Lee Ann Gustafson

Gustafson started out as an intern at a Rockford Ad agency and worked for them upon graduation. When she first began in recreation her responsibilities were concept to creation of all digital and print promotional pieces, website updates, photography and edits, social media content and posting, coordinating all marketing projects, as well as producing the thirty-six-page program catalog twice a year. She hired, mentored and supervised NIU graphic design students as employees, providing professional experience and support as they began their careers. Gustafson oversees printing and production on the department's large format printer and has piloted content and updates to the recreation center's four large screen monitor video displays.

Prior to coming to NIU, Gustafson was a graphic designer at Rock Valley College, designing for both marketing and the foundation. For ten years she was a UI designer for Follett Software; where she was critical path on their industry award-winning library software flagship project, which more than doubled company revenue upon release.

Gustafson earned a Bachelor of Fine Art's degree in drawing with a minor in painting from Rockford University. Her schooling and professional experience have involved scene painting, mural painting, display and giftware design, photography and advertising graphics. She holds awards in both graphic and fine art at regional, national and international levels; one being the PIA award (Printer's Institute of America). She achieved over forty awards before age forty and has works published in a national design annual. She has twice been on the board of directors of the Boone County Arts Council and her works are part of the local museum's collection.

Gustafson is a native of Streator, IL and loves to garden, practice yoga, draw, paint and ride ATVs. She lives in the country with her husband Brad and two children plus a menagerie of cats and dogs. Her daughter is a marketing specialist at Aldi corporate headquarters and her son is an artist, model builder and gamer. She and her son are part of a national organization, painting large-scale community murals. Having freelanced for three national greeting card companies, she plans to create children's books and hopes to eventually have her paintings in more museum collections.