MAKENA WALKER

ASSOCIATE, DESIGN

Makena has been making things since she could hold anything sharp or sticky: metalsmithing, floristry, journalism, screen printing, you name it, she's tried it. But graphic design is the one that stuck. It became her language for starting conversations, engaging people, and questioning the systems we all live in. Now you can always find her off somewhere making something, usually with three Illustrator files open and her bedroom floor doubling as a mood board.

Makena believes in leaning into the imperfect: the messy first draft, the weird tangent, the version before it's cleaned up and made safe. She thinks that's where the real connection happens, in design and with people. Maybe it's because she's a Gemini, but she was born to collaborate: she doesn't leave anything off the table, and she'd rather build something with someone than alone.

As a Boise native, she knows everybody and their mom. Literally. She's a social butterfly who believes in connecting with people on a deeper level, always with a caffeinated beverage in hand and gluten firmly in her rearview. She's also a devoted movie watcher, skier, traveler, and wine connoisseur.. When she commits to something, she commits fully. Not just in design, but in life.

Makena is currently pursuing a BFA in Graphic Design at Boise State University, where she also serves as President of the Student Association of Graphic Arts and Design Manager of Student Media.