Arlene Birt

Arlene Birt is an infodesigner, visual storyteller, public artist and educator. She incorporates behavioral psychology to visually explain the stories behind products and places and help individuals connect emotionally to seemingly distant environmental topics.

Her work on sustainability – which rides the line between art and education – has been featured in Creative Review (UK), U.S. News and World Report, BusinessWeek.com, worldchanging.com, SEED Magazine and at the Barcelona Design Museum. This work resulted in a number of research fellowships and residencies, including a Fulbright fellowship. Birt has published chapters in a number of books, including New Challenges for Data Design, and Sustainable Graphic Design: Tools, Systems and Strategies for Innovative Print Design.

Birt runs workshops and speaks internationally. See some example presentations.

Birt is a professor at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, teaching courses on infodesign, data visualization and sustainability and arts entrepreneurship. In her spare time, she creates participatory, datavis-focused public artwork. Birt holds a master’s degree from Design Academy Eindhoven (NL) .

“My aim is to inspire people to understand how their everyday choices impact global environment and society.”

— Arlene Birt, Chief Visual Storyteller, Background Stories

Nichole Goodwell

Nichole Goodwell is an art director and designer. Her additional expertise in strategic communications, developed over the last 15 years, amplifies her creative work with the aim to foster social, environmental, and cultural innovation.

Her experience in the non-profit and social benefit sectors focuses on sustainability, local food systems, and the arts.

Goodwell holds a bachelor’s degree from Macalester College (US) with a focus on Communications, with additional training from University of Westminster’s School of Media, Arts and Design (UK).

Cotty Versalles

Cotty has vast experience in business development in cultural, conservation and sustainability-focused organizations across the country including zoos, museums and botanical gardens (to name a few). She also has a 15+ year career representing international, regional and local coffee companies and artisans, where she traveled the world following her passion for farmer stories.

A first generation Afro-Cuban American, Cotty has a passion for telling stories and is a self-published children’s book author. Cotty is fluent in Spanish and English.

Amanda Anderson-You

Amanda is a project manager specializing in data communication. Her 6+ years managing accounts within the advertising and design space provides her with a deep knowledge of the creative process. 

Through her experiences partnering with clients ranging from small, local companies to Fortune 500 corporations, she has honed her skills in developing on-brand strategies. Her stellar organizational abilities enable her to juggle the day-to-day needs of multiple projects. 

Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota with a focus on Design, Communications, and Retail Merchandising. She is also proficient in Python programming and actively studying data visualization. In her free time she enjoys sewing, cooking, film photography, and traveling.

Impact Measurement Partner:
Ecotone Analytics

Ecotone Analytics helps clients measure and scale their social and environmental return on investment by communicating impact value to stakeholders. Their evidence-based research and data analysis outlines the social value created by organizations, and together with Background Stories’s data visualization, communicates the cost-benefit ratio of an organization’s programming — measuring impact above and beyond traditional financial returns.

Join Us

August 2019: We’re hiring an experienced information designer.

And we’re always looking for superstar collaborators to join our extended team. Information designers, data visualizers, creative programmers, talented animators, researchers, and copywriters are all part of our network of close collaborators.

We occasionally offer internships to students and professionals looking to expand their skill sets and make valuable contributions to our projects. Together, we help people, especially non-experts, understand sustainability. We work for clients in the US and Europe.

Interested in being a part of Background Stories?
Please send your CV and a cover letter to info(a)backgroundstories.com