Clifton Alexander
FOUNDER & CEO
A mountain boy originally from southern California, Clifton came to the Midwest to attend the esteemed Kansas City Art Institute. After working for several local agencies in creative roles, he founded REACTOR Design. He has appeared on national television, been featured in countless publications and guided the studio to more than 200 design awards. His philosophy that there’s no point in designing something unless it’s awesome permeates the soul of REACTOR and helps the drive to achieve better results for clients. Clifton was honored as a Rising Star by KC Business Magazine and the firm was named one of the Kansas City’s top 25 small businesses from Thinking Bigger Business Media.
Although he prefers the much warmer and more consistent weather that SoCal offers, he and his wife Holly have chosen to remain in Kansas City because of the vibrant creative community and the fact that it’s an amazing place to raise their three awesome kids!
Sydney Deitz
SENIOR BRAND STRATEGIST
Sydney has evolved her longtime passion for design into a strategic role as REACTOR's Senior Brand Strategist. Combining her deep creative expertise with sharp project management skills, she now leads comprehensive client-side strategy across both creative and operational domains. Her innate curiosity and creativity, along with a love for problem-solving sparked her professional path. After graduating with a BFA in Design from the University of Kansas, she joined REACTOR, finding the perfect platform to leverage her multifaceted talents.
In her role, Sydney bridges creative vision and strategic execution, managing complex client projects while providing innovative creative direction. Her approach seamlessly integrates her design background with strategic thinking, enabling her to deliver holistic brand solutions that resonate with clients' core objectives.
When not crafting brand strategies, Sydney enjoys a simple life of spending time with her friends, her cat (Paco), and soaking up the sunshine.
Lilly Swanson
SENIOR DESIGNER
Lilly has mastered more than just the pen tool. She has been creating since she was able. Whether it be drawing, painting, sewing, you name it. Being a lifelong learner, Lilly has transformed her passion into expertise as a Senior Designer at Reactor. After countless late nights and somewhere around 1,500 cups of coffee (she did the math), she earned her design degree from JCCC and gained recognition from AAF, quickly establishing herself as a standout creative professional.
Her journey in design has always been about more than just technical skills. She recognized that design is the perfect mix of creativity and strategy. She quickly fell in love with branding, demonstrating an exceptional ability to create visual solutions and stories while diving deep into both finite details and overarching concepts. Her role as Senior Designer is a testament to her innovative approach and strategic thinking.
When Lilly isn't designing… she's probably still designing. But, when she's not crafting visual narratives, you'll find her painting, thrifting, spending time with friends, or bingeing a show with at least 5 seasons.
Karley Pearson
DESIGNER
Karley, a KCK native, is a maker at heart who finds endless inspiration, possibilities, and joy through design. Her passion for design began with her earliest memory of learning how to draw; she was instantly captivated and has been creating ever since. This love for making led her to the University of Kansas, where she earned her BFA in Visual Communications with a minor in Art History. Her time at KU exposed her to abundant inspiration that continues to fuel her passion for design today. Needless to say, Karley is thrilled to continue doing what she loves most with the talented REACTOR team!
Beyond her work at REACTOR, Karley can be found reading, concert-ing, teaching barre, or laughing with friends and family.