Brand Strategy
Naming/Messaging
Art Direction
Environmental Design
Print Design
As the Innocence Project's largest, most consequential fundraising event of the year, the annual gala had become a critical brand touchpoint. Yet after nearly two decades, its identity no longer reflected the emotional significance of the mission or created a memorable experience for supporters. Operating under the generic title A Celebration of Freedom and Justice, the event struggled to distinguish itself in a crowded fundraising landscape. Many stakeholders felt past creative direction of the event felt too stiff, corporate, and uninviting.
The opportunity extended far beyond a visual refresh. The gala needed a unifying brand platform that could align every touchpoint and build brand equity, from naming and messaging to donor communications, environmental design, and the event experience itself. The goal was to transform the gala into a more immersive expression of the organization's mission, strengthening donor engagement while creating a distinctive, memorable brand experience.
I led the gala's repositioning, successfully proposing to senior leaders renaming it to "Free At Last" as a unifying brand platform that transformed the event into a more immersive campaign. Previously outsourced to contractors, I brought gala production in-house, developing and executing every major creative touchpoint myself, ensuring the experience remained cohesive from concept through delivery, while reducing costs for the organization.
More than just the name of the event, "Free at Last" became a powerful tagline that made the Innocence Project's work real and tangible for donor audiences. It functioned as tagline around which Innocence Project clients defined what freedom meant to them. For the exoneree who reunited with their child: "Free at last to high my child." For the exoneree who found his love for marathons, "Free at last to run for miles."
This became the foundation for an event campaign that strengthened donor engagement while giving the organization a distinctive platform it could build on for years to come. In fact, "Free at Last" was so successful that it was expanded to be the theme of the organization's interactive storytelling-driven Annual Report, to be launched in December 2026.
I worked with the Institutional Giving team to conceive of and commission a short film called, Reclaiming Life, built around the central idea behind Free At Last. Rather than focusing on the dramatic moment of exoneration, the film explored the quieter freedoms that follow. Pouring a cup of coffee. Feeling the sun on your face. Driving with the windows down. Or simply walking on grass.
Featuring recently exonerated client Brian Boles, the video expanded on one of the banners at the gala entrance which read, "Free At Last to Reclaim My Life", integrating two different touchpoints to show how freedom is rebuilt through everyday moments often taken for granted. Premiering immediately before the live auction, the film became a powerful emotional centerpiece that deepened donors' connection to the mission and the life-changing impact of their support.
Credits:
Concept: Jack Duran
Project Management: Crystal Ortiz
Director/Producer: Eritria Pitts
Director of Photography: Dominic Jones
Sound: Christian Guerrero
Editors: Jason Foster + Eritria Pitts
Colorist: Seth Mathews
Free At Last raised more than $2 million in one night, while becoming one of the most successful galas in the Innocence Project's history. More importantly, it demonstrated how one clear idea can strengthen engagement by connecting audiences to the mission on a deeper emotional level. Not just what the organization does, but why it matters.
In many ways, my work on Free at Last reinforced a broader lesson within the organization, which is: when brand strategy drives every touchpoint, brands build stronger connections with their audiences, differentiate themselves in crowded markets, and create more meaningful experiences that inspire action.
Reflections
Crystal Ortiz, Assistant Director of Special Events
Chloe Hughes, Director of Individual Giving
Jaclyn Schlichting, Vice President, CMI Event Planning & Fundraising (Project Management)