Rochelle Ratkaj Moser of Madison WI on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Rochelle Ratkaj Moser and have shared our conversation below.

Rochelle , a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Lately, joy has been showing up in the form of what I call Artist Dates. It started as a small experiment — a few hours every week where I step away from client work, screens, and deadlines, and just…make something for no reason. Sometimes that’s playing with glass in the studio. Sometimes it’s wandering through a thrift store to see what colors and shapes catch my eye. The point isn’t to produce anything; it’s to notice again.

Somewhere along the line, I realized that the creative part of my job had started to feel like output only — constant production, constant polish. These little solo excursions are the opposite. They’re input. They refill the well. And every time I do one, I come back a little lighter, a little more curious, and a lot more me.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hey! I’m Rochelle, owner and Chief Creative Officer of Ratkaj Designs. I like to say I’m a designer with a strategist’s brain — I don’t just make things look good, I make them work. Because what’s the point of beautiful design if it doesn’t connect, communicate, or include everyone it’s meant to reach? Accessibility isn’t an afterthought in my work — it’s the foundation.

I started Ratkaj Designs ten years ago with a simple belief: the traditional agency model needed a reset. Clients don’t just need deliverables — they need a partner who listens, asks the right questions, and helps uncover what’s really standing between them and their goals. Design is the bridge that gets them there.

Today, Ratkaj Designs is a full-service creative agency powered by a team that shares that same ethos — that passion for the possible is what truly drives good design. In addition to leading the agency, I’m a contributor to the Rolling Stone Culture Council, where I write about creativity, leadership, and the evolving landscape of design. At the core of everything I do is a belief that good design should be clear, inclusive, and human — because that’s what makes it matter.

Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
A few years ago, a client reached out asking if we could help make their materials more accessible. It was one of those moments that stopped me in my tracks — not because we couldn’t do it, but because I realized how rarely that request actually came up. As we started researching and auditing their materials, we saw just how wide the accessibility gap really was. Approximately 26% of U.S. adults — about 61 million people — have a disability, yet so many beautiful, well-intentioned designs simply weren’t usable for everyone. That realization hit hard.

Up until then, I’d thought of accessibility as a nice-to-have — something to add at the end of a project. But diving into that work reframed everything. Accessibility isn’t just a design standard; it’s empathy in practice. It’s about creating work that welcomes people in, not unintentionally leaves them out.

Now, accessibility isn’t an afterthought in my process — it’s the foundation. Every color choice, font decision, and interaction is part of making sure design connects with everyone. That project reshaped how I see both design and the world: inclusivity isn’t an add-on, it’s the whole point.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I recently changed my mind about how much process matters in design. For a long time, I thought accessibility was something you could layer on at the end of a project — a final check rather than a guiding principle. But after watching a team struggle to make their work truly inclusive, I realized accessibility can’t be an afterthought. It needs to shape every decision from the very beginning: the colors, the type, the interactions.

That shift reshaped how I approach every project. Now, accessibility informs strategy, creativity, and execution — not just compliance. It reminded me that good design isn’t just about aesthetics or efficiency; it’s about creating work that genuinely reaches and respects the people it’s for. Changing my mind on this didn’t just alter my process — it deepened my sense of responsibility as a designer.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The cultural value I protect above all else is inclusion. In design, in teams, in client work — it’s non-negotiable. Even as DEI initiatives face rollbacks or lose momentum, I’ve seen how vital it is to keep showing up for people where they are, not where we assume they should be.

Inclusion isn’t just a policy or a checkbox. It’s a mindset: creating work and spaces that recognize difference, honor perspective, and make room for voices that might otherwise be overlooked. Whether it’s designing a brand that reaches a broad audience, building a team that thrives on diverse ideas, or just listening deeply to someone’s experience, inclusion shapes everything I do. It’s the lens through which I make decisions — and I won’t compromise it.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Yes. As a millennial creative, I once thought that achieving traditional markers of success—like landing big-name clients or winning awards—would bring fulfillment. But I found that these accolades didn’t quiet the imposter syndrome or the feeling that I was still “sneaking in the back door” of my own career.

The real satisfaction came when I shifted my focus from external validation to internal alignment—creating work that felt authentic and meaningful, regardless of the recognition it received. This shift has been more rewarding than any award or client ever could be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ratkajdesigns.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ratkaj/ https://www.instagram.com/ratkajdesigns/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ratkaj/