Hey there!

My name is Batsheba Castro Martinez, but friends call me Bats. I’m a senior experience designer at VML in Kansas City.

I’m a maker and don’t limit my creativity to one medium. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be something different. I’m down for the growth.

Whether I work in-house or an agency, I bridge brand storytelling and customer experiences with a human-centered lens. My designs tackle business objectives while keeping audiences and users at the heart of the project.

See my work

where I’ve collaborated:

  • Clients: Thrivent, United Rentals, Qlik, and Spire.


    Designed brand and digital experiences for enterprise clients, such as Thrivent and United Rentals. Built visual systems that exist across print, web, and email. Collaborate with copywriters, developers, and strategists to translate brand strategy into solutions and campaigns that meet business objectives. Contribute to creative direction and design rationale with stakeholders, and provide guidance to junior designers on client relations, process and quality.

  • Clients: TransJoy KC, City of Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Ripple Glass, Vivayic, VMLY&R.

  • Rebranded this consumer-facing business from the ground up, including new brand identity, print collateral, and an e-commerce website, paired with a marketing strategy built around the brand’s audience.

  • Produced print and digital publications from concept to delivery within university brand standards. Worked alongside writers and photographers under deadline-driven conditions. Prepared print-ready files and desktop published layouts, in addition to presenting design work directly to university clients and stakeholders.

  • Created the event identity of Cider Days from concept to production. This included desktop-published collateral, environmental, and social media graphics. Collaborated with event and city planners, as well as, production artists to bring the identity to life.

Hear from my colleagues and clients

  • Amanda Zimmermann, Director of Design at & (and.com)

    "My favorite product designers have the skill stack that leads with empathy, then intuition, and then great design chops. Bats is the full package in that regard. Working with them felt like real partnership, resulting in products we were both proud of."

  • Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan

    Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan, on the Westside Banner Project

    “It was a treat to see them work so diligently with our neighbors to make this something they felt reflected their home.

    I know the tremendous care Bats took to weave the neighborhood's history and culture into this art, how genuinely proud Westsiders are of this project, and how lucky we are to have you as a neighbor. Amazing work!”

  • Gabriel Johnson, Creative Director at T-Mobile

    Gabriel Johnson, Creative Director at T-Mobile

    “I leaned on Batsheba constantly — and they always delivered. They have a rare ability to bridge brand storytelling and user experience in a way that feels seamless. Their design instincts are sharp, but what really sets them apart is how they show up as a collaborator. Bats listens, they push back thoughtfully when it makes the work better, and they bring a warmth to the process that makes even the most complex projects genuinely enjoyable.

    Any team would be lucky to have them. I'd work with Batsheba again in a heartbeat.”

  • Stacey Funderburk, previously Director of Editorial And Design Services

    “Batsheba was a high-performing designer during their time in the MSU office of editorial and design services. Their creativity, software skills and ability to use graphic design in furthering communication efforts were key to meeting university tactics. Their works included unique print designs for Missouri State that met brand standards and clearly communicated the intended message.

    They have strong written and verbal communications skills, is reliable and meets deadlines. Batsheba's dedicated work ethic and positive attitude make them an asset to any organization.”

How my life principles guide the design process…

Stay Hungry,

I’m always hungry for more knowledge. Especially when it comes to learning the human-centered aspects of design and technology. Using the knowledge I gain, I aim to create work that is genuinely useful for the audience and customers.

Stay Engaged,

Being an active participant is always better. I always try to ask how I can help when I walk into a room. That carries into looking for ways to improve the impact of the brand on the audience.

Stay Humble.

As Mr. Kendrick Lamar would say, “Sit down, be humble.” One is never done learning and I am here for it. This serves to make me a better listener to the world offering up better options when searching for a project’s solution.