John Mikita

Founder + Director + Infographics Guru

John established TransitGraphics in 1998 with a vision to create a one-stop shop for public transport operators across all print, web and signage medias. Since then, John has built up TransitGraphics to become Australia's only truly dedicated Transport Branding Agency solely devoted to creating a seamless customer experience.

John's experience includes scheduling, bus operation, administration and marketing for many of Australia's private and Government transport companies.

Through John's expertise in the transport arena and his ability to understand and put into practice customers' infographics needs, TransitGraphics has ongoing client bases in almost every Australian capital city or State/Territory.

John enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with the vision to ensure that public transport remains a viable alternative for all people, whether they live in populated and built-up cities or small country towns.

John is regarded as one of Australia's leading experts on matters relating to transport information production and trends. He enjoys promoting the belief of thinking like a passenger and trying to change industry thinking and practice that has been, for decades, more about operational requirements.

In his spare time – and not much of that – he has a devotion for his family, religion and friends, but let's not forget his reputation as being one of Australia's biggest Lego fanatics.

Print

Andrew Darragh

Print Designer

Upon completing his Bachelor of Graphic Design at the University of Canberra, Andrew did some freelancing work for a year or so and then, ultimately, joined the TransitGraphics family. He found his interest whilst in New York in 2010 after spending many hours riding the subway, leaning towards transport related graphic design through the level of detail and time taken to craft a functional and visually engaging map.

Design is a way of life for him dominating most hours of his day.

His outside interests include family and collecting mid-century, vintage and retro furniture.

Chanell Leslie

Print Designer

As part of the print team at TransitGraphics, she can always be found with a cup of tea in one hand and an idea in mind.

Chanell's background is in illustration and print design, having graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Visual Communications in Design.

Through her work at TransitGraphics and her previous position as a freelance designer, she has experienced working with clients across a broad range of sectors designing materials for corporate advertising, outdoor signage, information design and mapping.

Learning the ins and outs (or rather, inbounds and outbounds!) of transport marketing has been a real learning curve for her, but has also been incredibly rewarding!

She is now a self-confessed budding 'transport nerd' and her recent trips to New York and Hong Kong have found her travelling on no less than nine types of public transport (including funicular!), resulting in holiday snaps of buses and luggage full of transit timetables.

Geoff Smith

Print Designer + Infographics specialist

Geoff's passion for public transport developed from a young age. Whilst growing up in Sydney, he studied the bus, train and ferry networks. How they worked and also the printed material that explained it was of great interest to him. As he travelled, this then expanded to other cities and countries around the world.

He worked for a couple of years in both operations and administration positions at the State Transit Authority of NSW before securing a role in its Passenger Information unit. There, he gained seven years experience learning the programs that generate printed documents, particularly developing and fine-tuning his mapping skills. He was also able to learn the processes involved for print jobs from artwork to delivery.

He has been working at TransitGraphics since 2008 and, in that time, has had great pleasure producing customer information and mapping for a range of public transport clients nation-wide. He very much enjoys applying the client's brands and styles with consistency and a keen attention to detail.

And yes, his outside interests are transport, music and the weather in all its glory.

Josh Wren

Print Designer

Josh has a Degree in Graphic Design, an Advanced Diploma in Digital Media and a high level of experience in the signage world.

What he likes about graphic design is the self-satisfaction one gets when creating a design piece with which he and the client are stoked about.

He believes that creativity keeps the mind active, healthy and strong.

In his spare time, he likes to trail bike ride and take long walks on the beach.

A smart man once told him to save his work and he has never looked back since.

Kyle Threlfo

Print Designer + Infographics specialist

Kyle has always had an interest in art and design. Both his parents have worked in graphics for the media, so he has had that influence from an early age.

After studying multimedia in high school and completing a Bachelor of Visual Communication Design at the University of Newcastle, Kyle did some freelance around the Hunter Valley and also worked at a photo framing gallery that did design on the side.

During his upbringing, he also developed a weird fascination with buses. Call him a bus nut, nerd, enthusiast, whatever: he just loves 'em! This led him to working at Newcastle Buses and Ferries for three years in a contracting position related to service planning, customer service, operations and design. It was there that really cemented his interest in and understanding of transport networks.

He is of the strong belief that TransitGraphics gives him a great opportunity to combine his hobbies of design and transport. He is also happy that he is able to help improve passenger information across Australia while learning about different transport operations along the way.

Kyle's interests outside of work and transport include tenpin bowling, walking and going for long drives into the remote expanses and country towns of southern New South Wales. He doesn't mind a good crossword and tries to never miss an episode of Heartbeat.

Rey Abad

Senior Designer + Infographics specialist

Rey believes in the ethos that greater heights are achieved through untiring passion for discovery. He completed from the University of the Philippines a bachelor's degree of Visual Communication major in Advertising Design. While on his initial settlement in Australia back in 2003, he studied post-graduate coursework at the University of Canberra with concentration on Graphic Design and Typography.

