Katherine Jones Mixes Identity and Mission for GENaustin's New Look
Mixing the quality of work, quality of life and quality of interaction with people are
Katherine Jones' key ingredients to her success in a creative career.
Katherine Jones, GENaustin Board Member and founder of Milkshake Media, recently
won a new award for being a successful female entrepreneur. GENaustin congratulates
her on her success and is proud to have her as part of our team.
Katherine graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in zoology and fine
arts before becoming an entrepreneur. She continued her education by earning a master's
degree in medical illustration at Johns Hopkins University. Katherine began her artistic
career as a creative director at Engineering Animation, Inc, in Ames, Iowa for five years
before moving to Austin. In 1999, she worked for Girls Games Inc. where she developed
computer software for young girls. With Girls Games Inc, she created original
interactive entertainment products for preteen and teen girls, such as the Teen Magazine
Digital Diva CD-ROM, Reebok Women's Fitness CD-ROM, and a two-year research
project for Mattel. From all this creative experience she began producing her own
projects in film, business, and the Internet.
"I found that there was so much great work out there and it had always been a dream of
mine to work with some of the people I've met in my career along the way," she says.
"So, I thought, why don't we just start our own company and do this?" And so Katherine
found Milkshake Media, "A creative agency specializing in branding, strategic creative,
and design. Milkshake Media's know-how comes from an understanding of user-
centered design and in the benefits of well-designed, technology-based products" in both
graphic and experience design.
Katherine's focus was different from other startup companies where she concentrates on
artistic integrity rather than financial gain. She wanted to create a business where
employees could be successful in business and as true individuals. Katherine believes it
is important for her employees to take care of themselves because being healthy, well-
rested individuals will make better and happier workers.
Milkshake works in a variety of creative work ranging from branding, designing logos
and websites, advertising, and developing media for films. But of utmost importance is
the identity of their clients. Katherine Jones and her staff at Milkshake Media
contributed countless hours to develop the new GENaustin name and logo to reveal the
true mission of the organization. GENaustin board members completed a questionnaire
to help determine our goals and vision for the new logo.
Katherine believes this exercise "allowed the board to come together and agree on what
we are all about. It also allowed us to realize that part of what makes us different from
other organizations is that we are all about promoting and developing self-esteem,
regardless of an individual girl's interests."
Our new name and logo better express our mission (empowering girls) and the format of
our organization (a network of girls, parents, teachers, volunteers, counselors and
friends). Because we design our programs to be in tune with the unique needs of the
community in which we serve, we feel it is important that the city's name should be a part
of how we're known as well.
We are grateful to Katherine and her team at Milkshake Media for creating our new name
and the GEN girl logo. The GEN girl is full of passion, energy, and confidence and
represents GENaustin's mission to help young girls develop into healthy and confident
women.
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