Meet the Artist Behind Our Logo
Every great brand has a story, and behind the Hope Survives logo is the thoughtful design of Stacia Gehman. With a strong background in art and design, Stacia took an initial concept and transformed it into a meaningful symbol that reflects the mission of Hope Survives.
About Stacia
Stacia Gehman is an artist and designer based in the Eastern United States. She holds a BFA in Studio Art from Houghton College and works in graphic design, content management, and digital marketing. Her creative process always begins with a pencil and sketchbook, blending hand-drawn elements with digital tools to create designs that are both expressive and functional.
Logos are one of Stacia’s favorite types of projects because she enjoys "translating a client’s goals and unique qualities into imagery." She brings this same thoughtful approach to all of her work, ensuring that each design tells a story.
Outside of design, Stacia enjoys watercolor painting, collage, woodworking, gardening, and hiking.
Designing the Hope Survives Logo
When Stacia first learned about Hope Survives, she made a mental note to ask Cristabelle if she had a designer for the logo. A few weeks later, while co-working together, the conversation naturally turned to the nonprofit.
“I actually don’t remember if she asked about my availability or I asked her if she was looking for a graphic designer. Either way, the timing was perfect.”
Cristabelle had created initial sketches in Procreate, which helped accelerate the process. “Her initial sketches really sped up the overall process, and I was able to create a first draft that same day.” From there, the focus was on refining the imagery to ensure the logo was professional but distinct from medical or scientific branding.
One of the biggest challenges was visually blending the heart and brain elements in a way that kept both recognizable. “The outline of the image had to achieve enough symmetry to be read as a heart while staying relatively true to the anatomy of a brain.”
Contributing to a Meaningful Cause
Stacia’s connection to the brain injury community comes through friendship. “Even though I haven’t personally experienced a brain injury, I’ve seen firsthand how it impacts lives. Being able to contribute my skills to help bring awareness and support to this community through design has been incredibly meaningful.”
At Hope Survives, we are grateful for Stacia’s contribution in developing our logo, and for her continued support to our organization’s design needs.