HUSH Strengthens Talent, Operations by Welcoming Senior Creative Technologist David Whitely, Studio Manager Christina Jorro

Experience design agency HUSH begins the New Year by bolstering its capabilities and operations with the addition of David Whitely as Senior Creative Technologist and Christina Jorro as Studio Manager.

With over a decade’s worth of experience as a senior developer and creative technologist, Whitely joins HUSH after spending several years honing his craft at digital agency Code and Theory and more recently, design firm Local Projects, creating work that has been recognized by organizations and media outlets such as The Webbys, One Show, New York Design Awards and Fast Company. Along the way, he’s worked with top-tier clients including Comcast/NBC, Maybelline, Vogue, Foursquare, and Hearst for which he helped create the Midtown Manhattan-based HearstLive, a 24/7 digital experience that displays daily news, entertainment and info through Hearst’s lens.

“That project was by far the most insane thing I’ve ever done, in terms of stretching my abilities,” he recalls. “Just writing the code that powered the animations on the walls was really only a part of everything that had to be done. It was not just showing the content, but helping come up with a strategy for what gets shown, and then making that all fit into a coherent design.”

Now, in his new senior creative role at HUSH, Whitely says the design agency gives him a valuable space to not only address the challenges of building large-scale projects, running smooth, successful launches and working more directly with clients, but creating more emotional experiences for the audience. “Emotion belongs in the end result, where you can surprise and move the public,” he explains. “Goal-wise, I want to move someone. I want someone to walk into a space, take it in, and I want to reach them in a way where they really feel something. This year, I’m hoping I’ll get there.”

While the creative technologist role evolves into specialized areas like hardware, software, display tech and AR/VR/3D, Whitely’s objective at HUSH is to keep things “lean.” “Speaking from experience, lean technical setups that are tailored to the experience are the way to go. Trying to incorporate every tool you have, all the time, for every scenario, can be cumbersome and puts limits on the project. This is how I think about Creative Tech: You kill your idols and let go.”

Meanwhile, for newly minted HUSH Studio Manager Christina Jorro, her new position provides an opportunity to be a key ambassador at the experience design agency. “I touch many projects throughout different stages of the process which is incredibly exciting for me,” she says. “I like to wear multiple hats and being able to leave a mark on any project passed my way. I enjoy being the gatekeeper of our talent network and wider HUSH community. It’s great maintaining the culture at a place that already has such a buzzing and electric culture. It’s a really fun role to be in. Every day is different from the next.”

With several years of Studio Manager experience and a flourishing career in photography, Jorro hopes to bring her own unique POV to HUSH. “The culture at HUSH is already thriving but I see myself adding a fair amount in terms of team-building and events that I find break down the walls and encourage everyone to work together as a collaborative whole. I love celebrating individuals and adding an element of surprise to different events I can provide. I aim to bring the same attention to detail shown in HUSH’s work to our team.”

According to HUSH Founding Partner David Schwarz, Whitely and Jorro not only strengthen the HUSH team with their distinctive talents, but reflect the company’s continual growth and evolution. “We’ve spent a lot of time refining and supporting our company’s culture. More than anything, that’s defined by the people you hire and the kind of character they bring,” says Schwarz. “David and Christina deliver on our vision in spades, from very different perspectives. David’s roots in music and the arts drive a lot of his explorations into creative technology. His track record building systems at scale, however, demonstrate how bold creativity can also deliver long-term, iterative value for our clients – which is critical to our evolution and growth.”

“Similarly, Christina’s personal and professional history made her tailor-made for HUSH,’ he continues “She’s already bringing a hospitality- and creativity-forward approach to all of her interactions with new talent, clients and partners. She’s running our weekly ‘Creative Jams’ program which integrates outside, inspiration perspectives into our studio culture and has streamlined a lot of processes to make things run smoother – and with a smile. Both David and Christina are model HUSH-ers and I’m excited for what they bring to our company.”

The respective new hires arrive on the heels of a highly successful 2018 for HUSH, which showcased its ingenuity, technological prowess and design capabilities at Fast Company’s Innovation Festival and in captivating, interactive, content and data-driven experiences for clients including Instagram, Capital One and biotech innovator, United Therapeutics.

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