About Us

Meet The Minds Behind The Passion.

Defining Creativity Since 1985

Our story begins way before design went digital, during a time when print production included manual typesetting, stationary cameras, and black & white film. It also involved a landline phone, a folding table, and an unfinished room in Diane’s house. By 1992, we upgraded offices, established a team, and purchased our first computer system.

 

Fast-forward to the present and you will find us as a full-service creative agency that handles everything from strategy development and concept through execution. Our team is a creatively courageous crew with a knack for turning insights into intelligent design and a passion for life and the people, places, and brands that shape it.

What Makes Us, Us

A Colorful Bunch

Call us your creative consultants, thought leaders, or strategic partners. No matter how you slice it, we transcend the traditional with creative solutions that build companies and brands for the long haul (and we have fun while doing it).

Brec Morgan

President & Owner

With a background in shopper marketing and category management, Brec worked with retailers across different channels to increase productivity and ROI before making BrandFirst her home. She was raised in the industry and has a natural enthusiasm for creative thinking and design. Brec is cross-functionally responsible for overall business development and project management.

 

  • Allergic to mushrooms
  • Addicted to reality TV and the Food Network

Dianna Rogers

New Business Director & Partner

Inquisitive and analytical by nature, Dianna is a meticulous multi-tasker who is driven to develop cohesive brand experiences. She collaborates with the creative and business management teams to develop high-impact content, and is cross-functionally responsible for account leadership, project management, strategy development, and new business initiatives.

 

  • Won a local pierogi-making competition
  • Loves shooting sporting clays

Jackie Swierc

Copywriter & Proofreader

Jackie is the copywriter but doesn’t like writing about herself, so she will just proofread this instead.

 

  • Hiked a mountain in Thailand in flip-flops
  • Quotes New Girl regularly

Nikki Trusa

Creative Director

Motivated to solve any puzzle, Nikki is a detail-oriented strategic thinker with an innate ability to find unconventional solutions to creative challenges. She consistently blends intention with imagination to conceptualize memorable experiences. Nikki leads the development of brand strategies, innovative graphics, and insightful content to deliver award-winning & engaging visuals across industries and categories.

 

  • Goes to baseball games just for the hot dogs
  • Believes that being by the water is the best form of therapy

Devon Nittoli

Senior Designer

Devon is versatile and organized with a well-rounded background encompassing print and web design in both the CPG and nonprofit sectors. She applies her comprehensive skillsets to a variety of industries and categories, and leads the team’s digital front to create effective branding solutions that communicate the client’s vision.

 

  • Goes to bed thinking about her morning cup of coffee
  • Will stop to pet any dog

Ashlin Augustine

Designer

With previous experience at both agency and in-house settings, Ashlin applies her passion, knowledge, and skills to all things branding and design. Her creative and collaborative spirit results in impactful graphics for a range of brands across industries and categories.

 

  • Says “y’all” regularly and not ironically
  • Will never turn down a trip to Disney

Allison Knabb

Production Director

With a keen eye for detail and a commitment to excellence, Allison finalizes all elements of a file and prepares them for release to clients, vendors, and printers. In other words, Allison is our go-to person for all print, production, and quality control needs.

 

  • Grows tiny varieties of tomatoes
  • Only eats seafood if she can see the sea

Diane Fazenbaker

Founder

Diane worked tirelessly for 39 years to take BrandFirst from a print production studio to a full-service branding and design agency. Officially retired, she is enjoying quality time with family & friends, traveling the world, and soaking up the sun in South Carolina.

 

  • Took 8 years to officially retire (but still pops in to say “hello!” every now and then)
  • Visited 12 National Parks during a roadtrip across the US in an RV