Meet Rachel Gehrs

At Digital Yalo, the thoughtful and intentional work injected into our design work is a direct result of Rachel’s leadership. As Yalo’s VP, Creative Director, Rachel blends sharp strategic thinking with a deeply human approach to creativity, one rooted in curiosity, culture, and care for the people behind the work.

Leading Creativity, Day In and Day Out

In her role, Rachel oversees Yalo’s creative vision, guiding brand systems, visual identities, and campaign concepts from idea to execution. Day-to-day, that means collaborating closely with designers, strategists, and account teams to connect business goals to creative expression and make sure the work not only looks beautiful, but means something.

Work Inspired by Real-Life Design

One standout project Rachel loved working on was GenCap’s brand identity. Inspired by high-fashion influences (specifically Victoria Beckham’s ready-to-wear collections), the project was designed for an audience of affluent women, with a refined color palette and confident, modern sensibility. It’s a perfect example of how Rachel translates inspiration into strategy, creating work that’s aspirational yet grounded.

Creativity Rooted in Culture

Rachel’s creative philosophy is deeply shaped by her surroundings. Cleveland’s vibrant cultural scene with world-class museums and theater to major sports teams and incredible dining feeds her curiosity. A recent visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Renaissance to Runway exhibition left a lasting impression, showcasing how centuries-old art can spark modern couture. That same idea, honoring the past while designing for what’s next, runs through Yalo’s work and values.

What the Team Knows Her For

Ask around, and you’ll hear a consistent theme: Rachel is a leader who trusts her team. She empowers people to do their best work without asking them to sacrifice what matters outside the office. She’s approachable, supportive, and relentless in advocating for her team, which is a rare quality. She’s someone who listens first and works hard to remove obstacles so creativity can thrive.

Life Beyond the Office

Outside of work, Rachel is all about family, fresh air, and staying active. Summers are spent outdoors with activities like gardening, playing catch, and tending to the family’s pandemic-era chicken project. She’s also often found at sporting events with her family, soaking in the energy of the city she loves.

She also just got a puppy, Arnie, named after Arnold Schwarzenegger. No joke. Rachel admires his ability to stay positive, reinvent himself, and accomplish wildly different things over a lifetime (she highly recommends the Netflix documentary!). It’s a mindset she carries into her own life and leadership.

Why Rachel’s Leadership Matters

At Yalo, creativity isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about intention, trust, and impact. Rachel Gehrs embodies that belief every day, leading with vision, empathy, and an unwavering commitment to both the work and the people behind it.

At Digital Yalo, strategy and creativity get a lot of attention, but behind every successful campaign is our Account Management (AM) team making sure it all clicks. They’re the relationship drivers, the dot-connectors, and the calm in the storm. They’re trusted partners who make sure our clients don’t just get work delivered, they get solutions that move the needle.

What Account Management Really Means at Yalo

At its core, account management here is about owning the client relationship. Our AMs dig deep to understand a client’s goals, challenges, and bigger picture, then translate that into actionable strategies with our internal teams. They oversee timelines, budgets, and quality while also helping clients see the strategic value behind the work.

Unlike agencies where AMs act as order takers, Yalo’s team is wired differently. We don’t just check boxes. We ask questions, anticipate needs, and bring proactive ideas to the table. As one of our AMs put it: “We’re true partners with our clients. We want what’s best for them, not just what’s best for the agency.”

Strategic Thinkers and Problem Solvers

Whether it’s navigating a tough feedback round, re-scoping a project, or mapping out a massive website launch on a tighter timeline than expected, our AMs thrive on problem-solving.

When one client pushed their launch date up by months, the AM team worked with both the client and internal teams to create a phased rollout plan. The client felt heard, internal teams weren’t burned out, and the launch still happened on time with a roadmap for post-launch priorities. That’s the kind of balance and foresight that turns challenges into wins.

Building Trust That Lasts

Trust is the foundation of every great partnership, and our AMs take that seriously. Transparency, consistency, and reliability guide everything they do, whether it’s setting realistic expectations, owning a mistake, or celebrating client wins.

Our philosophy: clients should never be left guessing. That means proactive communication, status updates before they’re asked for, and solutions before problems escalate. Over time, that approach builds credibility and shows clients they’re in good hands.

Relationships Beyond the Work

At Yalo, relationships don’t stop at deliverables. Our AMs genuinely care about clients as people, like what motivates them, what they value, even what’s going on in their lives outside the office. That human connection makes the partnership real and long-lasting.

As one AM put it: “The real value we bring goes beyond the data—it’s in the problem-solving, the strategic thinking, and the connections we make. We’re responsive, calm in hectic situations, and always willing to go above and beyond.”

At the end of the day, Digital Yalo’s “secret sauce” isn’t just in our ideas. It’s in the connections our Account Management team makes and the trust they build.