Pixel-perfect: Alumna takes RIT lessons to Disney/ESPN

Sarah Bono ’14 (graphic design) is all about the details.

While studying in RIT’s graphic design program, Bono quickly discovered her passion for both visual design and understanding how things are built and experienced by users. This led her to major in graphic design and minor in web design. Through this path, she took foundational courses that taught core visual design principles, while the web design minor gave her hands-on experience with basic coding and building responsive websites.

“With my design roots in visual design, I’ve become pixel-perfect and hyper-focused on the details. That’s essential when leading and designing for large-scale projects,” said Bono, a senior product design manager for Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology. “Those details are what set designers apart. RIT’s graphic design program helped me understand visual hierarchy and how to apply those principles in the digital world.”

Managing a team of eight designers, Bono oversees the product design for ESPN’s app, website, and living room devices like TVs and gaming consoles. Wherever ESPN content is found digitally, Bono and her team likely had a hand in the creative process. 

Two of her team’s recently launched products are the Where to Watch feature — a compact guide for fans to quickly find which platform they can watch certain events on — and reporter breaking news alerts, in which select reporters personally break news on ESPN's app via push notifications and their own new alerts list. 

Her team’s iOS Live Activities feature also just launched, allowing users to follow games directly from their lock screens and Dynamic Island. 

In anything she designs, Bono keeps the principles she learned at RIT in mind. 

“When designing for a large audience or even a smaller group, some of our core considerations include ensuring the design is intuitive, accessible, and meets user needs,” Bono said. “We prioritize simplicity while still delivering an engaging and meaningful experience. Visual hierarchy is crucial, as well as maintaining consistency across platforms.”

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Shannon Lesch '26

A trio of alumni who all work for Disney Entertainment and ESPN Product & Technology were on the RIT campus together in spring 2025, meeting with students for Creative Industry Days. Pictured, from left: Becky Yaeger '18 (new media design), Sarah Saboori '22 (new media design), and Sarah Bono '14 (graphic design).

During her time at Disney/ESPN, Bono has held several positions, allowing her to impact different areas while growing as a designer. Over the years, her work could also be found across other Disney-owned products and experiences, including Avatar, Disney.com, ESPN Fantasy, and Star Wars. Additionally, she managed design teams for ABC News, Marvel, and National Geographic.

“The ability to work across so many incredible brands and collaborate with diverse partner teams has kept the work fresh and interesting, allowing me to continuously push my creative boundaries,” Bono said. “What I enjoy most now about leading my team is the variety of work we cover and the different perspectives they bring to the table. They consistently challenge and support each other, which allows both myself and the team to continue growing.”

Bono’s career preparation at RIT was boosted by a range of internship, co-op, and other employment opportunities. She was a graphic designer for RIT SportsZone (now called RIT Sports Network), completed a co-op with Monumental Sports and Entertainment — which owns three Washington, D.C. professional sports teams, executing website, logo and jumbotron design — and interned with the Rochester Red Wings, the local Triple-A baseball team.