• by Larissa Faw , November 30, 2016

Second Story, part of SapientNitro, is promoting Keri Elmsly to the newly created role of chief creative officer. She will oversee the creative, technology and production teams and continue to strengthen its capabilities across experience, design and technology. The experiential design studio with offices in Atlanta, Portland and New York has developed activations for clients including the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Nokia, and Coca-Cola.

She reports to Donald Chesnut, global chief creative officer, SapientNitro and will split her time between New York City and Portland. 

Elmsly says her key priorities include integrating technology into transformational immersive experiences and working to expand the conversation on how museums and cultural institutions create authorship and ownership with their audiences. Continuing to build Second Story’s team is also high on her priority list.

In her expanded role, Elmsly also will continue to serve as an executive sponsor for SapientNitro’s diversity initiatives, overseeing the development and launch of many of the organization’s leadership activities and developing their creative community and partnerships. Earlier this year, she worked with PRETTYBIRD to curate SapientNitro’s Cannes Lions main stage event, “Make Some Room – Transforming Creativity Through Access." She also helped launch the agency’s Career Returns program, which provides opportunities for professionals who have taken an extended hiatus to return to the workforce.

The industry veteran first joined Second Story in 2015 as executive creative director after spending most of her career in London, with experience in public art, museum and gallery shows, large-scale interactive installations, stage design, and brand activations.

“Keri is an exceptionally talented, smart and fearless leader with a strong track record in helping clients develop meaningful relationships with their customers through next-generation experiences ,” stated Chesnut. “With Keri’s promotion, I look forward to working with her to expand Second Story’s footprint and further evolve the studio’s service offerings.”