Emma Waller

Design & Digital Strategy

Emma is a multi-disciplinary designer who creates websites, brands, illustrations, and systems. She is motivated by work that supports harmony between people and the planet, drawing on painting, plants, and permaculture to approach design as a living system—one that must evolve, endure, and care for what it supports.

Emma’s curiosity across artistic disciplines led her to pursue a Bachelor of Architecture at the University of Arizona. During the rigorous five-year program, she honed her ability to communicate complex ideas in clear visual formats and became aware of the power designers hold to drive change across industries.

She began her career as a digital designer at a 20-person creative agency, where she learned how to balance strategy, timelines, and collaboration with organizations of varying scale. In 2021, she started Emma Joy Design LLC, working as a multidisciplinary design freelancer. She led branding, website, illustration, and visual systems for academic institutions and non-profits.

Emma’s design philosophy is based in observing natural systems for inspiration and answers to complex design challenges. She completed a 9-month bioregional herbal apprenticeship in the Sonoran Desert and a permaculture design course in Tucson, AZ. She now lives at a permaculture demonstration site in Whatcom County, where observing circular systems continues to shape how she thinks.

Emma believes that creating a world that works—for people and the planet—requires crossing disciplines and designing solutions informed by both creativity and ecology.