Meet Rylie.
Ryan McCluskey and Julie Donato met in 2004 at a boutique ad agency in Philadelphia, where being the youngest and newest employees meant late nights, tight deadlines, and pitch decks that refused to end. It was trial by fire. And we’re weirdly grateful for it.
What started as surviving deadlines turned into a creative partnership built on contrast, trust, and a shared refusal to put out work that’s just “good enough.”
That creative chemistry eventually became Rylie Creative.
The Founders
Julie Donato
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Client ExperienceJulie lives in Collingswood, NJ with her husband, 2 kids, 1 dog & 2 guinea pigs.
She leads with instinct — color, tone, energy, the feeling in the room. More often than not, she’s chosen the color palette and started the mood board before you’ve even finished your coffee.
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tiny spoons
number thirteen
USPS
jury duty
red lipstick
Ben Franklin
creative toppings for hot dogs
notebooks
guinea pigs
graph paper
cheese whiz -
yellow
italics
yogurt
birds in enclosed spaces
dish racks
the window seat
slime
camping
hard pretzels
the hour between 4 and 5am
voice texts
Co-Founder & Creative Director, Craft & ProcessRyan McCluskey
Ryan lives in Montgomery, VT with his daughter, one cat, and a regal jumping spider.
He leads with precision — grids, alignment, and typography so tight it hums. He can spot a quarter-pica misalignment from 20 feet away and will absolutely fix it.
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the window seat
camping
monkeys
fountain pens
lava lamps
water-ice (pronounced “wood-er”)
cheesesteaks
soft pretzels
Reeses Cups
chopping wood
my vacuum cleaner -
glitter
misaligned type
stickers that don’t come off
soggy fries
the smell of tuna
cilantro
mosquitos
dust
Support Staff
Every good creative team needs reliable support.
Franklin Quincy
The self-appointed founding father of the studio, Franklin’s favorite book is Benjamin Franklin: An American Life by Walter Isaacson — which he references often, whether it’s relevant or not.
His management style is enthusiastic and his commitment to team morale is unmatched. He can often be found sleeping through Teams calls.
Franklin loves: tennis balls, pizza crusts, cleaning spilled beer, being the small spoon.
Franklin loathes: Canadian geese, that’s it. He’s a lover, not a hater.
Editor-At-Large, Collingswood Office
Lola
Director of Quiet Oversight, Vermont OfficeLola prefers a more observational leadership style. From a comfortable distance, she keeps a close eye on Ryan’s work, occasionally walking across the keyboard to ensure everything is progressing according to plan.
Lola loves: Julie’s voice, eating plastic bags, tissue paper, belly rubs.
Lola loathes: All animals, when Ryan packs his suitcase prior to travel.
Extra Support
Julie and Ryan lead Rylie alongside a trusted network of senior creatives, each with deep expertise in their areas, who step in when projects demand it.