Team – Luis Alvarado Design

Luis Alvarado

Principal / Creative Director

Luis is a graduate of the graphic design program at Arizona State University. In 1987, he began his career on the East Coast working with Siegel & Gale in New York City and WGBH in Boston. He returned to Southern California in 1990 to launch his own graphic design firm. For several years, he collaborated with the late annual report pioneer Carl Seltzer in developing annual reports, corporate identities and other communications material. In his 30+ years as a graphic designer, Luis has designed and produced hundreds of annual reports, corporate brochures, corporate identities and many other marketing materials for all types of organizations including Fortune 100 companies, non-profit organizations and government agencies. Luis is a guest lecturer at Long Beach State University and a past teacher of corporate communications at the Art Institute of Orange County.

Thom Surman

Creative Strategist / Writer

Thom has worked in the communication design industry for over 30 years. He engages with senior leadership in both advertising agency and corporate environments to interpret, research, develop and implement communication design strategies. His focus is broad: from advertising design to visual identity/brand management, investor relations publications and graphic systems. As creative strategist he brings a “big picture” management perspective to the LAD organization. Thom has worked with a diverse set of Fortune 500 organizations including health/pharmaceutical, oil/gas, real estate, restaurant/entertainment, and tech industries. Thom is an alumnus and past teacher of Art Center College of Design – Pasadena, CA.

Jason Chatterley

Senior Art Director

Jason has worked with LAD since 2001. He graduated with honors from one of the best design schools in the country – the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Along with LAD, he continues to contract for Disney Consumer Products, Lucasfilm, Thomas Kinkade Studios, Hyundai Motors and Mitsubishi Motors. His specialties include brand development, concept and layout design, and photography.

Travis Marcus

Senior Designer /
Account Coordinator

Travis joined LAD in 2011. He obtained his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Westmont College in Montecito, CA, and went on to get his MBA from Vanguard University. Travis was Creative Supervisor at Hoag Hospital for 12 years and brings to LAD a wealth of knowledge including design, art production, pre-press, production supervision, and traffic management.

Ricardo Hurtado

Senior Designer

Ricardo has worked at LAD for 20 years. He graduated from Centro de Arte y Diseño in Guadalajara, a prestigious graphic design school in Mexico. He currently resides in Las Vegas, but that does not keep him from being an integral part of the LAD team. Ricardo’s specialties include: concept and layout design, brand development, illustrations and animation.

Trina Werkema

Print / Digital Designer

Trina has worked with LAD since 2006. She graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, ranked one of the Best Fine Art Programs in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Trina provides key support in both the design and production stages of our design process. She also manages several long-term accounts and serves as our “in-house” IT person.

Kim Lakin

Designer / Production

Kim has worked with LAD since 2011. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Chapman University in Orange, CA. Kim has exceptional account management skills and works directly with our long-term clients providing key support in both the design and production stages of our design process.

Gerry Randol

Print / Fulfillment

Gerry has worked with LAD during the last 20 years, managing millions of dollars’ worth of printing; everything from 2-color business cards to 8-color marketing collateral, both traditional and digital. In addition, Gerry manages all specialty types of printing for every format and substrate. Gerry also oversees the fulfillment, inventory, and delivery services offered at LAD.

Brian Ponikvar

Senior Designer /
Digital Communications

Brian brings 20+ years of design experience to the LAD team. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton with degrees in Communications and Graphic Design and an MBA in marketing. He has spent most of his career in the healthcare industry applying both design and marketing principles to develop and manage branded marketing campaigns across multiple media channels. His specialties include design, digital marketing and SEO.

Kris Alvarado

Accounting / Administration

Kris has been a part of the LAD team since its inception. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and a Master of Business Administration degree from Cal State Fullerton. Kris manages all the financial aspects of company including: client billing, payroll, accounts payable and receivable, taxes, cash flow, etc. Her attention to detail and superior client services skills have contributed significantly to making LAD what it is today.

Jason Alvarado

Project Manager

Jason has worked with LAD since 2020. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from Arizona State University. Jason is a project management specialist with experience working with teams to accomplish short- and long-term project goals. His responsibilities include managing budgets and monitoring project costs, as well as communicating with clients throughout the project life cycle, from initial discussions to project delivery.

Isaac Ortiz

Junior Designer / Production

Isaac has worked with LAD since 2022. He has an Associate’s degree from Saddleback College and several certifications in graphic design from Arizona State University and University of Colorado Boulder. Isaac provides support with a wide range of tasks from design and production to project organization and archiving.