Women Warriors Summit
Developed the brand identity and event assets for the inaugural Women Warriors Summit, a one-day annual gathering held in the mountains of West Virginia.
Milly Tajeda
Sarah Lundak
The Women Warriors Summit, founded by Alys Smith, co-founder of the Wing 2 Wing Foundation, is a one-day event dedicated to empowering women across Appalachia and beyond. The summit brings together women and supportive allies of all ages and backgrounds to amplify unheard voices, share personal stories, and collaborate in crafting lives of purpose. It offers a supportive space for growth, learning, and connection.
Following the success of the inaugural event, our team was invited back to expand and evolve the brand and event assets for its following years.
Building a Brand from Scratch
When Alys Smith founded the Women Warriors Summit, the event had a powerful purpose, but no established visual identity. A symbolic logo had already been created, but there were no brand guidelines or supporting assets to bring the summit’s message to life.Our team was brought on to develop the full brand identity, establish a flexible visual system, and design a range of print, digital, and on-site assets for the event’s launch in West Virginia.
Logo to Identity
Led by Ceci, we began by researching other empowerment summits, West Virginia’s regional identity, and the deeper symbolism behind the logo to guide our design direction.
Logo System & Structure
We created a logo system with multiple lockups:
- A full summit logo with the year embedded
- A longfom wordmark
- An abbreviated WWS lockup
This modular approach provided flexibility across digital and physical formats, while the year marker added specificity for each annual event.
Color & Typography
Building from the original logo’s palette, we expanded it to include supporting neutrals and accent tones that could establish hierarchy and contrast across materials.
For typography, we selected The Seasons, a feminine, serif typeface that strikes a balance between modern and vintage, perfect for headlines and bold statements.
The Quilted Pattern
A key visual element we expanded on was the custom pattern we developed for the brand. Inspired by the quilting traditions of West Virginia and the Appalachian region, the design offers a modern interpretation of this craft. It features tile motifs based on traditional quilt blocks, along with a flower icon representing the state flower, the Rhododendron Maximum. This pattern added richness and depth to the Women Warriors Summit branding, helping to unify the visual identity and bring the event to life.
Event Production
Once the guidelines were finalized, we moved into production, dividing responsibilities across the team while maintaining a shared commitment to consistency.
I was responsible for creating:
- The printed pamphlet
- Digital ads and promos
- Main stage deck
- The WWS website
Other team members tackled additional deliverables such as signage, social templates, and presentation decks. We maintained ongoing communication and shared feedback, ensuring that every asset aligned with the brand system. As we refined our individual pieces, we often shared creative insights that could be incorporated across the board, allowing for a collaborative, evolving design process that kept the brand experience cohesive from start to finish.
From Inaugural to Ongoing
Client Retention & Ongoing Work
The strength of the inaugural event led the client to bring us back for 2024 and 2025, evolving the brand system and updating assets year over year. The continued collaboration reflects a trusted creative partnership built on impact and adaptability.
Growing Attendance & Demand
Thanks to the momentum from 2023, the 2024 summit saw an increase in both returning and new attendees. The event sold out quickly, prompting the team to release additional tickets to meet the growing demand, an exciting sign of the summit’s expanding reach and relevance.
Lessons in Scale
From our on-site experience and internal reviews, we gained valuable insights into managing large-scale event production. We learned how to coordinate with vendors nationwide, streamline our asset workflow, and make intentional improvements that led to a more refined and immersive attendee experience.
Summit Photos
