In the spring of 2007, I was three years into what was supposed to be a six-month contract at Wynn Resorts. I had originally been brought on to design a training handbook—affectionately dubbed the “Idiot’s Guide to…”—which I hated, despite the fact that it earned me a long-term role at the company. But over time, I learned how to speak plainly and humanely with the staff who make Wynn Resorts what it is.
As the brand expanded into Encore, I was asked to reinvent the employee handbook. What I created was a completely reimagined document—written in natural language, legally sound without the need for external addendums, and styled like a real magazine. It opened with a fashion spread of uniforms and was organized around how the resort actually functions—not by HR categories, but by lived experience.
The result was a set of policies that felt intuitive, approachable, and integrated into the everyday culture of the most acclaimed property in Las Vegas.
The concept and art direction were entirely mine, and while my copywriter worked directly with the legal team, I shaped the rest. Seventeen years later, it’s still a piece of work I feel deeply connected to—and one that still resonates across the property.
