By Andrea Swangard

Our new storyteller, Jack, was on a pre-med path when he took a creative writing workshop to fulfill a prerequisite—and then couldn’t stop thinking about it. When the night before a science midterm found him writing a story instead of studying for his exam, he realized this was a new passion and it was time to switch gears. After earning a degree in English, Jack pursued an MFA in writing and started teaching freshman composition. Jack was gratified to see the writing abilities of his students improve, but he also ended up serving as a quasi-career counselor when some of his students experienced that familiar cathartic moment: They’d taken the class to fulfill a requirement, had grown to love writing (due in no small part to their enthusiastic teacher), and wanted to change their majors. 

From teaching to taglines… 

After Jack had settled into teaching full time, COVID-19 arrived and changed everything. With classes that were now fully remote and burdened by a complicated teaching structure, students were distracted and making progress was a challenge. Jack missed the in-person connections and more collaborative spirit of the pre-COVID days, so he determined it was time for another change. He missed his creative writing era and found that several authors he liked were copywriters. So, he decided to explore that path. 

A part-time job for a friend’s digital marketing business led to a full-time gig at a legal firm, where Jack researched and wrote blogs, social media posts, and emails. Another experience found Jack working with a software development company on a global rebrand, writing the company’s new tagline and collaborating to develop its voice and tone. After the rebrand, Jack felt like he had completed a quest and was ready for his next adventure. Fortunately for us, he landed at 2A! With an abundance of writing and research experience—and a talent for inspiring an audience—Jack found a great fit for his skills. 

…and fiction to fermentation 

While Jack spends a lot of time reading (fiction is a favorite), he also loves to hang out in the kitchen. Jack is passionate about experimentation, whether tinkering with fermentation recipes or perfecting his sourdough. According to Jack, “There’s something exciting about combining the right ingredients to create something great, especially if it requires attention to detail and precise timing, like fermenting or preserving foods.” This devotion to solution seeking, and the research and analysis that often accompany it, also influences Jack’s work. He thoughtfully evaluates an objective to find a combination of ingredients that makes clients respond with a chef’s kiss. Whether you’re seeking an appetizer-sized story or cooking up a complicated spread, Jack dives in with gusto to get it right. 

By Andrea Swangard

Image by Nicole Todd

Lights! Camera! Finance?  

With a degree in business, 2A’s motion designer, Jeff, found himself working in the world of finance after graduating from college. While he enjoyed the business of… business, he also wanted to explore his creative side. A major movie lover, Jeff bought a motion camera and started taking freelance jobs filming and editing. Working with a boutique production company filming spec commercials, he steadily gained experience and a passion for creative work. To be clear, Jeff still had a full-time finance job, so he was spending his off hours working this second job, which quickly gained momentum.  

After copious hours of editing film, Jeff became obsessed with motion graphics, designing stylish video overlays, beautiful backgrounds, and snazzy transitions. Experimenting with various design software opened the door to a world where anything was possible. Jeff dove headfirst into learning all things motion design via the School of Motion and a multitude of animation boot camps. He soon parlayed his experience and talent into full-time work as an agency designer—check out a very cool 3D racecar project Jeff created for IBM. 

Calling the shots on the field and on the job 

Fun fact about Jeff—he played lacrosse in high school and coached it for six years! At one point, Jeff was working a finance job, taking freelance film and design work, and acting as head coach of a high school team—all at the same time. Needless to say, Jeff has no shortage of energy. One of the many perks of having him at 2A? He is always up for a challenge. 

Jeff’s experience as a coach not only brings a can-do attitude and team-player approach to his work ethic, but contributes to his expertise at negotiating for the best outcome. His calm, level-headed demeanor coupled with a drive to bring his team success was essential for the kids he coached back then, and is a major win for his collaborators and clients at 2A. 

Bringing projects to the next level 

A key aspect of Jeff’s work ethos is considering how to make designs better. In his words, “I love having the opportunity to experiment and push a design further. Perhaps we’ve seen something similar before, so how can we do something different to elevate it?” 

When Jeff’s not busy adding sparkle to 2A design projects, he’s golfing and being a dad to adventurous 4-year-old twins. Whether he’s perfecting his golf game or experimenting with new design techniques, Jeff’s enthusiasm and desire for constant improvement make him an essential part of the passionate 2A team.  

By Andrea Swangard

How did music, Japan, and videogames lead our new storyteller, Ashley, to 2A? We’ll begin that answer with another question: How do you know you’re good at playing the flute? When you land a scholarship because of your mad skills! This set the stage for Ashley’s college experience, where she double majored in music performance and English. When she advanced to graduate school, Ashley came across the TESOL program (teaching English as a second language) and discovered a passion for the art of teaching. That led to an internship in Japan teaching English to folks ranging from five-year-olds to senior citizens, igniting Ashley’s love for linguistics and inspiring the right learning approach for a specific audience. It also honed Ashley’s language abilities—in addition to Japanese, she speaks Spanish and Arabic. 

Doctor Who? Finding a path for a lover of language patterns 

While pursuing a PhD in Applied Linguistics with a focus in Second Language Writing and Rhetoric and Composition (with a prestigious fellowship from Purdue), Ashley taught a writing class for engineers. She discovered a gap in teaching methods for academic writing versus industry writing, and researched ways to create customized curriculums for her students. (Ashley also won a dissertation fellowship from the American Association of University Women, but we’re not here to brag…) A professorship brought her to the Pacific Northwest, where Ashley balanced her time teaching with keeping her brain tickled by puzzles and digital games. One of these—the online battle-royale game Apex Legends—brought her to 2A. 

Squad goals: From virtual comrades to real-life coworkers 

Ashley met 2A’s designer extraordinaire, Brandon Conboy, while playing Apex Legends. Their shared love for strategy, teamwork, and being gracious winners fostered an immediate connection. Brandon learned about Ashley’s talent for writing and invited her to explore opportunities at 2A. After a freelance gig where Ashley got to indulge her passion for research and delve deeper into the technology industry, she realized she’d found her true calling. 2A snapped her up full time, and the rest is history! Ashley’s love of language and her teaching experiences (and, let’s be honest, that creative and brilliant mind) bring a dynamic approach to finding the right words to engage a client’s audience. Case in point, a piece she penned about United Airlines is one of the most read AWS case studies of 2023! 

Ashley’s passion for the power of stories keeps 2A’s ebooks fresh and its case studies cutting edge. Whether she’s practicing a new musical piece to perfection or collaborating with other gamers to navigate tricky situations, Ashley loves a challenge. And her research continues to be top notch: Whether it’s finding the winning formula for compelling copy or tracking down the choicest donut in Seattle, Ashley always brings her A-game.