Arizona Designer of the Year

Sara Stewart, Arizona Daily Star

           Sara Stewart, 24, has been a designer for the Arizona Daily Star for two years, crafting lead pages for Business and A1 before moving to features. Last year, she was a finalist for Arizona Designer of the Year.

Judges, the design staff of the Hartford Courant, said Stewart “uses much variety in her presentations. She seems to have a good sense of color. She presents stories with some clever visual ideas. Her designs reflect that she has knowledge in the use of both photo and illustration. Hands down, Sara is the clear winner for Designer of the Year.”

            Stewart graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2003 and began her career at the Elgin Courier News in suburban Chicago, where she worked for a year before moving to Tucson. When she’s not at the design desk, you can find her on a road trip or shopping for vintage clothes.

First runner-up

Amanda Willis, East Valley Tribune

    Buoyed by her love of Diet Pepsi and "Project Runway," Amanda Willis, 27, has lent her design skills to the East Valley Tribune since 2002. She currently works on advance news pages, special projects and features sections.

    Judges said Willis “works well in her news and feature presentations. This shows her versatility. She approaches stories on A1 with different techniques that really work well.”

    Willis grew up in Omaha, Neb., and graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2001. While in school she worked as a teaching assistant for the Columbia Missourian. Outside of work, she enjoys art classes, shopping and time with friends.

Second runner-up

Charmayne Gien, Phoenix Magazine

 Charmayne Gien, 39, has been an art director and graphic designer for 17 years, during which time she has created marketing campaigns and identity packages for icons such as LA Gear, Nissan, Burger King, FOX Television, Carsey Werner, New Line Cinema, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Now in her third year as art director for Phoenix magazine, Gien has re-designed the magazine to better reflect its mostly conservative audience while maintaining its city “edge.”

    Judges praised Gien’s unusual use of typography. “The presentations are powerful but not overbearing,” judges wrote. “Her artwork is used in interesting ways.”

    Having grown up in South Africa, Gien attended art school in Johannesburg and then joined the graphic design program at UCLA. She then became art director for special publications at the acclaimed entertainment trades, Variety and Daily Variety in Los Angeles. She has consulted on the redesign of several magazines for Petersen Publishing and was responsible for the initial design of Below the Line, a trade publication for film crews.