Recognizing Creative Leadership and Elevating Brand Excellence
Today, we recognize an important career milestone for Alexa Rafael, previously Senior Designer, who has recently stepped into her new role as Art Director.
The promotion recognizes Alexa’s creative leadership, commitment to excellence, and growing impact across client work, team development, and Rizco’s creative process.
Since joining Rizco in 2018, Alexa has been instrumental in bringing brands to life through thoughtful, strategic design. Her work spans print, digital, social media, web, branding, and out-of-home advertising campaigns, helping organizations across financial services, healthcare, construction, nonprofit, legal, education, and commercial services differentiate and strengthen their brands, communicate with clarity, and create meaningful connections with their audiences.
Throughout her career at Rizco, Alexa has helped transform business challenges into compelling visual experiences through brand launches, identity evolutions, integrated marketing campaigns, and digital experiences designed to support growth. Her ability to combine creativity with strategy reflects Rizco’s belief that design is more than aesthetics. It is an asset that helps organizations build value.
Her work has supported clients as they expand their reach, strengthen their competitive position, and increase enterprise value, with several Rizco clients successfully growing, merging, or being acquired in recent years.
After graduating from the University of Delaware in 2015 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Visual Communications, Alexa began her career as a graphic designer at BOLD Worldwide in New York City. Since then, she has continued to expand her leadership abilities and creative talent, guiding major brand initiatives, driving complex creative projects, and helping elevate the quality and consistency of Rizco’s creative work.
Her collaborative, proactive approach has made her a trusted creative partner for both clients and colleagues, guiding creative direction on key projects, supporting the design team’s development, and helping establish standards that ensure every Rizco brand experience is thoughtful, strategic, and impactful.
“Since joining Rizco, Alexa has proven to be an indispensable creative force and a true champion for our clients’ brands,” said Keith Rizzi, Partner and Creative Director at Rizco.
“Her ability to bridge high-level strategy with exceptional visual design has directly contributed to the success and growth of the organizations we serve. Alexa’s natural shift into a leadership mindset, paired with her dedication to mentoring our creative team, makes this promotion a well-earned next step. We are excited to see her continue to elevate our creative output in her new role as Art Director.”
Alexa is personally driven by the people and causes that matter most to her—family, sports, and giving back. She is a loving and proud mother to her two-year-old son, Kobe, and remains connected to the sport she loves through her husband Jose’s Ocean Volleyball Club in Toms River, New Jersey. Additionally, for six years, she has served as an Ambassador for the non-profit organization, Love One International, raising awareness and funds to provide life-saving medical care for malnourished children in Uganda, with the mission: Love a Child. Save a Life.
In 2022, Alexa was named one of New Jersey Ad Club’s Jersey’s Best Top Marketing and Communications Professionals Under 40, recognizing her contributions to the region’s marketing and creative community.
As Art Director, Alexa will partner with Rizco’s creative leadership to oversee the design team’s work, guide the agency’s brand standards, and collaborate across departments to deliver innovative, brand-led solutions for clients. She will also take a hands-on role in mentoring designers, leading internal learning opportunities, and supporting the creative team’s continued growth and development.
On her promotion, Alexa stated, “I am incredibly grateful and honored for the opportunity to step into the role of Art Director at Rizco.
The past eight years have been filled with incredible learning, growth, and the privilege of working alongside a team that truly feels like family. Throughout my journey at Rizco, the leadership team has championed my growth—encouraging my voice, creativity, and leadership to flourish. I look forward to continuing to shape brands that create meaningful visual and strategic impact for our clients. I’ve heard it said that ‘A great Art Director is part visual expert, part leader, part strategist, and always a brand guardian.’
I take that philosophy to heart and will strive to embody it each day in this new role.”
