Associate Partner & Design Director

Nick Adam

Nick Adam is an associate partner and design director at Span. His work explores the power of identity, where typographic details, design maneuvers, and interactive gestures are concept-driven, direct, and resonate emotionally. Nick creates brand identities and interactive touchpoints that build value, shift culture, and inspire advocacy.

Nick’s body of work—spanning civic, cultural, innovation, and nonprofit sectors—reflects his commitment to the public realm, diverse cultures, and communities. While renowned for exquisite typography and craft, Nick is equally valued by his clients for his inclusive process, which fosters co-ownership and leads to stronger, more impactful insights and outcomes.

Nick’s portfolio includes leading the rebrand of Nature Museum, the creation of Copi for the U.S. government, and spearheading the naming and design of Divvy bikes, for the City of Chicago and IDEO. His work navigates complexity, budgets, and institutional bureaucracy, all while elevating deliverables to be memorable and inspiring.

In both 2022 and 2024, projects led by Nick received the prestigious AIGA 365 Award and he was named one of Newcity’s Design 50 for his role in shaping Chicago’s design community. His projects have garnered international recognition from the Type Directors Club of New York, the Tokyo Type Directors Club, Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards. Nick’s work has been featured globally in publications such as The Economist, Wired, The Telegraph, NPR, and the Associated Press. Most significantly, Nick takes pride in the fact that these accolades shine a light on his clients and the communities they serve.

Nick holds an MFA in Graphic Design from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he has also taught, and a BFA in Visual Communication from The Illinois Institute of Art. His work is part of the permanent collections at the AIGA Design Archives, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Milton Glaser Design Study Center and Archives, and the Newberry Library.

Driven by a belief that design has the power to transform and foster connections, Nick remains dedicated to creating experiences that empower and advocate.