We are ThoughtFull™. A community of researchers, designers, strategists, innovators and storytellers who enable organisations to redefine their future. Together we design end-to-end experiences that people can’t live without.

A founding partner with 30 years of experience working across a broad range of design disciplines from brand through to innovation. Geoff’s focus is the translation of human insight into transformative design strategies and experiences that move both people and organisations forward. Geoff has both coached design and led small and large design and innovation programs for organisations such as Air New Zealand, Kiwibank, Mercury, ASB through to emerging business such as Halter, New Zealand Merino, Hammerforce and Auckland FC. Geoff was an Advisory Board member of the Better By Design programme for a decade and his work has been recognised globally by DesignWeek, Fast Company, D&AD, Red Dot, AIGA, IDSA, Good Design and Best Design awards. Geoff holds a Masters in Design Methods from the Institute Of Design, Chicago.

Hudson Smales brings his considerable experience as a design strategist leading research projects in New Zealand and Europe to his role at ThoughtFull, where he specialises in translating user research into actionable business opportunities. Before joining Geoff Suvalko as a partner at ThoughtFull, Hudson was head of Research and Design at Air New Zealand. He was responsible for the design and development of a wide range of ground-breaking brand, design and innovation experiences. During his time with the company, Air New Zealand was awarded Airline of Year and won numerous design, service and research awards. Hudson has led projects across tourism, agriculture, utilities, charities, logistics and education with a focus on customer experience, product and service design.

An experienced design leader, Georgina returns to ThoughtFull to drive the creative vision and strategic growth of the studio, leveraging her deep expertise in human-centered design, brand and innovation, acquired over a career split between New Zealand and New York. Her experience has spanned leading UX team, delivering AI and data visualisation and founding a Product Visioning practice at Xero, a Design Coach for Better by Design, Project Lead at IDEO and designer at innovation consultancy Farenheit 212 - both in New York City. Georgina excels at mentoring designers and distilling complex systems into clear communications and frameworks. Her work has been recognised by Type Directors Club, Best Design Awards, Coupe International, AIGA, Creative Quarterly, and others. Georgina holds a Post-graduate Diploma in Graphic Design from the Wanganui School of Design.

Ruby is a Design Lead and Strategist working at the intersection of design, research and business strategy. Ruby has led projects across finance, travel, tourism, agritech, logistics, and healthcare, partnering with organisations like Air New Zealand and Kiwibank to Halter and Auckland FC. Defining opportunities and delivering impactful outcomes. Known for distilling complexity down into clear, actionable insights, Ruby guides teams from discovery to validated concepts. Curious and collaborative, Ruby helps organisations navigate ambiguity, align around customer needs, and design for impact at scale. Ruby holds a Bachelor of Innovation, with a major in Culture and context, Victoria University

Kate has spent well over a decade helping organisations untangle complex problems to find clarity through design research, strategy and experience design. She brings curiosity, warmth, and humour to every challenge she faces. Before joining Thoughtfull Kate helped establish the original design and innovation practice at ASB Bank. Since then, Kate has been with ThoughtFull, building a depth of experience across healthcare, media, entertainment, aviation, engineering, banking and hospitality - thriving on the variety and diversity of organisations from Kiwibank to Sky, Air New Zealand to Southern Cross. Kate holds a Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication) from Massey University.

Zac is an award-winning multi-skilled designer specialising in brand creation and identity systems. With a deep background in fashion design, retail, digital development and content creation, Zac centres his work on designing brands fit for the digital world. From concept through to launch, visual identity to defining digital behaviours, marketing to content creation, Zac has led projects for start-ups to corporates,  delivering work that showcases creativity, distinctiveness with longevity. From Air New Zealand to Halter, Montarne to NZ Merino and Kiwibank to Auckland FC, Zac’s work has been recognised globally by Red Dot, AIGA, Good Design and Best Awards.

Dave has a long-standing interest in ways digital technology can add true value to the human experience. Dave, through his tenure at Air New Zealand, has led many of the well recognised digital innovations the airline has developed across retail, airport and in-cabin customer experiences. From the original kiosk check-in experience, mobile-assisted check-in and boarding, open bag drop to the airline’s famous “coffee app”, and unaccompanied minor ‘Airband’.  More recently, Dave was the Design Lead for in-cabin digital experience for the Airline’s new wide body interiors entering service in late 2025. Dave leads the adoption and application of new technologies to both client outcomes and ThoughtFull’s design practice. Dave has a Bachelor of Engineering from Auckland University, and a PhD in Materials Science from the University of Cambridge.

Aaron Richardson is a Design Lead at ThoughtFull specialising in brand identity systems design, branded environments, and visitor experiences. With fifteen years in the UK and US and eight at ThoughtFull, Aaron has led major brand transformations for Burberry, Land Rover, Kiwibank and Air New Zealand. He has partnered with RIBA, the World Architecture Festival, and Ngāi Tahu Tourism to champion and intersect culture and creativity. Aaron combines conceptual imagination with system-level rigour, earning recognition from Red Dot, DesignWeek UK, D&AD, and Best Awards. Aaron holds Bachelor of Design, Visual Communication, Massey University, Wellington along with  Bachelor Arts, Art History & English Literature at Victoria University, Wellington

Chelsea Pratt’s role as a product and spatial designer allows her to work in an area she is passionate about -  the intersection of design and human experience. At ThoughtFull, Chelsea operates collaboratively across multiple disciplines, always pushing the boundaries. She has extensive local and international experience in user experience, digital, brand strategy, retail design, technical apparel, industrial and event/exhibition design. As well as experience in innovation teams including at Alt Group and Lululemon Labs, Vancouver, she has a background in admin, accounts and production manufacturing. Chelsea has a Bachelor in Industrial Design and Spatial Design from AUT in Auckland.

