About Me

I'm from a small town in central Illinois and grew up spending my time riding in tractors and watching Disney movies. My passion for art led me to the University of Illinois where I studied graphic design and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

After graduation, I interned at CBS 2 Chicago which led to a full-time job as a news artist. Over time I learned how to animate and freelanced at Harpo. After that, I moved on to my current job as Art Director at WGN-TV. I've been at WGN for over 15 years and have earned silver and gold Promax BDA awards, as well as an Emmy. I love animation and am always looking for new and exciting techniques!

AWARDS
2023 Promax Local Award GOLD | Best Use of Design | Backstory Open
2023 Promax Local Award GOLD | BRAND IMAGE PROMO: LOCAL STATION (DMA 1-25) | WGN at 75
2022-2023 Chicago Midwest Emmy Award Nominee | WGN at 75 ID
2019 Illinois Broadcasters Association | Broadcast Excellence Award | WGN-TV Thanksgiving Parade
2017 Promax Local Award GOLD | Best Use of Design | Chicago’s Merry Own
2016-2017 Chicago Midwest Emmy Award Nominee | Chicago’s Merry Own
2017 Illinois Broadcasters Association | Outstanding Achievement of Broadcasting | Chicago’s Merry Own
2012 Promax Local Award GOLD | Holiday/Special Event Promotion | 9/11 Tribute
2011-2012 Chicago Midwest Emmy Award | Outstanding Crafts Achievement for Animation | Holiday IDs
2006 Promax Local Award SILVER | Holiday/Special Event Promotion | Happy Kwanzaa

ENDORSEMENTS
I have worked with Kristi Stone for almost 10 years and have had the pleasure of watching her grow as a designer and as a person. Every day she comes in and finds different ways to create and serve that exceeds expectations. Whenever there is a moment of free time, she is exploring and learning new skills to stay on top of design trends to make each project better than her last. She is able to take projects from concept to completion and deliver messages with award-winning designs and animations while always being sensitive to client needs. Her willingness to collaborate and engage in feedback discussions is always positive in accomplishing the best solution for the project. I have had many people come up to me and tell me how much they love working with her - e.g. just today, someone brought her a box of doughnuts as a thank you for going above and beyond! With Kristi’s positive attitude, technical skills, and her ability to easily communicate, I highly recommend her as an exceptional artist in the design and animation industry.
~Bernard Ong, Art Director at WGN

Kristi was simply an honor to work with, incredibly talented in all facets of television design including motion and illustration. Her elevation to Art Director at WGN-TV was well deserved because of her ability to manage down as well as up. It starts and ends with Kristi being a good person…that goes along with those great design skills.
~Tom Vodick, Creative Services Director at WGN

I can’t say enough to highlight how important she has become to every story we do. She develops the most engaging images with little or no guidance. Thank you so much!!
~Lourdes Duarte, Anchor/Investigative Reporter at WGN

It is difficult for me to write a recommendation for Kristi Ikemire Stone without gushing, but here goes. My first experience with her many creative gifts was almost a decade ago when I was producing a half-hour special to mark the tenth anniversary of 9-11. She was assigned to do the graphics. She took the names of every victim in New York, Washington, DC, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and used them to create the shapes of the twin towers and pentagon where each had died. Not only was it an exhaustive endeavor, it won her an Emmy award. WGN-TV is blessed with many gifted artists, so we don't always have the pleasure of working with her. But when we do, we know we'll get exceptional work. I can't imagine a graphics request she could not handle.
Pam Grimes, Special Projects Producer at WGN

Kristi was a member of my design team as Design Director at WGN-TV. Her job responsibilities were to create graphics and animations primarily for two of our daily newscasts. After her hiring, it become evident that her skill and design talent extended beyond her basic job. I extended her responsibilities to include programming promotion animation and show opens for WGN's special sports and news programming. Kristi's design sense, time management, skill level and attention to detail are all very high. She also can work in a group environment or independently with a minimum of supervision. I would highly recommend Kristi for any designer position that requires these attributes and believe she would be a valued contributor to any highly creative environment.
Dennis Marinosci, Design Director at WGN