Kara Haupt.
Brooklyn, NY.



Work with me—



I’m currently available for part-time freelance contracts.

Please request access to my case study portfolio here, or reach out to me at hello@karahaupt.com for more information. Or, if you prefer, contact via form. 

How we can work together–

📱 Social creative direction and design

I have worked directly with brands and agencies to create engaging, social-first content. My role often includes concept development and creative oversight on trend-forward, UGC, and original content. I collaborate closely with social managers and strategists to develop concepts, refine copy, and shape video and design that works for social.

I’ve also recruited and managed freelance designers, animators, and copywriters to support paid social campaigns.

Examples of projects I support include:
  • Fractional creative direction for in-house and agency social or marketing teams
  • End-to-end production—concepting, photographing, filming, designing, and writing social posts

📘 Illustration and image art direction research

I have ten years of experience developing style guides for a range of brands, including news, lifestyle editorial, and content-to-commerce. I have hands-on experience transforming brand guidelines and audience research into comprehensive guidelines for illustration, photography, and brand design. 

Examples of possible projects:
  • Illustration research and creative direction for marketing teams 
  • Style guide development for brand and creator newsletters 
  • Editorial content brand audits 


🎨 Illustration art direction

I have a strong network and personal relationships with hundreds of illustrators in various styles, from digital and 3D to sketchy, painterly, and collage. I have commissioned one-off article illustrations, as well as sets and series, with turnaround times as quick as one day and often within 3 to 5 days.

Examples of possible projects:
  • Commissioning and art directing editorial illustration 
  • Art directing illustration for book or magazine projects
  • Art directing book covers 


📸 Photo and art editing

I have extensive experience in photo editing for both news and lifestyle brands. I love digging through an image library and finding the right photo or image to represent a story. I’m well-versed in image licensing and copyright, and can quickly adapt to any CMS. 

Examples of possible projects:
  • Production photo editing for newsletters, magazines, and news sites 
  • Photo research for annual reports, documentaries, and book projects

👩🏼‍💻 Organizational development and team augmentation

I have experience building creative teams from the ground up—including recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and performance management. I specialize in team building, organizational structure, and optimizing production workflows. 

Examples of possible projects:
  • Workflow development and optimization for high-volume production teams
  • Consultation on creative team structure and recruitment strategy
  • Hands-on art direction guidance, shadowing, and mentorship for junior art directors


💻 Deck design

I have created pitch and sales decks for startups and editorial brands.   

Examples of possible projects:
  • Redesigning pitch decks
  • Redesigning and copyediting guides, decks, and documentation 


🙅‍♀️ What I don’t do

  • Develop branding (such as logos) from scratch
  • Web development and product design
  • Motion design
  • Illustration
I was most recently the Senior Director of Art and Photography at NBC News where I ran the editorial design, art, and photography teams for the digital platforms of NBC News, MSNBC, and TODAY. Before NBC I was at The New Yorker where I art directed the website’s illustration and photography. I was also a Design Lead on the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign. 

I am the creator of Home Food TV, a home cooking YouTube channel. I film, produce, and write the show. I also write two paid newsletters, Home Food and Saltine. 

You can find me on LinkedIn. 

Testimonials—


“Kara came in and immediately understood what we needed—not just stronger creative, but a smarter system for producing it. Over three months, she led a full overhaul of our paid creative across every line of business at The Knot, directing a cross-functional team of designers, copywriters, and motion designers to deliver assets across Meta, Pinterest, YouTube, and Reddit. What stood out most was her ability to hold the big picture while keeping a complex, fast-moving sprint on track. The work didn't just look great—it moved the needle, with a measurable lift in ROAS across the board. She's the kind of creative leader you want shaping strategy, not just executing it.” — Meg Vázquez-Pastrana, Executive Creative Director @ The Knot 

"Working with Kara has been a highlight of my month. I brought her on for illustration research and she exceeded every expectation—delivering work that was thorough, creatively sharp, and exactly what the project needed. Beyond the output itself, she was a dream collaborator: organized, communicative, and fully self-directed. The process was as good as the result, and I won't hesitate to work with her again." — Rachel Hortman, Creative Director at Function