At The Beauty Shop, every client works directly with our leadership team, who bring strategic insight and creative expertise to our projects.

We believe great work comes from meaningful collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. From our very first meeting, we begin by listening deeply, gathering insights, and understanding your goals.

Our Leadership Team (L—R)

Liz Gill Neilson

Partner & Creative / Interactive Director

Liz brings over 15 years in design, interactive, and branding to lead creative for organizations and consumer brands, like the Port of Portland, Weston Table, Scott Edwards Architecture, Jessica Helgerson Interior Design, and others. Providing creative direction to our design and interactive support team, her approach focuses on building adaptable, cohesive visual systems aligned with each client’s strategic goals. Her meticulous attention to detail, paired with strategic thinking, ensures that the brands and websites that we create for our clients are visually stunning, technically sound, and conceptually meaningful.

Liz is a Co-Founder of the Natural Resonance Festival. She has been a featured speaker at First Round, Design Week Portland, AIGA Women Lead, Bend Design, and Gray Magazine’s Design Minds. Liz serves on the Advisory Committee of OK You, with degrees from Columbia University and the Pacific Northwest College of Art.

TBS team member of 12 years

Kristin Howe

Partner & Brand Strategy Director

Kristin brings over a decade of experience in brand strategy, working closely with clients to craft positioning and messaging that deeply resonates with their audiences. Her insightful approach to strategy has been described as “holding up a mirror,” helping clients like SEA, Andrea Nakayama, Surgo, Cette, The Community for Positive Aging, and others, see themselves more clearly through their own brand. Her ability to guide clients through complex feedback processes makes her an invaluable asset in building brands that feel authentic and cohesive across all touchpoints.

Kristin is co-creator of Forrest. Her poetry has appeared in Grits Quarterly and SGC Literary Journal. She holds a BA in English and Communications from UC Davis, and an MS in Writing and Publishing from Portland State University.

TBS team member of 9 years

Denise Hernandez

Associate Creative Director & Accessibility Specialist

With a talent for creating visually stunning brand worlds, Denise directs brand development projects with a considered dedication to accessibility, ensuring inclusive and beautiful experiences for every audience group. Denise brings her passion for design as a tool for community impact to create brands for nonprofits, purpose-driven organizations, and pro bono client projects. Her thoughtful approach and strategic design expertise elevate every project she touches, like Hacienda Community Development Corp’s new website, Cryomate Donor Bank’s brand and donor catalog, and brands and websites for Sellwood Community House and Disability Rights Oregon, to name a few.

Her talent and commitment to accessible design make her an essential part of every project, helping clients connect more deeply with their communities. She holds a BA in Graphic Design from Portland State University.

TBS team member of 7 years

Jen Thomas

Partner & Chief Creative Officer

With over 15 years of experience in creative leadership, Jen is responsible for overseeing our studio’s creative vision, maintaining clarity and cohesion across all projects, and ensuring that the brands we build are thoughtful, resonant, and aligned with our clients' goals. She is the guiding force behind our studio’s brand and team culture, providing both creative and logistical direction to make sure that we are always in the right place, doing the right thing at the right time.

Jen is the former Executive Director of Visible Studio and was previously an Adjunct Professor at the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She has been a featured speaker at Design Week Portland, AIGA Women Lead, Bend Design, and Gray Magazine’s Design Minds. Jen holds a BFA from the California College of the Arts.

TBS team member of 12 years

Our Supporting Team

We collaborate with a talented group of in-house and contract-based creative specialists. We believe that agility is key to delivering exceptional work, and our flexible team structure allows us to scale efficiently and pivot when needed to deliver thoughtful, meaningful creative solutions.

Lucas Swick, Senior Engineer

Shopify & Squarespace Development

Fluent in React, Typescript, three.js, HTML, CSS, JS, NodeJS, Blender, Next.js, AR/VR, spatial computing, Lucas loves solving complex problems with elegant solutions, and exploring how people interact with technology.

Dan Cruzat, Senior Front End Engineer

WordPress Development

Dan has works in theme, component and microsite development in JavaScript / Node based platforms. He fears no system, and is a champion for both responsive development, as well as reusable layout components.

"What surprised me most about working with The Beauty Shop was how accessible and non-hierarchical the process felt. Regardless of roles or titles in the agency, everyone was approachable, and we always felt like our input was valued. We felt respected. There was a real sense of openness and collaboration, which made it easy to communicate and work together toward our shared goals."

— Amber Kern-Johnson, Executive Director, The Community For Positive Aging
“What I appreciated most about working with The Beauty Shop was their creativity, thoughtful approach, and genuine kindness. Innovative ideas and dedication to detail made a real difference, and warmth and professionalism created a supportive and inspiring environment.”

— Gili Band, PhD, Co Founder, Cryomate Donor Bank
"I find it very easy to work with the Beauty Shop on our website. I can ask their team questions without feeling self-conscious, and I never have to worry if I don't know the technical terms to explain an issue. Everyone is kind. They always understand what I am asking and respond accordingly."

— Andrea Shanafelt, Community Coordinator, Sellwood Community House

Our History

Founded in 2012, The Beauty Shop’s history includes several studio locations, speaking engagements and panels, countless clients and project collaborators, and the founding of one non-profit organization.