What We Do

We do what you likely don’t have the time or staff for, but desperately need to get done. By combining design thinking with process experience, Studiolo Secondari can evaluate your ways of working, assess how your audience feels about your brand or your website, as well as oversee that big design project that you don't have the capacity or ability to manage. (In fact, we love this!) 

We then take all of this to find the critical element in your product that best speaks to your audience and we run with it! With our deep bench of partners, we quickly bring together the right team of experienced professionals to ensure a successful project.  

Meet Linda

I’ve spent more years than I care to mention honing my skills at preeminent academic publishers. As the Creative Director for both Oxford University Press and Columbia University Press, and Art Director for Russek Advertising (where clients included Shakespeare in the Park and John Leguizamo), I felt the call to take what I’d learned and what I’d done and start my own design studio (or studiolo). 

Using intelligent design strategy and inspiring design solutions, I believe we can improve the world through better communication.

I’ve been fortunate to do that for independent authors, major publishers, NGOs, educational institutions, nonprofits and think tanks. And while the industries might be varied, the one unifier is a desire to reach their audience and get their big ideas noticed. 

Whether I’m cooking up a batch of puttanesca or helping an organization rethink their look, message and go-to-market strategy, I always strive to create an end result that wows. 

My clients often remark how I interpret what they need from what they say and that I’m the calm voice of reason in their often frenetic industry. (must be all that meditating.)

If you have a project that could use some transformation, let’s turn the page together. 



Photograph: Hanna Rose Hunt

 

Meet the Studiolo Team

Whatever the size and scope of your project, our team of experienced professionals are here to ensure it’s a success. 

  • Emily Dodi

    EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

    When they can’t find the words, Emily helps organizations to tell their stories, find their voice, and capture the elusive. For Studiolo Secondari, Emily oversees editorial development, manuscript editing, and writing on the editorial end. She also supports independent authors in storytelling and refinement. For more than twenty years, Emily has been a writer of choice for Disney, ABC, Netflix, DC Universe, and other entertainment studios, publishing companies, and marketing firms.

  • Emily Peterson

    DESIGNER

    Emily Peterson is a junior designer and illustrator who was raised by an illustrator and a graphic designer-turned art teacher. After many years in theatrical costume design and construction where she was privileged enough to work on such major productions as Hamilton, Kinky Boots, Aladdin and Wicked, Emily is returning to the family culture of visual communication with enthusiasm and years of high-level creative collaboration under her belt.

  • Jordan Wannemacher

    SENIOR DESIGNER

    An award-winning book designer, Jordan won the 50 Books/50 Covers award from the AIGA and is the recipient of several other honors from The Association of University Presses (AUP) and the Book Industry Guild of New York (BIGNY). She started her career at Columbia University Press and most recently was Senior Designer at Rodale Books. Her clients include Flatiron Books, St. Martin's Press, and Rizzoli Books.

Strategic Partners

  • Laura Decker

    Laura Elizabeth Decker, JD, MPH, PhD, is an expert in storytelling that drives engagement and education. She is a copywriter and editor motivated by a precise understanding of language and the power of words.

  • Tricia Okin

    UX DESIGN LEAD & STRATEGIST

    A lead user experience designer and service designer, Tricia uses design thinking for the public good and the good of your business. As an experienced design leader and strategist who has practiced human-centered design for almost two decades, she brings design to bear on small and large scale human and business problems such as, educational innovation, open access health, or technology awareness. Her approach to design is holistic and inclusive, while also being driven by effective results.

What’s a “Studiolo”?

Studiolo noun / stu•dio•lo

  1. Italian, meaning little studio.  

  2. A small room, often dedicated to reading, studying and writing.

  3. A design studio in NYC that integrates left and the right brain thinking to solve design problems.