Rudy Manning is the Founder and CEO of Pastilla and an award-winning creative agency with over 25 years of experience shaping brands, products, and institutions across both the private and public sectors.
He began his career working with global companies including Microsoft, Disney, SAP, VMware, and AT&T—helping launch brands, build design systems, and create campaigns at global scale. That experience shaped a core belief that design, when done well, is not surface—it is infrastructure. It clarifies complexity, aligns organizations, and drives meaningful behavior.
Through Pastilla, Rudy has deliberately brought that level of rigor into the civic and nonprofit space, partnering with organizations such as the City of Los Angeles, Metrolink, Sacramento Public Library, and Pivotal Ventures.
Rudy is a vocal advocate for prioritizing design in civic life. He believes that too often, design is treated as an afterthought in government and nonprofit work, when in reality it is one of the most powerful tools for improving public experience, increasing engagement, and strengthening trust between institutions and the communities they serve.
His work has been recognized by Print, Graphis, HOW, the One Show, and the American Center for Design, and published in leading design journals including Print Magazine, I.D., and HOW.
Beyond his agency work, Rudy is an active speaker, educator, and advocate for the next generation of creatives. He has spoken at SXSW and Smart Cities conferences, and has taught and lectured at his alma mater ArtCenter College of Design.. He currently serves as President of the Board at Art Division and as a board member of the Altadena Library Foundation.
