Design for the Greater Good

For almost 30 years, I have followed the small signs that tell me when work is alive. Someone leans forward. A story begins to show itself. What they have been carrying begins to ask for a visible form. That is where I can help, and where design can do more for the greater good.

View Selected Work Start a Conversation

Design UI/UX design, print and production, environmental design, visual systems, interface direction, and practical design work that helps people understand what they are looking at.

Coding Custom WordPress themes, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, GitHub workflows, reusable templates, and the front-end systems that keep a site useful after launch.

Content Photography, copywriting, publication systems, campaign language, storytelling, and communication tools that give the work a clear public shape.

Branding Positioning, visual identity, design systems, campaign identity, voice, and the day-to-day materials that help an organization show up consistently.

Strategy Information architecture, field-aware planning, stakeholder clarity, design direction, and long-term stewardship for organizations carrying complicated work.

Bentforkz since 1998

Howdy! It's me, Ethan!

Designer, Papa, Husband, Runner, Biker, Unschooler, ADHD(PDA+RSD), Allsick New Mexico | @Bentforkz

What Bentforkz Does

I clear the digital thicket around meaningful work.

Over time, organizations gather old content, lose their voice, half-finish design systems, and knowledge lives mostly on shared drives. The work is alive, but the path is overgrown and difficult to follow.

I can clear the way. Your narrative holds steady again, and people can understand that what you do matters.

Learn More

Selected Work

Projects with real terrain.

A focused set of projects across environmental organizations, higher education, public-interest systems, nonprofit communications, and long-running digital platforms.

Covey

National University

For National University, I completed a focused UX audit and redesign of the Bachelor of Business Administration landing page as part of the Senior Product UX Designer interview process. The work reframed the page around the needs of working adult learners, with clearer program positioning, stronger calls to action, improved information hierarchy, responsive layout recommendations, curriculum and career pathway sections, admissions guidance, cost and aid support, and reusable design patterns for future enrollment-focused pages.

Work With Bentforkz

Useful design for complex work.

Bentforkz is built for organizations that need senior-level design thinking, practical implementation, and a durable digital foundation.

Start a Conversation View Selected Work

How I Work

Senior-level thinking without the agency fog.

The best work comes from clarity, momentum, and a high tolerance for the messy middle where strategy, design, content, and implementation all have to meet.

Start with the actual problem.

Before redesigning anything, I look for the real friction: unclear positioning, weak content structure, outdated systems, confusing pathways, or trust gaps.

Build systems people can use.

The work needs to hold up after launch. Templates, reusable patterns, editable content, and clear admin structures matter.

Keep the story grounded.

Mission-driven work gets stronger when the design carries evidence, place, people, and purpose without turning everything into noise.

Clients & Partners

Trusted across sectors.

A broader look at the organizations, institutions, and public-interest teams I’ve worked with across brand, web, UX, environmental storytelling, and communications systems.

Design

UI/UX Design, print + production, environmental design

Coding

WordPress development, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, GitHub workflows

Content

Photography, copywriting, publication systems, build fabrication

Branding

Visual identity, marketing + analytics, communications

Strategy

Appreciative inquiry, results-only work, design thinking

Bates College

Brand Identity & Experience Systems

20% Design

15% Coding

5% Content

45% Branding

15% Strategy

Directed a campus-wide initiative that redefined the Bates brand, resulting in an award-winning overhaul of marketing strategy, visual identity, user experience, and CMS. Established a cohesive design system that elevated enrollment, alumni engagement, and institutional reputation.

Bentforkz, LLC

Environmental & Nonprofit Branding

20% Design

20% Coding

20% Content

20% Branding

20% Strategy

Partnering with outdoor, environmental, and cause-based organizations to shape brands, digital platforms, and visual systems that strengthen identity, expand reach, and create lasting impact. As a full-stack, hands-on designer, I blend craft and strategy — leading design and development while providing the guidance that ensures every project connects with mission.

Colby College

Executive Communications & Publications

75% Design

0% Coding

5% Content

5% Branding

15% Strategy

Created flagship publications that set new benchmarks for the college’s administration. Developed a cohesive design approach for high-visibility communications, establishing standards that shaped and elevated the institution’s public identity.

Covey Outdoor Community

Community Identity & Youth Facilitator

30% Design

5% Coding

5% Content

20% Branding

40% Strategy

Co-developed the brand, communications, and early learning experience for an outdoor, self-directed education community. Shaped the visual identity, digital presence, and parent-facing storytelling while building systems that supported clarity, trust, and shared purpose during its launch phase.

HDR, Inc.

Enterprise Software & Design Systems

45% Design

15% Coding

2% Content

8% Branding

30% Strategy

Led design strategy for internal tools used across HDR’s global teams. Created scalable design systems that simplified workflows, reduced inefficiencies, and improved adoption of enterprise software.

I20 Wildlife Preserve

Environmental & Community Engagement

25% Design

15% Coding

20% Content

30% Branding

10% Strategy

Redesigned, developed, and managed the preserve’s online platforms, extending its reach and deepening community engagement. Designed environmental wayfinding and interpretive signage to guide and educate visitors on-site. Co-created and curated the ongoing iNaturalist project, connecting citizen scientists and the local community to the ecological story of the preserve. Contributed to fundraising and organizational growth through grant writing and editing. Supported the preserve’s mission further through wildlife and event photography, as well as serving as an educational docent to engage visitors directly.

MIT Sloan School

Course Catalog & Systems Integration

35% Design

2% Coding

3% Content

35% Branding

25% Strategy

Redesigned the new course catalog system for MIT Sloan Executive Education, creating an intuitive, cohesive experience that improved enrollment pathways. Integrated the design directly with Salesforce to streamline operations and deliver an award-winning solution that set a new standard for their online offerings.

Northrop Grumman

UX Systems & Counter-Insider Threat

40% Design

30% Coding

5% Content

15% Branding

10% Strategy

Brought together design, project management, and behavioral science to strengthen counter-insider threat initiatives. Developed WordPress and SharePoint platforms that improved clarity, accessibility, and collaboration across sensitive teams and workflows.

US Department of Justice

Federal Reporting & Publication Design

65% Design

0% Coding

5% Content

20% Branding

10% Strategy

Designed, edited, and produced the 300+ page Biennial Report to Congress on the effectiveness of Violence Against Women Act grant programs. Translated complex quantitative and qualitative data into a clear, accessible publication that highlighted national progress, program outcomes, and evidence-based practices. Supported the DOJ’s efforts to communicate impact and accountability to Congress, stakeholders, and the public.

Selected Archive

Two decades of work for the greater good.

A broader collection of websites, interfaces, campaigns, publications, identity systems, and digital communication projects.

Information Architecture, Redesign, UX Audit

National University

Branding, Information Architecture, UI/UX, WordPress

Covey

Start Here

Need a sharper digital system for mission-driven work?

Bentforkz works best with organizations that need clear strategy, strong design, practical implementation, and someone who can stay close to the work from idea to launch.

Email Bentforkz Review the Work