Email Suite Redesign
The LGBTQ+ Real Estate Alliance is a non-profit dedicated to ending housing discrimination and increasing LGBTQ+ homeownership rates.
Date:
January 2026
Client wanted an engaging AR filter to promote the Arizona Science Center’s “Your Science Center, Reimagined” campaign, highlighting the institution’s innovative approach to science and technology. A trivia game filter was developed using Spark AR Studio, incorporating a minimalist design aligned with the Center’s branding, making it intuitive and fun for all ages.
During the Alliance’s migration to GrowthZone, the new AMS introduced over 40 default automated emails.
They were functional, with no branding outside of the organization’s logo.
Critical transactional messages such as invoice confirmations, account activations, and event registrations were delivered as plain text with minimal hierarchy and no systemized design.
Before the new website launched, I rebuilt the automated email experience from the ground up.
• 10 high-impact automated emails redesigned
• 3 reusable HTML base templates developed
• Fully integrated with GrowthZone triggers
• Accessibility validated through Email on Acid
• Completed in 4 weeks pre-launch
These emails now serve as structured, branded system touchpoints across the member lifecycle.
GrowthZone provides default automated emails for system events.
They lack:
• Visual hierarchy
• Scannability
• Brand consistency
• Structured layout
• Clear emphasis on critical information
For transactional emails tied to payments, confirmations, and account access, this created friction.
These messages are operationally critical, and they needed to feel intentional.
Out of ~40 automated emails in GrowthZone:
• 10 were identified as high-frequency and high-impact
• All 10 were redesigned before launch
Redesigned templates included:
• Event registration confirmation
• Event reminder
• Invoice paid
• Invoice payment failure
• Auto-payment receipt
• Online payment receipt
• Membership expiration notice
• Account activation
• New member onboarding
• Payment-related notifications
All are fully automated lifecycle triggers.
Transactional emails must prioritize clarity.
I structured every template around:
• Prominent invoice numbers
• Highlighted confirmation codes
• Clear payment totals and balances
• Structured summary panels
• Direct, visible CTAs
Critical information appears immediately, with no searching required.
Each email uses:
• Card-based content sections
• Logical grouping of related data
• Clear spacing and separation
• Modular blocks for flexibility
Members can absorb key information in seconds.
Every template includes:
• Defined heading hierarchy
• Semantic HTML structure
• Alt text for all images
• WCAG-compliant contrast ratios
• Preflight validation in Email on Acid
Accessibility was built in, not layered on.
Rather than building 10 independent designs, I created a reusable template system.
Three core HTML base templates power all redesigned emails:
• Confirmation system
• Payment system
• Account / onboarding system
Each automated message is a derivative of one of these base frameworks.
Result:
• Faster production
• Consistent structure
• Scalable future iteration
• Easier maintenance
This shifted the project from “designing emails” to building an email system.
GrowthZone introduced non-standard rendering behavior.
Challenges included:
The platform enforces visible table borders by default. I restructured layouts and tested extensively to eliminate unintended outlines without compromising structural stability.
GrowthZone rewrites certain hard-coded height and width attributes. I aligned visual editor values with HTML structure to preserve responsive behavior.
Each template supports injected system data such as:
• Invoice ID
• Payment totals
• Remaining balance
• Confirmation numbers
• Activation links
Layouts were built to accommodate variable data length without breaking structure.
Every template passed Email on Acid preflight testing before deployment.
These emails are triggered automatically by:
• Event registrations
• Payment confirmations
• Payment failures
• Membership purchases
• Account activations
• Expiration timelines
No manual intervention required.
Because many are tied to financial transactions or login access, clarity and reliability were critical.
This project aligned brand design with operational automation.
GrowthZone does not provide engagement metrics for transactional emails.
Impact has been measured through:
• Positive leadership feedback
• Member compliments on clarity and design
• Reduced confusion around payment and login instructions
• Stronger brand consistency across automated touchpoints
The redesign transformed system notifications into intentional brand communications.