Built by people who know how brand becomes environment

WAYL.A. brings together a unique mix of design intelligence, technical thinking, builder mentality, and real-world experience—but at the heart of it all is a group of genuinely talented people who love what they do. We’re designers, builders, problem-solvers, project managers, and creative minds who know how to move fast, think strategically, sweat the details, and roll up our sleeves when it’s time to get things done. We know when to push an idea, when to simplify it, and how to turn something that looks great on a screen into something even better in the real world. We take the work seriously without taking ourselves too seriously, and after more than 20 years in this business, we still genuinely love building cool things with good people. That’s WAYL.A.—and these are the people who make it happen.


  • Kenny Lange FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Kenny Lange

    FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Kenny Lange FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Kenny Lange

    FOUNDER / CREATIVE DIRECTOR

    Kenny has spent his career collaborating with some of the most talented people and influential brands in the fashion and retail industries.

    Before graduating from Arizona State University in 2004, Kenny began his career with Ralph Lauren as a footwear and men’s clothing specialist in Phoenix, AZ. With ambitions of becoming a buyer, he moved to New York City and joined Ralph Lauren’s prestigious Executive Training Program—an intensive, year-long corporate retail program known for developing some of the industry’s best talent.

    But buying wasn’t ultimately in the cards. As luck would have it, Ralph Lauren was preparing to launch a new concept called Rugby, a brand that immediately connected with Kenny’s creative instincts and became a defining chapter in his career. Over the next six years, he helped launch, build, and shape the brand while developing a passion for creative direction, brand storytelling, and the ‘in real life’ experience.

    What began as a role as Creative Coordinator eventually led to Kenny becoming Director of Creative Services at Ralph Lauren. In 2010, he relocated to Los Angeles with the company, taking on a new challenge while moving closer to his roots on the West Coast.

    It was during the years that followed that WAYL.A. Creative began to take shape—bringing together Kenny’s time in fashion retail, creative direction, and production.

    Today, Kenny leads WAYL.A. Creative with a focus on helping brands navigate an ever-changing retail and experiential landscape. From ambitious start-ups to some of the world’s most recognizable companies, he and his team create spaces, experiences, and moments designed to make people stop, engage, and take notice.

    At the heart of it all is the question that continues to drive his work:

    What are you looking at?

    kenny@waylacreative.com
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  • Dre Gharakhanian PARTNER / DESIGN DIRECTOR

    Dre Gharakhanian

    PARTNER / DESIGN DIRECTOR

    Dre Gharakhanian PARTNER / DESIGN DIRECTOR

    Dre Gharakhanian

    PARTNER / DESIGN DIRECTOR

    Dre is a multidisciplinary creative, designer, and Partner at WAYL.A. Creative, bringing a unique background in contemporary art, architecture, photography, design, and fabrication to the studio.

    A California native and graduate of Woodbury University in Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Architecture, Dre has spent more than a decade designing, developing, and producing creative environments for some of the most recognized names in the apparel and retail industries, including The North Face, Under Armour, Fanatics, and Whatnot, among others.

    Throughout his career, Dre has helped bring brands to life through experiential activations, pop-ups, retail interiors, custom fabrication, and immersive brand environments. His architectural training and hands-on understanding of design and production allow him to bridge the gap between a creative idea and how it is ultimately engineered, fabricated, and experienced in the physical world.

    Beyond retail and experiential design, Dre’s work includes award-winning mixed-use commercial architecture as well as patented and engineered consumer products—giving him a broad perspective that extends well beyond traditional design.

    As a Partner at WAYL.A. Creative, Dre works alongside Kenny to lead the agency’s creative and design vision, combining strategy, architecture, fabrication, and production to transform ambitious ideas into memorable physical experiences. His multidisciplinary approach has become an integral part of WAYL.A.’s ability to take projects from initial concept through design, development, fabrication, and final execution.

    dre@waylacreative.com
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  • Denise Chang ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

    Denise Chang

    ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

    Denise Chang ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

    Denise Chang

    ASSOCIATE DESIGNER

    Denise is an Architectural Designer from the Philippines with a B.A. in Architecture with Honors from the University of Santo Tomas and seven years of experience across architecture and the creative industry. Her work centers on developing thoughtful, innovative spaces that inspire, engage, and create meaningful experiences, while balancing strong conceptual ideas with the practical realities of engineering, fabrication, and production. Through extensive collaboration with international teams and multidisciplinary partners, Denise has developed a strong ability to communicate ideas across disciplines and translate creative vision into compelling, buildable solutions. From early concepts and hand sketches to technical drawings, renderings, environmental graphics, and presentations, she brings a thoughtful design sensibility, technical understanding, and attention to detail to every stage of the creative process.

