Elsa Mehary
About Me
I’m a founder and brand intelligence executive using design, cultural analysis, and strategic systems to make complex identities legible. My background spans psychology and more than two decades of art and creative direction across 13 major media brands.
That experience taught me how to identify patterns, shape narratives, lead creative teams, and build coherent brand systems. I now bring these capabilities to founders and institutions through Mehary Studio.
My writing explores cultural pattern recognition, adaptive intelligence, and the future of creative work.
Education
BA, Psychology, Dartmouth College
Women's Entrepreneurship Certification, Cornell University
AI Fluency & Foundations Certification, Anthropic
Certified Health Coach, IIN Institute for Integrative Nutrition
Design Courses, Parsons / FIT
Language Studies, AUC, Cairo, Egypt
Tucker Foundation Fellowship, Education Grant
Career
Founder & Director of Brand Systems,
Mehary Studio, 2018–Present
Senior Art Director, Editorial & Digital
Time Inc., InStyle, Real Simple, Essence, People
Condé Nast, Bon Appetit, Traveler, Lucky
Hearst, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire
The New York Times, T Magazine
American Express Publishing, Travel & Leisure
Clients
Technology & AI:
Latimer.AI, FutureSumAI, Reframe AI, Black Tech Week, BWTT
Social Impact & Legal:
ProPublica, Maryland Legal Aid, CTRP
Luxury & Product Dev:
54kibo, MeharyJewel
Global Collaborations:
Unilever
Speaking & Workshops
Medium Day 2026 — Speaker, Perspectives Track | 9. 18, 26
Portfolio to POV: Finding Your Creative Lens
Temple 143 Yoga School — Cohort Workshop Facilitator
The Business of Branding Series
Work With Me
Whether you're a founder just getting started or leading an established organization through change, there's a way to work together.
Strategy Blueprint — 90 min | A focused session for founders, creatives, and small business owners ready to move from idea to direction.
Design Projects — Custom engagements for organizations and institutions navigating a full rebrand or repositioning.
