Equal parts executive producer and creative director, Ventura Castro has been a force behind the scenes of the motion graphics industry for the last 15+ years. As Creative Director for NBC ArtWorks Studio, he leads the in-house agency for brand and package design across all news/documentary properties for on-air and streaming platforms. An avid cinephile, Ventura has taught at the EPFC and given talks at SCAD, SVA, and NYU. He currently serves as President of AIGA Portland, where he leads the organization’s strategic direction and community initiatives, expanding cross-disciplinary programming — and positioning design as both cultural force and civic infrastructure.