    denise@waylacreative.com
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  • Cefelo Manuel Associate Designer

    Cefelo Manuel

    Associate Designer

    Cefelo Manuel Associate Designer

    Cefelo Manuel

    Associate Designer

    Cefelo is an Architectural Designer from the Philippines with a B.A. in Architecture from the University of Santo Tomas and seven years of experience spanning architecture, design, and production. Early in his career, he trained under the renowned Philippine firm Lor Calma & Partners, building a strong foundation in design development, technical execution, and architectural detailing. Since then, Cefelo has expanded his perspective through collaborations with international firms and multidisciplinary teams across the United States, Spain, London, and Austria, giving him a global approach to design and problem-solving. His versatile skill set allows him to contribute across every stage of a project, from early concept development and design visualization through technical drawings and construction documentation. With a meticulous eye for detail and a strong understanding of how creative ideas translate into built environments, Cefelo brings precision, technical expertise, and thoughtful execution to each project while ensuring the original design intent remains at the forefront.

    cefelo@waylacreative.com
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  • Kyo Yamanaka Graphic Design

    Kyo Yamanaka

    Graphic Design

    Kyo Yamanaka Graphic Design

    Kyo Yamanaka

    Graphic Design

    Kyo Yamanaka is a multidisciplinary Creative Director and Graphic Designer with nearly two decades of experience spanning fashion, retail, branding, packaging, and experiential design. After spending nearly a decade with Ralph Lauren in New York, she relocated to Chicago, where she expanded her focus as a creative consultant specializing in brand expression, retail environments, and consumer experiences. Throughout her career, Kyo has collaborated with an impressive range of brands, including Ralph Lauren, M&M’s, Mars, Bonobos, Faherty, Brooks Brothers, and Tommy John, translating brand strategy into thoughtful, engaging, and memorable physical and visual experiences. Her multidisciplinary approach seamlessly connects creative direction, graphic design, visual merchandising, packaging, environmental graphics, and store design, allowing her to develop cohesive brand experiences from initial concept through execution. With a strong balance of big-picture creative vision and attention to detail, Kyo brings a thoughtful, strategic perspective to every project and a proven ability to create environments and experiences that feel distinctive, intentional, and authentic to the brand./

    kyo@waylacreative.com
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  • Brandon Lee DESIGN MANAGER

    Brandon Lee

    DESIGN MANAGER

    Brandon Lee DESIGN MANAGER

    Brandon Lee

    DESIGN MANAGER

    Brandon is an accomplished and passionate creative leader with more than 20 years of experience shaping retail environments and brand experiences for some of the industry’s most recognized and respected names, including Ralph Lauren, Bonobos, Gap, Moose Knuckles, and Brooks Brothers. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership roles overseeing all facets of visual merchandising and retail creative, from building VM infrastructures and teams from the ground up to leading window and interior design, styling, assortment development, project management, copywriting, and large-scale installations. His combination of creative vision, hands-on experience, and strong leadership allows him to move seamlessly from concept and strategy through execution, creating memorable environments that bring brands to life and connect with consumers. As the retail and experiential landscape continues to evolve, Brandon is driven to push creative boundaries, inspire the teams around him, and create impactful brand moments—all while bringing energy, collaboration, and a sense of fun to the process.

    brandon@waylacreative.com
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  • Caitlin Thibodeaux PROJECT MANAGER

    Caitlin Thibodeaux

    PROJECT MANAGER

    Caitlin Thibodeaux PROJECT MANAGER

    Caitlin Thibodeaux

    PROJECT MANAGER

    Caitlin is a dynamic creative and operational professional with a background spanning marketing, design, project management, and event production. Over the past eight years, she has built her career at the intersection of experiential events, retail design, and operations, developing a strong ability to manage complex projects from early planning through on-site execution. Her hands-on experience includes supporting some of the world’s most recognized events and organizations, including the GRAMMYs, Super Bowl, NFL, MLB, and the US Open, giving her a deep understanding of the precision, coordination, adaptability, and creativity required to deliver at the highest level. With a thoughtful balance of creative thinking and operational expertise, Caitlin brings teams, vendors, timelines, and details together to ensure ambitious ideas become seamless, memorable experiences.

    caitlin@waylacreative.com
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  • Andrew Kramer Tech Guru

