn’t drawing or designing, he is busy playing games, watching video essays, or feeding his podcast addiction.
Jon Hyland
Sr. Designer
Jon joined M Creative in 2006 after graduating with a Master’s degree from the College of Design at North Carolina State University. Although Jon hails from the Bull City of Durham, he has taught English in Japan, sold cheese in Rhode Island, shoveled snow in Colorado, and cycled from Nice to Madrid—all the while perfecting his skills as a graphic designer. He has also worked for an ad agency in Boston, and freelanced in Hillsborough, NC. Jon studied painting in college, and adds illustrative and identity development capabilities to the team. He has served as an Adjunct Professor at Salem College teaching Introduction to Graphic Design to undergraduates. Jon enjoys rigorous exercise, although we have yet to see him so much as walk to work from his nearby Washington Park home.
Elizabeth Kidder
Account Strategist
Liz joined M Creative in the summer of 2024. A self-proclaimed marketing nerd, Liz is passionate about the protection, health, and education of children. Before joining M Creative, Liz was the Marketing Communications Specialist for local nonprofit, The Parenting PATH and prior to that taught at Ardmore Methodist Through The Week School, focusing on on early childhood developmental and educational assessment. A graduate of Ohio University in Visual Communications, she met her husband while in college. Liz started her career in the Boston area with Acom Healthcare where she focused on strategic communications for biotech, pharmaceutical, and medical device clients. When not working, Liz is spending time with her husband, three boys, and two dogs. Her love languages include laughter and sharing good (dairy-free!) food with loved ones.
Alandria Nixon
Account Executive
Alandria joined the M Creative team in 2022 after meeting Mary on a plane ride from GSO to NYC. A recent graduate from North Carolina A&T State University with a BA in Psychology, she shared with Mary all her hopes and dreams in a shared instance neither of them could have possibly imagined. Alandria’s knowledge of social and cognitive psychology aid in the discussion and implementation of strategic growth opportunities for the clients we serve. She previously worked as a recreation counselor for children ages 3–5 in High Point, NC. Alandria caters to her succulents; she crafts door wreaths, homemade headboards, and various DIY projects; she spends time with her friends and family; and she draws and captures precious moments of her experience.
Garrett Osepchuk
Sr. Designer
Garrett brings a wealth of branding expertise and design experience to M Creative as Senior Designer. Raised in Massachusetts, he has been building brands for over a decade and has worked with organizations such as Target, HGTV, Champion, Wake Forest University, Coca Cola, Biscuitville, and Cone Health. Prior to joining M Creative, Garrett was a Designer, Art Director and Strategist, working at various agencies and as a freelancer across the Piedmont Triad. His approach to design combines compelling visuals with strategic thinking to help solve complex communication challenges for our non-profit clients. When he isn’t designing, Garrett enjoys spending time with his wife, Laura, and their two children, Knox and Emeline. He enjoys working out, discovering new music and practicing the ancient art of making beef jerky.
Miyako Woodhouse
Sr. Project Manager
Miyako Woodhouse is an avid sports fan and self-proclaimed Andy Griffith junkie, who looks forward to Mayberry Days held annually in Mt Airy, NC. She joins the team with 20 years of project management experience. Miyako has spent most of her career with the Center for Creative Leadership. During her tenure, she managed Marketing Communications strategies and Global Sales Events, supported US Government projects, and most recently served as Senior Project Manager with the Center’s Societal Advancement group. She has worked with the esteemed Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation International Program for Public Health, Colorado Health Foundation, and Margaret Waddington School Principals Institute. When Miyako is not cheering for her favorite teams or vegging on classic television, she explores her creative side and plans neighborhood and children’s celebrations. From time to time you may also hear a loud and proud “Aggie Pride” from Miyako, who graduated from NC A&T State University with a BS degree in Marketing.
Stephen Young
Creative Writer
Stephen Young writes. Letters to his grandmother, apologies to his wife, silly songs for his son. He’s written travel diaries from Paris, Venezuela, and the broken-down lane of the New Jersey Turnpike. As far as unpublished novels, yes, of course, and he forgives anyone inclined to hear this and groan. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill, Stephen hauled lobster traps off the coast of Maine, tilled manure into various North Carolina gardens, taught a few minutes of high school English, and once nearly died (yes, really) in a disastrous experimental drug study. He now feels fortunate to have less troublesome employment finding and arranging the right words for MCreative projects.
At M Creative, our values and beliefs require that we remain ambitiously small and intentional about maintaining a healthy work-life balance for our employees; nurture each other and recognize that each person makes a difference and should be treated with dignity and respect; work with courage, integrity, and honesty as we seek clients and partners who share our values; strive to provide a work environment where we welcome autonomy, freedom, and flexibility; and measure our performance not by how hard we work, but rather by the results we achieve.
some of our clients
Advocacy and Communication Solutions
ALMA
American Hebrew Academy
Arbor Acres
Art & Science Group
Ashe Services for Aging
Baebies
Bell House
Black Philanthropy Initiative
Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation
Bon Secours Richmond Foundation
Catawba Regional Hospice
Center for Creative Leadership
City of Winston-Salem
Columbia College
Community Education Collaborative
Computer Credit, Inc
Cone Health
Duke University School of Law
ECHO Network
Forest History Society
Gateway YWCA
Heifer International USA
Health First Foundation
Hospice & Palliative CareCenter
Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust
Los Encinos School
Moravian Ministries Foundation
Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation
New River Conservancy
North Carolina Arts Council
North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
NC Department of Cultural Resources
North Carolina Institute for Minority Economic Development
Oak Forest Health & Rehabilitation
Old Salem Museums & Gardens
Randolph Hospital
Ravenscroft
Ronald McDonald House
Saint Mary’s School
Salem Academy and College
Sanstone Health and Rehabilitation
SECU Family House
SEM Works
Senior Services
Sheltering Arms Foundation
StoryLine—a project of the ECHO network
The Charlton School
The Forsyth Promise
The Morehead Foundation
The University of North Carolina system
The Women’s Fund of Winston-Salem
The Winston-Salem Foundation
Thomas S. Kenan Institute for the Arts
University of North Carolina School of Law
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Wake Forest University
Wake Forest University Divinity School
Winston-Salem Industries for the Blind
Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University Foundation
YMCA of Northwest North Carolina