About

Carissa Hempton is a Creative Director based in Houston, Texas, with 20 years of experience in branding, print, environmental, and digital design.

She is currently with Principle, where for nearly six years she has led the design team in developing brand identities and systems for some of the Southwest’s most recognized destinations and organizations—including Houston Museum District, Buffalo Bayou Partnership, Southern Smoke Foundation, and Pappas Restaurants. She has also directed comprehensive brand and environmental systems for Houston Zoo, Goode Company Restaurants, Ion District powered by Rice University, and numerous other destination spaces.

Independently, Carissa has designed and directed projects for organizations such as Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, University of Houston School of Art, Project Row Houses, Preservation Houston, HabitatMap, and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts.

She is an active member of AIGA and previously served on the Houston chapter’s advisory board. From 2012 to 2016, she was on the board of directors as Membership Director and later Associate Director of Emerging Membership, where she helped launch the Design Loop mentorship program for emerging designers.

Outside of work, Carissa volunteers with Big Brothers Big Sisters and collaborates with her husband and daughter on side projects like Print Prologue. She also strives every day to be the best mom, wife, daughter, sister, and friend.
 

My thoughts about design:

I believe good design and thoughtful execution have the power to improve people’s lives—that’s why I do this work. Design with intention doesn’t just enhance visual appeal; it also makes things function better. With every project, my goals are twofold: to create design that communicates clearly and effectively, and to elevate how people experience purposeful, well-crafted brands.