    Andrew Kramer

    Tech Guru

    Andrew Kramer Tech Guru

    Andrew Kramer

    Tech Guru

    Kramer is a seasoned live event production professional specializing in the technical design, production, and execution of large-scale events and experiences. With extensive hands-on expertise across lighting, LED video, audio, rigging, networking, power distribution, and show control, he brings a highly technical yet practical, solutions-driven approach to every project. His experience spans corporate events, conferences, concerts, installations, brand activations, and other demanding live productions, where precision, reliability, and adaptability are essential. From designing and deploying complex LED systems to overseeing the technical infrastructure that brings an entire production together, Kramer excels at anticipating challenges, troubleshooting in real time, and developing smart, efficient solutions under pressure. Known for his resourcefulness and ability to make things work when it matters most, he combines technical expertise with a strong understanding of the bigger creative vision, ensuring that ambitious ideas are executed seamlessly, safely, and at the highest level.

    andrew@waylacreative.com
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  • Joey Gonzalez Installation Lead

    Joey Gonzalez

    Installation Lead

    Joey Gonzalez Installation Lead

    Joey Gonzalez

    Installation Lead

    Joey is a highly skilled craftsman with more than 20 years of experience in finish carpentry, fabrication, and installation, earning a reputation for exceptional craftsmanship, precision, and reliability on every project. His extensive hands-on experience and practical approach make him an invaluable problem-solver in the field, with the ability to navigate complex installation challenges and develop smart, efficient solutions while maintaining the highest standards of quality. Known for his exceptional work ethic, attention to detail, and productivity, Joey consistently delivers projects on schedule without sacrificing craftsmanship. From custom builds and detailed finish work to demanding on-site installations, he brings technical expertise, resourcefulness, and a commitment to execution that ensures creative concepts are brought to life exactly as intended.

    joey@waylacreative.com
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  • Keith Gee Installation Lead

    Keith Gee

    Installation Lead

    Keith Gee Installation Lead

    Keith Gee

    Installation Lead

    Keith is a highly experienced luxury retail installation specialist known for exceptional craftsmanship, precision, and an uncompromising commitment to quality. Throughout his career, he has built a strong reputation for leading complex installations, navigating challenging field conditions, and delivering high-level results for some of the world’s most recognized luxury and retail brands. Combining technical expertise with practical problem-solving and strong on-site leadership, Keith understands how to translate ambitious creative concepts into beautifully executed physical environments. From detailed millwork and custom fixtures to demanding retail installations and experiential builds, he approaches every project with professionalism, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to elite execution—ensuring the finished environment reflects the quality and integrity of the brand it represents.

    keith@waylacreative.com
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  • Omar Reader Styling Lead

    Omar Reader

    Styling Lead

    Omar Reader Styling Lead

    Omar Reader

    Styling Lead

    Born and raised in Manhattan Beach, California, Omar is a seasoned fashion and retail creative with nearly 20 years of experience collaborating with some of the industry’s most influential brands and talents. After graduating from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, he began his career at the iconic Fred Segal, where he developed a passion for fashion, retail, and the art of creating compelling brand experiences. Since then, Omar has managed key territories for Ralph Lauren, helped launch fashion lines, and provided creative consulting across a wide range of projects and disciplines. His refined understanding of elevated presentation—spanning window design, floral design, visual merchandising, styling, and brand expression—allows him to bring a distinctive point of view and sophisticated aesthetic to every project. Combining a deep knowledge of the fashion industry with an instinct for composition, detail, and storytelling, Omar creates thoughtful, memorable environments that bring brands to life and connect with consumers in meaningful ways.

    omar@waylacreative.com
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  • Rae Johnson Finance

    Rae Johnson

    Finance

    Rae Johnson Finance

    Rae Johnson

    Finance

    Rae is the driving force behind WAYLA Creative’s operations, bringing extensive business management experience and a sharp understanding of what it takes to keep a fast-moving creative company running seamlessly. Based in Phoenix, Arizona, she has built a respected career working closely with C-suite executives, small businesses, entrepreneurs, and professional athletes, developing a reputation for organization, discretion, reliability, and getting things done. At WAYLA, Rae oversees the critical business operations that support both the team and its clients, from financial administration and vendor management to client relations and day-to-day operations. Equal parts strategic and hands-on, she keeps projects moving, clients happy, vendors paid, and—most importantly—the lights on, providing the operational foundation that allows the creative team to focus on doing what they do best.

    rae@waylacreative.com
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