Office of Communications: Personnel
Cindy Allen
Cindy Allen has spent a lot of time bouncing back and forth between Atlanta and Athens. The graphic designer grew up in East Point, an Atlanta suburb, went to college at the University of Georgia, spent 10 years as a graphic designer at Georgia State University, freelanced around the metro area and then moved back to Athens to join the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences a year and a half ago.
At the college, she designs annual reports, magazines, displays and brochures and has had a hand in countless other projects.
"I like print design because I have a product that I can see and hold once it's printed," she said. "I begin the design process by focusing first on the text and its purpose. For me, the textual content informs possible design solutions. I think about creating clever word plays to engage reader interest.
"My job is to create a design that enhances the text and compels the audience to read the publication."
Cindy particularly likes working on large projects, such as the annual Environmental Report and the CAES magazine Southscapes. And she likes "getting people to see something in a different way."
When she's not designing a brochure or looking for the perfect photo for a publication, Cindy prefers to be outside. She's moved away from team sports. "I'm recovering from a rugby addiction… and I've gotten to the age where I don't want to practice, just play." She now can be found running, swimming, camping, hiking or on an outdoor adventure trip.
When asked about her favorite trips, Cindy names off the Canadian Rockies and the Green River. She spent a month camping in the Canadian Rockies and backpacking in Glacier National Park. And she canoed the Green River, which runs through some of the most spectacular canyons in the United States.
"We were in the middle of nowhere with food, canoes and a portable toilet," she said. "When all you care about is food, shelter and clothing, it grounds you, you know."
She also has a souvenir from the trip – a shirt turned red from the river's mud. "Our shirts were getting so filthy that we just went ahead and dyed them. It's the color of Georgia red clay."