His interest in the Visual Communication design discipline spans across various facets to include graphic design, information design and publication, corporate branding, wayfinding and signage for the built and natural environments, product packaging, visual and the fine arts, creative direction, iconography and contemporary typography. Such streams, in shaping his specialist skills, have proven to tackle challenging project briefs over the years.

He has been through various work experiences and was consistent with his distinct area, that is, communication design. He spent training for Creative Zone as a digital Macintosh artist before securing a technical trainer post for design software at Apple Education Centre, Philippines. After some time, he moved on as a graphics applications specialist for a recruitment advertising company. While there, he established work relationships with other design practitioners through the International Designers Network (IdN). Prior to moving to Australia, he was also a creative consultant to a telecommunication company; served as a faculty at the Philippine Centre for Creative Imaging with subject specialties in desktop publishing and digital illustration; a design consultant to Web Philippines; and an administration staff at a retail chain in Surrey UK.

Before TransitGraphics, he was the senior designer and pre-press operator at ComStat. When not at work, he enjoys learning journeys with his two young boys, family time and reading.

Stephen Woods

Print Designer

Stephen originates from the not so sunny climate of Cumbria. Where is that I hear you cry? Cumbria is situated in the far North West of England; it’s basically as far North as you can go without being in Scotland.

His background is in Advertising and Graphic Design, graduating from the University of Central Lancashire, UK.

After University, he travelled the World on planes, trains and automobiles where he developed a taste for life in Australia. Upon returning to the UK, Stephen worked as an Advertising Account Manager before pursuing his passion in design. He worked for many years as a Graphic Designer and Architectural Technologist in the UK where he honed his skills in visual communication.

Stephen arrived in Australia in January 2012 with his family and he is settling into his new life without rain. He briefly worked as a Real Estate in-house Graphic Designer before joining TransitGraphics.

In his spare time, he embraces his passion for digital painting specialising in portraiture and enjoys participating in martial arts.

Web

Sheng Wang

Senior Web Designer

Sheng came from Beijing in March 2011, still excited and curious about everything in the new country.

She majored in Environmental Science at Peking University and Clinical Psychology during the postgraduate period – nothing relevant to web. But life is just like that.

She has been working for the web industry for over 10 years and was the web manager of the National Geographic's Chinese edition before she came to Australia.

On arrival in Australia, she joined TransitGraphics and got to the interesting conclusion that there are always tons of maps in her workplace, no matter where she is.

She loves building websites and her biggest spare time hobby is surfing the internet and is glad that she is still doing what she is fond of here in Australia.

Watching a website she has made go live may be one of her most exciting things, but it feels even better to solve a problem that has been torturing her for a while; that's the fun of website building.

Andy Duncan

Web Designer

Andy has worked a variety of careers before settling into his role as a web designer – from plumbing, freelance photographer, to being a dish-pig/cook in a large number of Canberra's and Sunshine Coast's restaurants.

Having worked these previous careers, he needed something where he could have a creative outlet and combine the practical problem solving side that he has come to enjoy from his other careers. So he ended up studying web development at the CIT.

This led to his role as a web designer at TransitGraphics where he has been introduced to the intricacies of the transport industry.

Andy's role as web designer has allowed him to enjoy being able to combine the creative and the technical into a product that functions well, as well as being aesthetically pleasing.

While not building and designing websites, Andy tends to be a bit of a cricket tragic or thinking about or planning his next travel adventure.

Admin

Bernadette Small

Print + Traffic Manager

Bernie has been in Australia for one and a half years, coming from Ireland . . . enjoying every minute, but missing everyone at home.

She is the Print/Traffic Manager and looks after quotes for clients, printing timelines, print costs and other jobs as directed.

With the help of her team mates at TransitGraphics, Bernadette is learning more and more about graphic design and design packages and gaining more experience in various facets of designing.

Bernadette studied Business Finance and Investment back in Ireland but, with the economic environment there, resulted in not being a very good course to get a full time job at the minute! She used to be a manager in a restaurant and a bookies – these were brilliant craic!

Liz Mikita

Office Manager

Liz is your first port of call, most of the time on the ball, depending whether it's Monday or Friday. She runs the office by means of reception, office stock and maintenance, proof reading, mothering the staff and keeping the office environment clean and tidy.

She has a background in the office and public environment including working at Parliament House in the Senate; 15 years with the Commonwealth Reporting Service where she gained extensive experience in procedures of law, authorities, seminars, conferences in the ACT and hearings throughout the southern part of New South Wales via circuit work; a stint for three years at Woolies – great service experience and interaction with the public (that was fun); working in the family joinery (yes, putting together cupboards, sanding and cleaning) – a great help in getting to know the construction industry; and, since February 2011, here at TransitGraphics working with an amazing and talented group of people.

By now you must know that she's not a spring chicken, but she thoroughly enjoys talking to everyone and welcoming them wholeheartedly and confidently to TransitGraphics.

Belinda Stamatis

Finance + Accounts

Belinda is a guru in all things MYOB and finance related. She works part-time with TransitGraphics, but her larger than life personality is never far away. She only works Thursdays so, if you need to talk to her, best to call her then.