We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Anna Karpinski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Anna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In 2019 I took a huge leap of faith (in myself). I became the president of AIGA St. Louis, and I took on more leadership of St. Louis Design Week, both of which held a great significance not only to me but to the design community of St. Louis at large.

With AIGA being 30 years old, the pressure to keep the organization running to even improve upon it was immense. I had no real knowledge or experience of how to lead a board or how to provide for a community, and was far from an established designer in my own right. Even still, the passion I had for the organization and the support of those around me lead me to take that huge leap of faith — in myself, my leadership skills, and my future.

Similarly with Design Week, my involvement in it the previous year had been a lot smaller. But as priorities shifted and my confidence grew, it felt like taking on a stronger role in Design Week was the right move to make. The expectations were high and the stress was palpable, but once again, I chose the riskier path of throwing all of myself into something that couldn’t fail.

Was doing these two things in the same year a good decision? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t regret any of it, and what it’s done for my own personal growth and for my career have been invaluable. But the stress and doubt and pressure that came with it were all things I never would have expected to get as bad as they did. I think if I had known what the next several years of my life would be, I would have quickly shied away from the opportunities.

Anna, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Anna Karpinski, and I’m a designer and illustrator based in St. Louis, MO. I got my degree in Graphic Design at the Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD).

When I got back, I took a job as a graphic designer at a local firm called PGAV Destinations, where I worked on a lot of environmental graphics and large-scale projects that taught me everything from how to detail a sign for fabrication to how to choose the best lights for a commercial space.

I later joined OBP, another St. Louis-based firm that aligned more closely with my original vision: working within a creatively driven advertising agency. Shifting from large-scale environments to more nuanced, media-rich campaigns has taught me how people interact with design across all kinds of formats, and how every touchpoint shapes experience.

What has defined me most in recent years, though, goes beyond my day job. Through my involvement with AIGA, a podcast, St. Louis Design Week, and other local organizations, I’ve discovered a deep passion for combining design with community engagement. I’m drawn to projects that are not only visually compelling, but also sustainable and deeply rooted in the needs of the communities they serve.

What I love most about design is its power to shape experiences—whether it’s something fleeting or something people live with every day. When design is integrated with broader goals for social impact and engagement, it becomes more than just visual—it becomes transformative.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

When I stepped into the role of AIGA President in the fall of 2019, my VP and I had a clear two-year plan, broken into six-month phases. Our focus was twofold: strengthening the internal board community and reestablishing AIGA’s presence through events and meaningful social connections.

When 2020 hit, everything changed and our plans got thrown out the window. Leading an organization that had traditionally relied on in-person programming and events suddenly became a daunting challenge, compounded by the personal toll the crisis took on our board members.

But instead of hitting pause, we pivoted. We reimagined what was possible under the circumstances and turned our energy inward. We focused on foundational work behind the scenes to create a more sustainable and streamlined experience for future board leadership. At the same time, we embraced social media as a primary way to stay connected to the community. Rather than just announcing events, we began spotlighting local artists—sharing their stories and work to foster pride and visibility within our creative network.

These efforts helped us weather some of the most difficult years in the board’s history. Not only did we remain active and engaged, but we also built a stronger identity in the community through adaptability, creativity, and commitment.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Supporting and amplifying others is everything. One of the toughest lessons I’ve learned as a creative is that success isn’t just about talent—it’s about who you know and being in the right place at the right time.

For many of us, myself included, networking can feel overwhelming or even impossible. But the truth is, some of my best opportunities have come through word of mouth, recommendations, or organizations that believed in my work enough to promote it (and pay me for it).

There are individuals, companies, and organizations with powerful voices and wide-reaching influence. When they take the time to spotlight those who haven’t yet been seen, or those quietly doing great work, it can make all the difference. Sharing someone’s work through the right channels could be the break they’ve been waiting for.

Now that I’ve built more connections than I had when I graduated, I make it a priority to bring creatives together. Once we’ve been lifted up, we have a responsibility to do the same for others—to support, to connect, and to keep our communities growing and evolving.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://annakarpinskidesign.com
• Instagram: akarpinski92
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annakarpinski/