Andrea images both design programmes and the ThoughtFull Practice with 18+ years’ experience shaping brands, leading complex design programmes and delivering high-impact creative work. Over the past eight years at ThoughtFull, she has worked across tourism, wellness, the primary industry, financial and purpose-led organisations - ensuring clarity and cohesion across all engagements. Previously, Andrea spent over a decade at Air New Zealand delivering major initiatives including aircraft livery, brand campaigns, innovation programmes and the airline’s 75-year anniversary exhibition. A trusted leader, she combines strategic vision, operational rigour and calm, people-centred leadership. Andrea holds a Bachelor in Graphic Design – Visual Communications from UNITEC Institute of Technology in Auckland, New Zealand.

Beck Lowe is both a Brand Strategist and Design Manager at ThoughtFull, bringing deep insight into customer behaviour and market dynamics in order to shape strategic, impactful brand work. Specialising in brand development, Beck uncovers insights, crafts narratives, and forges meaningful connections between brands and their audiences. With experience across aviation, healthcare, FMCG, services, and fashion - as well as roles in R&D, NPD, marketing, social media, copywriting, and project management - Beck brings a holistic lens to how brands live and should live in the world. Beck holds a Bachelor of Consumer & Applied Science and a Diploma in Marketing from the University of Otago.

A designer at ThoughtFull assisting in different projects in research, insight synthesis and illustrative storytelling, Jono Aquino is a creative thinker with a keen eye for identifying opportunities from research, and has the ability to visualise ideas in a simple way that people understand. Jono has a bachelor of design, majoring in industrial design, and a bachelor of business, majoring in marketing from the Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

Placing an emphasis on creativity and innovation. Richard has spent over 20 years deeply involved in human-centered design as both an external design consultant and in house designer for clients including Hasbro and Hewlett & Packard. He has led a wide range of engagements at ThoughtFull from Air New Zealand's future cabin experience through to product innovation for Frucor/Suntory and customer experience strategy for Fonterra, applying human centred research and design techniques. More recently, Richard was Design Practice Lead within the Product design team at Xero. Richard has Degree in 3-Dimensional Design from the University of Portsmouth and has acted as a visiting faculty member at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design

Allysa Smales has an impressive portfolio of work across a range of organisations and industries identifying and interpreting human needs and behaviours. At Thoughtfull, as a Research Lead, Allysa is an expert at leveraging human insights to inform and build successful outcomes for clients. In her 20 years experience in qualitative research, working in government, education, FMCG, media, service and tourism sectors in New Zealand and the UK, Allysa has spent many hours speaking to, observing and spending time with people in their everyday lives. She is passionate about discovering and understanding what and why they behave and how products, services and experiences can be enhanced to meet their undeclared needs. Allysa has a degree in social geography and psychology from Otago University, New Zealand.

Craig is a Creative Technologist and interactive design leader with 15+ years of experience blending the physical with the digital world within roles stretching from innovation to social media. His global career spans New Zealand, Australia, Asia, and Europe, including serving as Global Lead for Creative Technology at TRO, delivering pioneering work for Google, Samsung, Porsche, BMW, Chapter Lead at Spark and Air New Zealand across Social Media and more recently as a Creative Technologist at ThoughtFull. Over the past five years, Craig has focused on AI, using emerging technologies in crafting immersive customer experiences - where technology elevates human creativity.

Back in the late 90s, Ian spent three years at London’s prestigious Royal Central School of Speech and Drama studying set design.
After graduating he got a job as copywriter at AMV/BBBDO. Since then, he’s worked in agencies in London, Paris, Auckland and Christchurch. Ian has worked on a wide range of inspiring and loved brands from Rolls Royce to Air New Zealand, Auckland Zoo to Unilever. Ians unique combination of creativity, copywriting, film and strategic storytelling enables compelling brand strategies, brand building through to communication. Ian’s work has been recognised with D&AD, One Show, DMA’s, Effies awards globally.


Hannah is Senior Visual Designer at ThoughtFull who translates strategies, concepts into visual identity and communication design systems and solutions. With experience across corporate and consumer, across both New Zealand and Australia, Hannah has experienced working with a wide range of organisations from start-up to corporates, developing a wide range of capabilities extending from print to digital and spatial to product. Hannahs has worked with Kiwibank, Air New Zealand, Luxe Nomad, Florenz and Southern Cross . Hannah has a Bachelor of Graphic Design at AUT, Auckland.


Kate is a Design Researcher whose work is driven by human-centred and socially responsible research and design. She brings a thoughtful, empathetic lens to her work and is passionate about understanding experiences and designing outcomes that have an impact. Kate holds a Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Industrial Design from Massey University, Wellington, where her research focused on user-centred public healthcare design, with a focus on harm reduction.