Who is this person?

I’m Sarah Samuelson, a visual design coach for eLearning creators who want their visuals to look as intentional as their content feels. I work with instructional designers, transitioning teachers, and course creators who are tired of tweaking layouts and still wondering,“Does this even look good?”

If that’s you—take a breath. I’m here to help you ditch the design doubt with feedback that’s kind, clear, and actually teaches you why things work (not just what to fix).

I've been doing this design thing for 20+ Years

I'm not just teaching this - I've lived it.

Before I started supporting instructional designers, I spent over two decades in the trenches of creative work. I’ve built brand visuals, digital design systems, and learner-friendly layouts for organizations like: The eLearning Designer’s Academy, DuClaw Brewing Co., The Baltimore Sun, and more.

But my real education started long before my career. Growing up, I didn’t always have a space where I felt fully seen or heard—so I made one. Art and journaling became my way to process, express, and make sense of the world. That’s where I first discovered how powerful visuals can be—not just to decorate, but to communicate.

That experience still shapes how I work today: I help you make things make sense. Not just pretty, but purposeful. Not just polished, but personal. I know what it’s like to balance creativity with clarity, deadlines with design decisions, and how hard it can be to find feedback that’s actually useful and not just, “Can you make it pop?”😬 (Spoiler: I will never say that to you.)

A few non-design facts…

I’m a mom of two kiddos and a Havaneese pup
I go to bed before my children and have no regrets
Raised in a military household—adaptability is in my DNA.
"Mako Mermaids" and "H2O: Just Add Water" are my ultimate comfort rewatches
I once knew every word to the Ghostbusters II soundtrack by Bobby Brown.

Real-world design experience that fuels
real-world feedback.

Everything I coach on is grounded in decades of hands-on client work—here’s a sample of the kinds of brand visuals, layouts, and storytelling I’ve helped build.