{"id":185623,"date":"2015-03-19T11:24:19","date_gmt":"2015-03-19T11:24:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/?page_id=185623"},"modified":"2026-07-01T18:45:53","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T18:45:53","slug":"about","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/about\/","title":{"rendered":"About"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; radius=&#8221;lg&#8221; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;796664&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;184656&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; media_ratio=&#8221;sixteen-nine&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; shape=&#8221;img-round&#8221; radius=&#8221;std&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;547403&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column width=&#8221;3\/4&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;4&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; changer_back_color=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; row_height_use_pixel=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;358937&#8243;][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_height=&#8221;0&#8243; column_width_pixel=&#8221;700&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;918476&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1781233494242{padding-top: 16px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_space=&#8221;fontspace-111509&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;353159&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]<span class=\"font-175345\">I choose work that matters. Not every project changes something real for someone, but I&#8217;ve spent my career trying to find the ones that do, and bringing everything I have to the ones that don&#8217;t.<\/span>[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;115390&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]<span class=\"font-175345\">I spent seven years as Head of Design at Ancestry, 3 million subscribers, 45 designers, five zero-to-one initiatives. Including the company&#8217;s first AI incubation practice and AncestryHealth, launched to 300,000 customers in under 15 months. Before that, senior creative director roles at Razorfish, Publicis Sapient, and Agency.com, working across Visa, Nike, Stanford Health Care, and CHG Healthcare.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-175345\">The through line: mostly 0 to 1, never 1 to 2.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;0&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;858306&#8243;][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][vc_raw_html]JTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJjdXN0b20tbG9nby1ncmlkJTIyJTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDJTIxLS0lMjBSb3clMjAxJTIwTG9nb3MlMjAtLSUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRmFuY2VzdHJ5X2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMkFuY2VzdHJ5JTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRmhwZV9sb2dvLXNtLndlYnAlMjIlMjBhbHQlM0QlMjJIZXdsZXR0JTIwUGFja2FyZCUyMEVudGVycHJpc2UlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGaW50ZWxfbG9nby1zbS53ZWJwJTIyJTIwYWx0JTNEJTIySW50ZWwlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGd2FsbWFydF9sb2dvLXNtLndlYnAlMjIlMjBhbHQlM0QlMjJXYWxtYXJ0JTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRnVzY3NmX2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMlVTQyUyMFNob2FoJTIwRm91bmRhdGlvbiUyMGxvZ28lMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmxvZ28taXRlbSUyMiUzRSUzQ2ltZyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZ3JhaGFtZ29sa2luLm1lJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDI2JTJGMDYlMkZ2aXNhX2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMlZpc2ElMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGdXNjX2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMlVTJTIwQ2VsbHVsYXIlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGc29ueV9sb2dvLXNtLndlYnAlMjIlMjBhbHQlM0QlMjJTb255JTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQyUyMS0tJTIwUm93JTIwMiUyMExvZ29zJTIwLS0lM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmxvZ28taXRlbSUyMiUzRSUzQ2ltZyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZ3JhaGFtZ29sa2luLm1lJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDI2JTJGMDYlMkZwZ2VfbG9nby1zbS53ZWJwJTIyJTIwYWx0JTNEJTIyUEclMjZFJTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRnNoY19sb2dvLXNtLndlYnAlMjIlMjBhbHQlM0QlMjJTdGFuZm9yZCUyMEhlYWx0aCUyMENhcmUlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGbmlrZV9sb2dvLXNtLndlYnAlMjIlMjBhbHQlM0QlMjJOaWtlJTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRndlbGxzZmFyZ29fbG9nby1zbS53ZWJwJTIyJTIwYWx0JTNEJTIyV2VsbHMlMjBGYXJnbyUyMGxvZ28lMjIlM0UlM0MlMkZkaXYlM0UlMEElMjAlMjAlMjAlMjAlM0NkaXYlMjBjbGFzcyUzRCUyMmxvZ28taXRlbSUyMiUzRSUzQ2ltZyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZ3JhaGFtZ29sa2luLm1lJTJGd3AtY29udGVudCUyRnVwbG9hZHMlMkYyMDI2JTJGMDYlMkZtaWNyb3NvZnRfbG9nby1zbS53ZWJwJTIyJTIwYWx0JTNEJTIyTWljcm9zb2Z0JTIwbG9nbyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRmRpdiUzRSUwQSUyMCUyMCUyMCUyMCUzQ2RpdiUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIybG9nby1pdGVtJTIyJTNFJTNDaW1nJTIwc3JjJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZncmFoYW1nb2xraW4ubWUlMkZ3cC1jb250ZW50JTJGdXBsb2FkcyUyRjIwMjYlMkYwNiUyRmtwX2