He approaches complex policy and industry issues as design problems, giving technical arguments a form that holds the attention of the audiences they are meant to reach. Recent work includes consumer campaigns for higher biofuel blends, video and event programming built around the association’s motorsports partnerships, and digital tools that give members and staff direct access to ethanol market data and legislative records. He has directed agencies large, small, and independent through a corporate rebrand, four website overhauls, direct-to-consumer fuel campaigns, and political advocacy efforts. Through this work, Growth Energy has a brand that holds together across its campaigns, events, and digital properties, and an in-house creative operation that can move at the speed advocacy demands.
Houston draws on more than 20 years of experience across magazine, newspaper, and association design. He came to Growth Energy from U.S. News & World Report, where he led visual production for the magazine’s award-winning website after several years as a print designer for its Money & Business section. He began his career as a photo and graphics editor at Stars & Stripes, the daily newspaper for military families living on overseas bases. Houston holds a Bachelor of Arts in American and Southern Studies from Vanderbilt University.