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Cheers & Tiers: Community Building & Miami Beds, My Chat with Wendy Quesinberry

Erik Cargill recounts that his episode felt less like a recording and more like swapping stories over drinks...in a Miami bar where beds replaced barstools. That’s exactly what happened when Wendy Quesinberry joined Rachel and me on Cheers & Tiers.

Author

Erik Cargill
May 20, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

I’ve known Wendy for years, and trust me, she’s the kind of storyteller who could make waiting in line at the DMV sound like an Oscar-worthy screenplay. I knew we were in for something good, but I didn’t expect to completely forget we were recording. Hell, I nearly spilled my nocino twice from laughing so hard.

Finding Home in AIGA Seattle

Wendy was actually one of the first people I clicked with when I stumbled into AIGA Seattle with my portfolio tucked under my arm, trying desperately to look like I belonged somewhere. What blew me away then (and still does) is how she treats every designer who walks through the door—from first-year students to industry legends—with the same genuine interest. Her superpower? That infectious laugh paired with a “where have you been all my life?” type of welcome that makes impostor syndrome dissolve on contact.

“I usually worked the check-in table,” she told us, in that characteristically humble way of hers. “That way I could learn who everybody was, and introduce myself to important people.” Classic Wendy—turning what most people would consider the boring job into a strategic position. Honestly, it’s this stealth-mode community building that transformed our chapter under her leadership. She ditched the quantity-over-quality approach that had us hosting events every other day. Instead, she went big—bringing design icons like Stefan Sagmeister and Marty Neumeier to our rainy corner of the design world, organizing those mind-blowing Brand Gap workshops, and creating experiences that still come up in conversation fifteen years later.

Beds, Booze, and Bad Ideas

One story that had me absolutely losing it was her Miami retreat tale. Picture this: Wendy and fellow board members, dressed for a proper night out, walk into what they assume is a regular bar, only to discover the entire place is furnished with...king-sized beds. “The trend at that time was beds instead of chairs,” she explained. “You'd just kind of sit cross-legged next to strangers and hope nobody suggested lying down.” I mean, who designs these concepts? (A non-designer, clearly.) When the server dropped the “bottle service only” bomb, the group nearly executed a tactical retreat to the liquor store across the street—until individual drinks magically materialized. “We drank a few,” Wendy deadpanned with that perfect comedic timing she has. “Then we left anyway. It was too weird.” I’ve been in enough uncomfortable leadership retreat afterparties to feel this story in my bones.

“Hey Stefan, Got Cash?”

Then there’s the Stefan Sagmeister parking lot story—absolute gold. After chaperoning him to a client meeting, they ended up at a cash-only lot with Wendy suddenly cashless. Most people would sooner die than ask a design legend for money, but Wendy? With zero pretension: “So I just turned to him and was like, hey, you got some cash, Stefan?” His response? “Sure, I got some.”

This perfectly captures what I’ve always loved about our community. Despite all the egos and fancy titles floating around, at its heart, AIGA is just a bunch of design nerds trying to figure out parking.

The Design Leadership Gym

For Wendy, AIGA wasn’t just a networking opportunity—it was her leadership bootcamp. “It was the perfect incubator,” she explained, and I couldn't agree more. “You’re running an organization, you’re collaborating, trying out ideas...and you’re not going to get fired if something flops.” Having served on the board myself, I felt this deeply. Where else can you experiment with organizational leadership while having a creative safety net? I’ve definitely applied lessons from my AIGA days to client presentations that could’ve gone sideways.

Rebuilding Post-Pandemic Connections

After our collective pandemic hibernation, Wendy did what she’s always done—created space for the rest of us. Her Creative People Doing Happy Hour is the perfect antidote to those awkward “I haven’t seen you since masks were mandatory” encounters. No RSVPs. No guilt. Just show up when you can. I’ve been twice, and it’s exactly what our community needed—low pressure, high connection. I watched two designers who hadn't seen each other in three years pick up a conversation like they’d had coffee yesterday.

Wendy embodies everything I’ve come to value in creative leadership—community-first, deeply rooted in design, and a gift for making intimidating things feel approachable. When she’s running the show, you can bet things might get a little weird, definitely joyful, and absolutely worth showing up for. And isn’t that exactly what we all need from our creative community?

Want to hear more stories like Wendy’s? Subscribe to Cheers & Tiers on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll have more episodes featuring your friends and your favorite design leaders, sharing their journeys, challenges, and triumphs.

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