ABOUT DESIGNER
Gisela C. Ochoa Paramo
Hola, Yo Soy Gisela Ochoa, an independent designer and educator based in Newark, New Jersey.
Originally from Ecuador, I now call Newark my home. My work as a designer is rooted in the experience of navigating between cultures, of learning to read new codes, translate across contexts, and find clarity in complexity. These early experiences of translation, both literal and cultural, continue to inform how I approach design today.
I hold a BFA in Graphic Design and work across editorial design, branding, illustration, and civic-facing visual systems. My practice treats design as a form of care, a way of paying attention to the people who will interact with the work. Through thoughtful typography, intentional color, and clear structure, I aim to make complex information more accessible and human. I believe that good design invites people in rather than excludes them, and that clarity is an act of respect.
I'm especially drawn to projects that address questions of immigration, access, and public life. Whether designing for community organizations, civic initiatives, or cultural institutions, I'm interested in work that serves people navigating systems that weren't built with them in mind. These are the projects where design can do more than communicate, it can dignify, empower, and create pathways.
Alongside my studio practice, I teach graphic design at Rutgers University–Newark, where I work with students to develop both technical skills and critical perspectives on the role of design in society. Teaching allows me to stay curious, to question my own assumptions, and to remain in conversation with the next generation of designers about what our work can and should do in the world.