Absolutely obsessed with me?
Take a deep dive into some of my projects.

  1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden
  2. The Body as Tool
  3. Other Islands Bookfair
  4. Citizens
  5. Pfizer Fridays
  6. Life, Death and a Little bit
    of Eye Cream
  7. The Blue Paradox
  8. An Ontology of Dust
  9. Oliver Stone
  10. Senna
  11. Stay A While
  12. Space Stem Campaign

Writing/Research
  1. Adriana Varejão’s Brasil:
    A Home in Ruins
  2. Observational Research at 
    Lewis Latimer House Museum

About/CV
Email
Instagram
LinkedIn

Carolina Stierli de Abreu

Hello!

I’m Carolina, a Brazilian and Swiss designer based in New York.

I specialize in exhibition design and culturally informed branding for museums and cultural institutions, using storytelling to shape how people experience objects, histories, and ideas.

With a background in communication design and a research interest rooted in museology, I’m interested in how design can act as a bridge between curatorial research and public engagement. My work spans exhibition graphics, identity systems, wayfinding, editorial, and interactive design, combining print and digital media to create thoughtful experiences that invite curiosity, dialogue, and plurality.

Download my CV


AwardsGold Reggie Award
Bronze Clio Award
The One Show
AdAge
The One Show
Bronze Clio Award
D&Ad Graphite Pencil


 ExhibitionsGo Went Gone:
Summer Pop Up exhibition
Accent Sisters
August 2025
D.A.C Fall Showcase
Dynamics Art Collective
November 2024  
ExperienceGraduate Assistant — 
Source, Code, Print
New York, USA
September 2025 - Current

  • Developed a conceptual framework for research on multi-medium publishing practices across print, digital, and hybrid formats.
  • Built and maintained a structured database of precedents, tools, platforms, and critical readings related to multi-medium publishing.
  • Conducted research to identify historical and contemporary case studies informing experimental publishing practices.
  • Supported faculty research and curriculum development through synthesis and documentation of research findings.

Graduate Assistant — Professional Practices
New York, USA
September 2025 - Current

  • Curated and organized a public-facing lecture series focused on introducing contemporary design practices to students.
  • Developed the visual identity and communication strategy for a public lecture series.
  • Designed print and digital assets (posters, Instagram posts, email headers) to promote weekly talks.
  • Coordinated speaker outreach, scheduling, and logistics, acting as the primary liaison between guests and the hosting institution.
  • Collaborated with faculty and peers to curate speakers aligned with program values and student interests.
  • Collected and synthesized student feedback on the lecture series, producing a written self-study report to support departmental assessment and future programming decisions.

Freelancer — 
Brand Strategy
New York, USA
February - April 2025

  • Designed and wrote copy for a comprehensive brand strategy pitch deck for a B2C loungewear brand undergoing cultural repositioning.
  • Defined positioning, brand pillars, and community-driven engagement strategies to shift the brand narrative beyond product and toward culture.
  • Articulated actionable brand initiatives focused on activating the brand’s narrative and supporting the local community.

Graduate Assistant — 
Pratt Design Clinic
New York, USA
February - July 2025

  • Designed an outdoor, site-specific educational experience supporting the revitalization of a local public park in Penacova, Portugal.
  • Developed exhibition materials and layouts for presenting research and speculative work produced by the design clinic to both a local and international audience at the A Deriva design Biennial.


Junior Designer  — 
New York, USA
2021 - 2024

  • Collaborated with designers, producers, developers, and curatorial teams to create visual and spatial communication for immersive experiences, exhibitions, branding systems, and public-facing projects.
  • Contributed to award-winning work across print, digital, motion, web, video, and experiential formats, with an emphasis on narrative coherence and audience engagement.
  • Supported projects from early concept development through production and installation for both client-facing and in-house initiatives.
  • Clients & Collaborators: Museum of the Moving Image, Griffin Museum, Museum of the City of New York, Ogilvy, SC Johnson, Citizens Bank, Illuminarium, Gateway National Park, Rolex, Greygoose, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Chelsea FC
Student Designer — 
New York, USA
September - December 2019
  • Selected as one of five students for a special project producing design work for institutional and public-facing programs led by Professor Lucille Tenazas.
  • Designed visual communication for the Parsons Benefit, Parsons Festival, and the Dean’s Office.
  • Worked closely with faculty and institutional stakeholders to align design outcomes with organizational goals.
Design Intern — Fashinnovation
New York, USA
May - August 2019
  • Contributed to the visual identity and communication materials for public events and cultural programming at the intersection of fashion, technology, and innovation.
  • Designed print, digital, and environmental assets including email campaigns, social media content, event signage, video materials, and website content.
  • Supported the articulation of brand narratives across multiple platforms with attention to audience, context, and presentation.
  • Collaborated with a small interdisciplinary team across research, design, and production.

EducationPratt Institute 
New York, USAMaster of Fine Arts in Communication Design
August 2024 - Current
Relevant Coursework: Creative Direction, Branding for Cultural Institutions, Interactive Experience Design, Exhibition Design

Advanced Certificate in Teaching and Learning 
August 2025 - Current Relevant Coursework: Museology, Museum Education

Parsons School of Design
New York, USABachelors of Fine Arts in Communication Design
August 2017-May 2021

Relevant Coursework: Designing for Non-Profits, University Design Studio, CD Studio: Systems for Brands

SkillsExhibition Design: 
Spatial storytelling, Interpretive graphics & didactics, Wayfinding & environmental graphics, Prototyping & iteration, Cross-disciplinary collaboration (curators, educators, producers, developers)

Branding: 
Visual systems & identity design, Brand and institutional positioning, Stakeholder presentations & reviews

Research: 
Conceptual framework development, Writing for design and culture, Workshop facilitation / educational programming

Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator,
InDesign, Bridge

Motion & Video: 
Premiere, After Effects, Blender

Other: 
Keynote, Risograph Printing, Commercial Printing, Book Binding, Glyph, FigmaLanguagesEnglish (Fluent)
Portuguese (Native)
French (Native) 
Spanish (Intermediate)