The Agency 29 creative team just got a whole lot stronger, and Heather Stahlman is a key reason why. She’s one of two new Art Directors bringing fresh energy and perspective to the agency.
Concept dreamer. Feeling translator. Heather has an ongoing album in her camera roll dedicated entirely to finding beauty in the ordinary.
Heather brings a researcher’s rigor, an artist’s instincts, and a deep belief that great creative work should hit home emotionally.
Her background spans travel and tourism, museum and aquarium brands, and a formative stint in packaging design at Fisher-Price. Every chapter of her unique career path shows up in how she works. She approaches each project by asking what a brand makes people feel, then figuring out how to make that feeling visible.
We sat down with Heather to talk about emotional resonance, fresh perspectives, and why she’s genuinely excited to become an expert in the industries Agency 29 serves.
What drew you to the role of Art Director at Agency 29?
It really came down to two things for me: the work and the people.
I love food, and have been fascinated by the food and beverage industry for as long as I can remember.
I love the creative freedom in this field, and more importantly, that at the end of the day, we’re helping good people market products that nourish people’s bodies. The opportunity to do work that feels truly impactful is huge.
As for the people, it was immediately clear to me how passionate, genuine, and driven the entire team is. That, combined with Maureen’s lead-by-example nature, made me feel like this was a place where I would be encouraged to grow and do my best work.
Before joining our team, what experiences shaped how you work today?
I was a graphic designer and art director at a travel-and-tourism-focused agency for the majority of my professional career, mostly working with destinations and attractions such as museums and aquariums.
This work helped me to hone in on the emotions that a certain experience makes people feel, and then translate that into visuals that create emotional resonance.
Prior to that, I had a brief packaging graphic design internship at Fisher-Price, which helped shape the way that I approach my work: with imagination and boundless creativity.
What’s one part of your job people might not expect?
When I tell people I’m an art director, most don’t have a clue what that actually means.
I like to summarize it as dreaming up a concept and shaping it into reality, which is a fun but rather over-simplified description.
I think people might be surprised at the more analytical aspects of the job. We use a great deal of research and strategy to inform our decisions, and need to have a deep understanding of each target audience to ensure that our work isn’t just visually appealing, but hits home emotionally as well.
What’s something you’re excited to bring to the Agency 29 team?
I’m excited to bring some fresh perspectives. While there is overlap across the agency world in general, I think that coming from outside of the industries that Agency 29 primarily works within will allow me to approach things a bit differently than expected.
That being said, I am SO excited to learn more about the food/bev/ag industries, and truly hope to become an expert within them, while growing as a leader as well.
What’s the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration for a client project?
So often I find myself being inspired by nature—the way the sun is hitting a certain object, the color gradients found in wildflowers and changing leaves, an accidental composition formed by a grouping of trees. I have an ongoing album in my phone of things like these and other “beauty in the ordinary” moments that I often look to for inspiration.
When you’re not at your desk, where should we look for you?
You can find me in the kitchen whipping up a recipe from scratch, rummaging through my closet curating outfits, nose-deep in a sketchbook or journal, at a sports bar watching my favorite teams (Go, Bills, Red Sox, and Sabres!), dancing to house music at my favorite local venues, spending time with family and friends, and soaking up the sunshine.
Lastly, you mentioned a love of food. What’s your go-to coffee or tea order, and what should we keep stocked in the break room for you?
Iced matcha latte with oat milk—strawberry or lavender matcha if either are available. I’m also a big mushroom coffee drinker (don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it).
Snack-wise, I’m a savory, briny girl to my core. Anything pickled, pickle-flavored, or pickle-adjacent will make me happy.
From emotional storytelling to a camera roll full of nature and beauty in unexpected places, Heather is already bringing something fresh to this team. Although she’s new, the team’s already saying Heather’s kind of a big dill. We’re so glad she’s joined the team.