WHO IS CHRYSTAL?

Chrystal Smith is a design leader and art director based in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.
Her work focuses on making complex information engaging, accessible, and visually compelling, with particular experience in print, editorial, science, and education.

Chrystal currently works as a Design Managing Editor at Science magazine, where she has been employed since 2012. At Science she designs editorial layouts, manages complex projects across multiple sections of the publication, and art directs freelance illustrators to develop conceptual imagery, on top of managing a team of two designers. She also brings a strong interest in DesignOps and workflow development, with experience improving processes, coordinating cross-functional teams, and finding more effective ways for creative teams to work.

Before joining Science, Chrystal worked as a designer for the UMBC Shriver Center, interned at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, and worked as a part-time designer for Elizabeth Seton High School in Maryland. She holds a B.A. in Visual Arts with a double concentration in Graphic Design and Photography from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She also has a Minor in Art History from UMBC.

Chrystal believes good design should feel effortless. She is drawn to clarity, restraint, and thoughtful visual systems, using design to communicate rather than decorate. For her, the strongest solutions are often the ones that feel almost invisible—guiding the viewer naturally to what matters without calling attention to themselves.