& Design
Design Systems & Enablement for a Statewide Public Health Survey.
The Center for Research & Evaluation on Education and Human Services (CREEHS) at Montclair State University conducts New Jersey’s statewide Middle School Student Health Survey. For the 2025–2026 survey cycle, the team wanted to rethink how schools, proctors, and families were invited into the process, using a visual and tonal approach that felt definitively “middle school”—engaging and fun without skewing too young or too old—while remaining clear and practical for busy administrators.
I partnered with CREEHS to design an end-to-end system that went beyond individual deliverables. The work focused on building a cohesive recruitment toolkit and website that could support multiple audiences, reduce friction throughout the survey lifecycle, and be maintained internally by a research team without in-house design support.
At the core of the project was enablement. I developed a flexible design system across print and web, introduced and clarified the survey process through structure and visual hierarchy, and established governance patterns that allowed the team to confidently update, manage, and build on both the toolkit materials and website over time. Training, documentation, and guided walkthroughs ensured the system could evolve for this and with future survey cycles.
Improving Access to Healthcare For Those in Supportive Housing.
In 2022, I began working as an independent graphic designer with the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH). My role supported an initiative funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The project’s goal was clear and powerful: improve healthcare access for people living in supportive housing.
Over two terms—2022–2023 and 2023–2024—I collaborated closely with CSH’s Federal Technical Assistance (TA) and Communications teams. Together, we designed clear, engaging, and accessible publications including reports, guides, toolkits, and more, tailored for both print and digital use.
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Design systems & governance for a digitally shared recruitment toolkit
- Modular printable templates (7 PDFs) supporting schools, proctors, and parents
- Website design & build on Wix to centralize recruitment, information, and resources
- Information architecture for scalable, multi-audience content
- Training & documentation in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Wix CMS
- Accessibility-minded design, layouts, and content patterns across print and web
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Developed six branded templates as the foundation for HRSA publications
- Designed 19 unique documents (reports, guides, briefs, case studies, presentations, infographics, one-sheeters)
- Integrated custom graphics, data visualization, iconography, and photography
- Ensured accessibility with clickable links, alt text, and WCAG-compliant formatting
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Developed six branded templates as the foundation for HRSA publications
- Designed 19 unique documents (reports, guides, briefs, case studies, presentations, infographics, one-sheeters)
- Integrated custom graphics, data visualization, iconography, and photography
- Ensured accessibility with clickable links, alt text, and WCAG-compliant formatting
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Developed six branded templates as the foundation for HRSA publications
- Designed 19 unique documents (reports, guides, briefs, case studies, presentations, infographics, one-sheeters)
- Integrated custom graphics, data visualization, iconography, and photography
- Ensured accessibility with clickable links, alt text, and WCAG-compliant formatting
KEY CONTRIBUTIONS
- Developed six branded templates as the foundation for HRSA publications
- Designed 19 unique documents (reports, guides, briefs, case studies, presentations, infographics, one-sheeters)
- Integrated custom graphics, data visualization, iconography, and photography
- Ensured accessibility with clickable links, alt text, and WCAG-compliant formatting
The recruitment toolkit and website launched statewide with survey registration in mid-2025. Designed for reuse and iteration, the system provides CREEHS with a sustainable foundation for future survey cycles.
By combining thoughtful design with accessibility best practices, these materials have helped CSH effectively communicate critical resources to service providers and communities nationwide.
What I Did
Creative + Art Direction
Visual Systems Design
Print + Digital Design
Website Design + Build
Information Architecture
Accessible Publication Design
Training + Documentation
Credits
Role — Creative Director, Designer, Developer
See More
https://njmiddleschoolsurvey.com
All work shown was completed under contract for CREEHS. Some materials may have been adapted or updated for public presentation.
The recruitment toolkit was designed to meet schools where they are and help them move forward with confidence. Visually, the system draws from familiar school materials like notebooks, folders, checklists, and paper-based workflows to make the process feel approachable and purposeful rather than bureaucratic.
A bright, engaging color palette built from the survey’s existing logo was extended into a flexible graphic system, with color coding used to distinguish school and parent materials and guide users through each stage of participation. Illustrations, iconography, and photography reflect the real people involved in the survey, from students and parents to school administrators and proctors.
Together, design and content work as a single system, reducing friction from registration through administration and carrying a consistent visual language across both the toolkit and the website.
The recruitment toolkit was designed to meet schools where they are and help them move forward with confidence. Visually, the system draws from familiar school materials like notebooks, folders, checklists, and paper-based workflows to make the process feel approachable and purposeful rather than bureaucratic.
A bright, engaging color palette built from the survey’s existing logo was extended into a flexible graphic system, with color coding used to distinguish school and parent materials and guide users through each stage of participation. Illustrations, iconography, and photography reflect the real people involved in the survey, from students and parents to school administrators and proctors.
Together, design and content work as a single system, reducing friction from registration through administration and carrying a consistent visual language across both the toolkit and the website.
Built in Wix Studio, the website served as a calm, central source of truth for schools and families to understand what the survey is, who it’s for, and what participation involves.
The site extended the visual and structural system developed for the recruitment toolkit. Color, hierarchy, graphic treatments, and content patterns worked together to present information, resources, historical survey context, and clear next steps, helping users move through the process with confidence.
Designed for longevity, the platform was built to be managed internally. Through recorded training sessions, documentation, and guided walkthroughs, I equipped the CREEHS team to update content and maintain the site over time, allowing it to be refreshed and reused across future survey cycles.
© 2026 Steph Salerno | Creative Direction & Design | Privacy Policy
© 2026 Steph Salerno | Creative Direction & Design | Privacy Policy
© 2026 Steph Salerno | Creative Direction & Design | Privacy Policy
© 2026 Steph Salerno | Creative Direction & Design | Privacy Policy
© 2026 Steph Salerno | Creative Direction & Design
Privacy Policy