BY ADRIANNA LAKATOS
Alona Elkayam is a visionary creator and multidisciplinary creative executive committed to helping creators and brands achieve their full potential–centered on belonging, equality, and the extraordinary. As a woman and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Alona draws inspiration from her grandparents, who emigrated to America after the war, creating a legacy in a single generation.
Alona grew up in Baltimore to a multilingual Moroccan father and German mother–born in a displacement camp in Berlin after World War II. Her dinner table served a medley of Russian, Hebrew, French, and Moroccan dialects and aromas. After receiving her design degree from The American University, Alona moved to NYC and began a lifelong affair with the city.
From graphic design, and painting, to branding and writing, her groundbreaking work has been recognized across disciplines. She’s helped transform the world’s biggest and most beloved brands, winning esteemed awards including an Emmy nomination, Shorty, Glaad, Webby, Clio, Digiday awards-among others. She created Marriott’s celebrated DEI campaign–#Lovetravels, launched IBM’s automation division with Dream It Done, helped Doctors Without Borders’ successfully rewrite food aid policy with the Starved For Attention platform, and worked with Brookings Institute to rebrand democracy.
Alona’s had exhibitions across the world including MOMA for the Junior Associates and David Benrimon Gallery in NYC. Her paintings have been part of corporate collections of the Anti-Defamation League and Nestlé, among others. Some of the designs created for Far From Timid’s lifestyle collection are lifted from these paintings to create one-of-a-kind designs you won’t find anywhere else.
Alona has been invited to speak at events around the world–Enterprise Content at the British Museum; Culture Meets Tech at Norton Art Museum and SXSW; and most recently, Designing The Metaverse For Brands at Soho House, NFT.NYC, and IHAF.
After heading up brand studios for Marriott and IBM, Alona now runs Far From Timid-a brand transformation agency with a lifestyle brand, magazine, and community. Through Far From Timid, she has been able to compass her clients and herself with the journey to legendary.
Alona balances her work with a devotion to running, basketball, yoga, dark chocolate, and dancing.
STAY FAR FROM TIMID,
ONLY MAKE MOVES WHEN YOUR HEART’S IN IT, AND LIVE THE PHRASE SKY’S THE LIMIT
- NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
BY ADRIANNA LAKATOS
Alona Elkayam is a visionary creator and multidisciplinary creative executive committed to helping creators and brands achieve their full potential–centered on belonging, equality, and the extraordinary. As a woman and granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, Alona draws inspiration from her grandparents, who emigrated to America after the war, creating a legacy in a single generation.
Alona grew up in Baltimore to a multilingual Moroccan father and German mother–born in a displacement camp in Berlin after World War II. Her dinner table served a medley of Russian, Hebrew, French, and Moroccan dialects and aromas. After receiving her design degree from The American University, Alona moved to NYC and began a lifelong affair with the city.
From graphic design, and painting, to branding and writing, her groundbreaking work has been recognized across disciplines. She’s helped transform the world’s biggest and most beloved brands, winning esteemed awards including an Emmy nomination, Shorty, Glaad, Webby, Clio, Digiday awards-among others. She created Marriott’s celebrated DEI campaign–#Lovetravels, launched IBM’s automation division with Dream It Done, helped Doctors Without Borders’ successfully rewrite food aid policy with the Starved For Attention platform, and worked with Brookings Institute to rebrand democracy.
Alona’s had exhibitions across the world including MOMA for the Junior Associates and David Benrimon Gallery in NYC. Her paintings have been part of corporate collections of the Anti-Defamation League and Nestlé, among others. Some of the designs created for Far From Timid’s lifestyle collection are lifted from these paintings to create one-of-a-kind designs you won’t find anywhere else.
Alona has been invited to speak at events around the world–Enterprise Content at the British Museum; Culture Meets Tech at Norton Art Museum and SXSW; and most recently, Designing The Metaverse For Brands at Soho House, NFT.NYC, and IHAF.
After heading up brand studios for Marriott and IBM, Alona now runs Far From Timid-a brand transformation agency with a lifestyle brand, magazine, and community. Through Far From Timid, she has been able to compass her clients and herself with the journey to legendary.
Alona balances her work with a devotion to running, basketball, yoga, dark chocolate, and dancing.
STAY FAR FROM TIMID,
ONLY MAKE MOVES WHEN YOUR HEART’S IN IT, AND LIVE THE PHRASE SKY’S THE LIMIT
- NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
