About Us: Shared Values Make All the Difference

Video loop shows a variety of typical activities by Sandstormers in the office. The quick clips include meeting at a whiteboard, chatting in a group, riding a mini bike, a chihuahua dancing, fresh cookies coming out of the oven, meeting in the blue cube room, handing out You Rock notes, meeting in our conference room, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for our volunteer activity, and playing foosball.

Brilliant ideas have no boundaries. We're here to share our insights — from 4,600+ hours of UX research and analysis — to help you implement compelling creative solutions for explosive growth.

We believe in the “yes, and” philosophy – building upon each others’ ideas to bring breakthrough thinking to life. Headquartered in Chicago, our unique blend of artists, philosophers, educators, musicians, scientists, and poets live, eat, and breathe brand strategy, creative design, user experience (UX), AI strategy, and web development. We don’t simply make creative things; we have the know-how to leverage emerging technologies to build new connections.

No matter what challenge you give us, we’ll take ownership of it and we won’t give up. We call this our “warrior spirit.”

Core Values

Warrior Spirit

When we commit we persevere. We’re all in this together.

Be Curious

We take pride in being lifelong learners with insatiable appetites for new perspectives and sharing ideas.

Create Joy

The joy we derive from what we do is contagious. We only have one life; let’s make it great.

Team Sandstorm

Inclusive design is more than a principle. It’s built into who we are.

Laura Chaparro a light skinned female with long brown hair wearing a white shirt smiling at the camera

Laura Chaparro a light skinned female with long brown hair with a wide brimmed sun hat and fun sunglasses wearing a white shirt smiling at the camera

Laura Chaparro (she/her)

Mike Marsico a light skinned male with a bald head wearing a black t-shirt smiling at the camera

Mike Marsico a light skinned male with a bald head wearing a black t-shirt with a concerned look as a scary wolf head appears from the right

Mike Marsico (he/him)

Shawn Hopkins a light skinned mail with glasses, a white beard and mustache, wearing a blue shirt, and smiling at the camera with a wooded area behind him

Two pictures of Shawn's cat, a brown and black stripped cat. On the left, the cat is standing on a railing with its tail raised up. On the right it is laying upside down on a couch with a fuzzy belly showing.

Shawn Hopkins (he/him)

Neil Pichan is a light skinned male with brown hair, light brown facial hair, tortoise shell glasses, wearing a blue and white stripped shirt with a hallway in the background

Neil Pichan is a light skinned male with brown hair, light brown facial hair, sun glasses, wearing a light green shirt with white flowers with a hallway in the background

Neil Pichan (he/him)

Janna Fiester a light skinned female with grey hair in an updo, clear glasses wearing a red shirt with birds on it smiling at the camera

Janna Fiester a light skinned female with grey hair in an updo, clear glasses wearing a red shirt with birds on it smiling at the camera with her beagle, Miles

Janna Fiester (she/her)

Madeline Jensen is a light skinned female with short curly brown hair, brown eyes, glasses wearing a red and black flannel shirt smiling at the camera holding a 2024 hockey playoffs towel

Madeline Jensen (she/her)

Josh Hunter is a light skinned male with black hair, mustache, and beard wearing a blue and white polka dot shirt with a picture of a cherry blossom tree in the background

Josh Hunter is a light skinned male with black hair, mustache, and beard wearing a blue and white polka dot shirt pointing with both fingers at the viewer with a picture of a cherry blossom tree in the background

Josh Hunter (he/him)

Nathan Haas is a light skinned male with brown hair, tortoise shell glasses, light stubble wearing a white shirt with orange and blue plaid with a window in the background

Nathan Haas is a light skinned male with brown hair, sun glasses, light stubble wearing a red Hawaiian print shirt with a window in the background

Nathan Haas (he/him)

Syd Hunsinger is a light skinned person with glasses and a shaved head wearing a grey sweater and colorful shirt sitting in a gaming chair with a monitor in the background

Syd Hunsinger is a light skinned person with glasses and a shaved head wearing a grey sweater and colorful shirt with their stripped cat, Becky in their arms, sitting in a gaming chair with a monitor in the background

Syd Hunsinger (they/them)

Amanda Heberg is a light skinned female with blonde wavy hair, black glasses wearing a white sweater

Amanda Heberg is a light skinned female with blonde wavy hair wearing a white fedora with a black stripe, black glasses wearing a white sweater

Amanda Heberg (she/her)

Sandy Marsico a light skinned female with long blonde hair wearing a white top smiling at the camera

Sandy Marsico a light skinned female with long blonde hair holding her brown and black small shaggy dog Remi

Sandy Marsico (she/her)

Joanna Jackson a light skinned female with long blonde hair wearing a stylish shirt in a room with a mirror and flowers

Joanna Jackson (she/her)

Anne Lentino is a light skinned female with curly red hair wearing a colorful shirt smiling at the camera

Anne Lentino is a light skinned female with curly red hair holding a masquerade mask in front of her face

Anne Lentino (she/her)

Alma Meshes a light skinned female with dark hair, blue glasses, wearing an owl print dress with plants, knick knacks and art work in the background

Alma Meshes (she/her)

John Brooks a light skinned male with brown hair smiling at the camera wearing a green polo shirt

John Brooks a light skinned male with brown hair smiling at the camera wearing a green hat with his brown dog with a white stripe on his face sitting in his lap

John Brooks (he/him)

Justin Redfearn a light skinned male with black hair, headphones and a blue shirt with ninja turtles in front of a zoom background of the Golden Gate Bridge

Justin Redfearn a light skinned male with black hair, headphones, wearing cool shades and a blue shirt with ninja turtles making a rock and roll sign with his hand in front of a zoom background of neon pink lines with a sunset

Justin Redfearn (he/him)

Andy Cullen a light skinned male with brown facial hair wearing a White Sox baseball hat and a red shirt

Andy Cullen (he/him)

Vivian Young is a female with long brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a yellow sweater

Vivian Young is a female with long brown hair, brown eyes, wearing a yellow sweater, smiling at the camera holding her grey cat

Vivian Young (she/her)

Cameron Panice a light skinned male with glasses, dark brown hair, dark brown mustache and stubble wearing a pink shirt with cactuses and a kitchen and couch in the background

Cameron Panice a light skinned male with glasses, dark brown hair, dark brown mustache and stubble wearing a pink shirt with cactuses pressing index finger to mouth while looking at clone of himself carrying a green coffee cup standing in the kitchen

Cameron Panice (he/him)

Emily Kodner is a light skinned female with blonde shoulder length hair smiling at the camera wearing a read sweater

Emily Kodner (she/her)

Jay Silverman is a light skinned male with dark mustache and beard, bald head, wearing glasses and a blue Chicago Cubs shirt with a book case in the background

Jay Silverman is a light skinned male with dark mustache and beard, bald head, wearing glasses and a blue Chicago Cubs shirt holding his grey cat with a book case in the background with his black cat on top

Jay Silverman (he/him)

Be your most authentic self – we like it that way

Our commitment to inclusion across race, gender, age, religion, sexuality, disability, and life experience drives us to better ourselves and create more impactful work for all. So we’re building a team where individuality is celebrated. Together, we continue to foster a culture through education, recruitment, and implementation. And while our heart is in Chicago, we welcome Sandstormers across the US.

Our Mission

Good Work for Good People

Our Purpose

Bringing Humanity to Tech

There's no room for hate in our hearts

Our strength lies in our individuality, so we are committed to fostering a community of respect and inclusion. We stand against hate, discrimination, and prejudice in all their forms. Read more about our culture.