I was born in Portland, Oregon and grew up in a small cabin in the middle of the woods near Port Townsend, Washington. In middle and high school, I attended a one-room schoolhouse where I learned to bake soufflés and read literature. In 2008, I moved back to Portland to earn my BFA in Communication Design from Pacific Northwest College of Art.
I have more than twenty years of publishing and layout experience, specializing in book design. I was a designer at Tin House for over a decade. I've also worked with Horsethief Books, Turtle Point Press, Puerto del Sol (New Mexico State University), and others. Click here for a pdf of my resume.
I'm available for select freelance work and can be reached at jakob@jakobvala.com.