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMkthaXNlciUyMFBlcm1hbmVudGUlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGYWRvYmVfbG9nby1zbS53ZWJwJTIyJTIwYWx0JTNEJTIyQWRvYmUlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTIwJTIwJTIwJTIwJTNDZGl2JTIwY2xhc3MlM0QlMjJsb2dvLWl0ZW0lMjIlM0UlM0NpbWclMjBzcmMlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRmdyYWhhbWdvbGtpbi5tZSUyRndwLWNvbnRlbnQlMkZ1cGxvYWRzJTJGMjAyNiUyRjA2JTJGY2hnX2xvZ28tc20ud2VicCUyMiUyMGFsdCUzRCUyMkNIRyUyMEhlYWx0aGNhcmUlMjBsb2dvJTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDJTJGZGl2JTNF[\/vc_raw_html][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; changer_back_color=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; row_height_use_pixel=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;161211&#8243;][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_height=&#8221;0&#8243; column_width_pixel=&#8221;700&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;918476&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1781233494242{padding-top: 16px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; text_size=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_height=&#8221;fontheight-173690&#8243; text_space=&#8221;fontspace-111509&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;113704&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]<span class=\"font-175345\">Judgment over process<br \/>\n<\/span>[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;117977&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]I don&#8217;t think process saves you. I think judgment does. That means knowing when to push and when to protect, when to go big and when to do one small thing brilliantly. I set priorities hard and I&#8217;ll back something surprising over something predictable when the work earns it. And I&#8217;ve learned that the strongest argument you can make is usually the work itself.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;4&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; changer_back_color=&#8221;yes&#8221; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; row_height_use_pixel=&#8221;&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;150639&#8243;][vc_column column_width_use_pixel=&#8221;yes&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_width=&#8221;0&#8243; zoom_height=&#8221;0&#8243; column_width_pixel=&#8221;700&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;918476&#8243; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1781233494242{padding-top: 16px !important;}&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; text_font=&#8221;font-112757&#8243; text_size=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_weight=&#8221;600&#8243; text_height=&#8221;fontheight-173690&#8243; text_space=&#8221;fontspace-111509&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;336565&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]<span class=\"font-175345\">Strong opinions, loosely held<\/span>[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_column_text text_color=&#8221;color-jevc&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;716366&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221; el_class=&#8221;underline-links&#8221;]<span class=\"font-175345\">Creatives are a sensitive bunch. So is everyone else. Fear of being wrong, fear of being ignored, fear of shipping something that doesn&#8217;t land. I&#8217;ve spent 25 years learning how to work in that environment without pretending I have all the answers. I know how to fight for an idea and I know when to let it go. That&#8217;s the job.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-175345\">The case studies on this site are the proof. Not of a philosophy. Of a way of working.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"font-112757\"><a href=\"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Graham_Golkin_Resume-2026.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Resume<\/strong><\/a> (PDF)<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=&#8221;1\/1&#8243;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; radius=&#8221;lg&#8221; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;796664&#8243;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;184656&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; media_ratio=&#8221;sixteen-nine&#8221; alignment=&#8221;center&#8221; shape=&#8221;img-round&#8221; radius=&#8221;std&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;547403&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":189,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"rs_blank_template":"","rs_page_bg_color":"","slide_template_v7":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-185623","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","page_category-hidden-from-navigation"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/185623","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=185623"}],"version-history":[{"count":20,"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/185623\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":186440,"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/185623\/revisions\/186440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grahamgolkin.me\/staging\/7994\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=185623"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}