Donna M

Fractional Creative Director & Brand Strategist

I'm a creative director and brand strategist with 25 years of experience helping organizations translate their mission across campaigns, fundraising initiatives, rebrands, and creative that moves people.

My career started in journalism, where I developed a journalist's instinct for narrative and a designer's eye for clarity. When the media industry reinvented itself, so did I — moving into brand, design, and marketing leadership roles at Destination Toronto, The Royal Conservatory of Music, and Branksome Hall. The thread through all of it has been the same: what does this organization need to say, and how do we bring it to life?

Today I run Studio Lorealis, a fractional creative practice in Toronto. I work with organizations that need senior creative and strategic leadership without the overhead of a full-time hire — and I operate at both levels. I can set the direction and I can produce. Whether that means developing a brand narrative, concepting a campaign, writing the copy, or designing the collateral, I show up as a full creative partner, not a hand-off specialist.

I believe great creative isn't just about looking good — it's about making people care. If you're trying to get there, I'd love to help.

Work Samples

Video Samples

The Best Fit

My sweet spot is organizations doing meaningful work in the world — nonprofits, cultural institutions, educational organizations, and mission-driven brands. These clients tend to have big goals, lean teams, and a genuine story worth telling.

I'm most valuable when the challenge is creative and strategic at once: a fundraising campaign that needs a compelling narrative, a rebrand that has to honour a legacy while opening new doors, or a communications program that needs to reach new audiences without losing its community. I bring the strategy and I bring the craft — and I care about the mission as much as you do.

Awards & Accomplishments

- Web Excellence Award - Branksome Hall website redesign - 2026
- Silver: Admissions Marketing - Council for Advancement & Support of Education - 2024
- Gold: Special Event / Gold: Marketing - InspirED School Marketers - 2023
- Gold Award for Creative Storytelling - Canadian Marketing Association - 2018
- Marketing Campaign of the Year - Tourism Industry Association of Ontario - 2018
- Quill Award: Best Graphic - Melbourne Press Club, Australia - 2008
- Directions Award: Art Direction - Advertising & Design Club of Canada - 2007

Connect with Donna

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