Team Highlight: Cassie Tangney

If you’ve worked with Cassie, you know she’s more than just PRPL's Design Director. She’s a thoughtful leader, creative force, and dedicated mentor. Whether she’s guiding her team through complex challenges or recharging outdoors with her dog Eleanor, Cassie brings empathy, clarity, and a love for lifelong learning into everything she does. We sat down with her to talk about her creative journey, leadership philosophy, and what keeps her inspired.

1. What are some of your favorite aspects of your role?

I love team development. Building teams, putting the right people in the right seats, and helping them grow in their roles. I enjoy guiding individuals through growth plans and showing them their potential as lifelong learners. Seeing people evolve and understand their own progress is incredibly rewarding.

2. What do you enjoy about working at PRPL?

PRPL is unique. They genuinely value learning and growth. There’s transparency and support here that allows people to explore interests, even outside their immediate roles, and bring that learning back to the broader team. I’ve worked at a number of agencies, and that kind of encouraging environment is special.

3. When did you first realize you were a creative, or that you had a passion for art and design? Was there a specific moment or experience that sparked your journey?

I like to joke that my choir teacher in junior high strongly encouraged me to take art because I was a bit tone deaf. That got me into the arts early, but I didn’t realize it could be a career until college. I was a pre-med major through junior year, taking art classes for fun. Eventually, I found myself spending all night in the art building, totally immersed. That’s when it clicked - it was what I loved. My parents and brother are also naturally creative, so in some ways, it just felt like something I always could do.

4. How do you overcome a creative block?

I change my environment. Nature grounds me, so I go outside, walk, or just sit in the sun with my dog. I look through design books, or even things totally unrelated to design, for inspiration. Sometimes I need to talk things through with someone. Whether it’s a solo moment or a collaborative one, I give myself space to process and problem-solve.

5. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to aspiring designers?

Fail forward, fail fast, and fail often. Try things. Learn by doing, asking questions, and getting mentorship. Trust your instincts, and know that exposure builds confidence. Also, don’t forget to play. Creativity is play. You’re solving problems for people in a way that should bring you joy.

6. What tip(s) do you have for being a successful creative director?

See the big picture. Creative direction requires understanding complex systems: multiple platforms, audiences, brand touch points. You need to understand how everything connects. It’s also about team dynamics and communication. I tailor my feedback to how individuals best receive it, and I set clear expectations to ensure alignment. It’s emotional intelligence, trust-building, and communication all rolled into one.

7. Who is your favorite artist or designer, and how have they influenced you?

Painting - Wassily Kandinsky - abstract art is so varied and thought-provoking. It fascinates me to look at a single piece and see how all the elements interact and play against one another.

Composing - Sergei Rachmaninoff - so very calming, especially when I am in a flow state. Rachmaninoff is a go-to composer as his depth continuously intrigues me to keep listening discovering different pieces of the movements.  

Design - Bea Feitler - was an incredible talented designer who helped push perspectives, expanded how audiences viewed art/magazines and culture. Not one to be missed, her work still inspires me. Irma Boom creates amazingly intriguing books. The art of bookmaking is complex and you’ve likely seen a number of her unique takes on book design.

8. What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on at PRPL, and why?

Definitely the Hooked on Phonics project. There was a deep personal and nostalgic connection, since many of us grew up with it. But beyond that, the whole team connected with the mission. Reading and education changes lives, and we were all aligned from day one in understanding how impactful that work (and ultimately this project) continues to be.

9. How do you like to spend your weekends? Do you have any favorite activities or rituals that help you recharge or stay inspired?

I love being outside, whether it’s hiking, walking my dog Eleanor, even just wandering my yard or garden. It helps me reset. I also love baking and cooking. It’s creative, physical, and just fun - I can share all the tasty things I make. And I enjoy being active through running, biking, lifting. It all keeps me energized.

10. What’s your best piece of leadership advice?

Great leaders help people grow, even beyond the roles they’re in. They have your back, support your goals, and cheer you on, as you eventually outgrow the role. That’s the kind of leader I aim to be. There's a quote that sums it up well: "A manager sees you as an employee. A great manager sees you as a future leader. A manager helps you do your job. A great manager prepares you for your next job, even if it’s not with them."