About Me

Hi, I’m Helena 👋

I’m a neurodivergent graphic designer, founder of nooh Studio, and visual storyteller. At nooh, we believe in the power of collaboration co-design, bringing together clients, communities, and stakeholders to create meaningful, impactful work. My passion lies in creating design solutions that make a social impact – whether through healthcare projects, branding, or storytelling. I’m proud to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) and an alumni of Central Saint Martins and The Royal College of Art.

With ADHD and a constant stream of ideas, I’ve built my business around how my brain works – fast-paced, always curious, and deeply focused on connecting people. Over the years, I’ve worked on everything from large-scale NHS campaigns, to personal creative projects, always with one goal: to use design for good.

What I’m Passionate About

  • Design for Social Impact: Helping organisations and brands use design to make a real difference.

  • Storytelling: Telling stories that connect people and create lasting communities.

  • Mentorship: Supporting young creatives and entrepreneurs on their journey.

  • Art: Capturing emotion and energy through vivid brushstrokes. My first solo-exhibition is in 2025.

  • Neurodiversity: Advocating for neurodivergent individuals in creative industries.

If you’re a social impact founder, a brand looking to tell better stories, or someone in need of creative direction, let’s chat about how we can work together! I am quite active on LinkedIn, so follow along there.

Let’s Connect

Whether you're interested in collaborating on a project, booking a speaking engagement, or just chatting about design, ADHD, or storytelling, feel free to reach out! I am based between London and Bristol.

Get in touch

Some More Background

My path in design and entrepreneurship has been full of twists and turns. Here’s a quick snapshot of how I got here:

    • I got married!

    • Completed my Master’s in Healthcare & Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London.

    • Delivered more NHS projects than ever before, making a real impact in healthcare through design.

    • Stepped up my public speaking, taking on multiple speaking gigs and sharing my journey with wider audiences.

    • Started taking my art more seriously, doing courses and painting plein air weekly, developing my passion for landscape oil painting.

    • Scaled back my in-house team to work with expert contractors.

    • Worked on major healthcare and social good projects with NHS clients and The Co-op Foundation.

    • Started mentoring fellow young creatives and explored new business ventures.

    • Rebranded my company to nooh Studio and built a team of four full-time designers.

    • Focused deeply on co-design, healthcare branding, and began my Master’s degree.

    • Took part in a Creative Business Accelerator with University of the Art London x Google for Startups.

    • Launched Helena Traill Design Ltd (the previous name of nooh Studio) after a defining moment with a client poaching situation, which taught me the importance of standing up for my work.

    • Went full-time as a freelance designer, working with agencies like WarnerMedia and a variety of SMEs.

    • Graduated from Central Saint Martins with a degree in Graphic Communication Design.

    • Published 100 Stories of Cancer, a book sharing the experiences of those affected by cancer, backed by Kickstarter.

    • Interned at Vogue and Pulse Films.

    • Finished A-Levels in Fine Art, Photography and Textiles (100% in all three, bosh).

    • Completed my Art Foundation year at Central Saint Martins. Because I ticked the wrong box on the onboarding form, the foundation specialised in Graphic Design throughout (a happy mistake or bad UX!).