Creative Motion.
Engineered Systems.
Custom WordPress development.
High-impact visual assets.
Technical Depth. Creative Range.
ZemraCreative is an independent digital studio focused on building thoughtful, well-crafted websites for organizations and small businesses. The studio combines technical development with creative experimentation, helping clients turn ideas and designs into reliable, engaging web experiences.
Digital Systems
Custom WordPress development, structured content, performance-first builds.
Search & Data
Filtering, indexing, content relationships, scalable content modeling.
Visual & Motion
Visual design, motion backgrounds, and custom graphic assets.
Creative Production
Image refinement, brand-aligned visual assets, experimental and concept visuals.
Selected Work
A selection of recent and representative projects. Additional technical examples and project details available on request.
Orca Design Group
Senior WordPress Developer for agency-led client website projects and ongoing technical development (2012–Present).
Responsible for full technical implementation including WordPress development, custom functionality, migrations, hosting and DNS configuration, performance optimization, SEO implementation, and ongoing maintenance and support.
Supercar Specialties
Joomla Website Design & Development. Logo refinement, animated branding, and full site build. Ongoing hosting and server management (Techalon).
ZemraJewelry
Brand & Ecommerce Website Development (WordPress)
Custom logo design, full visual identity, and WooCommerce storefront implementation.
How Projects Typically Work
01 Agency Collaboration
Most projects begin with agency partners where design, branding, and project direction are already established. I handle development, structured content implementation, and technical problem solving.
02 Complex Builds
Projects often involve large content collections, custom post types, search and filtering systems, migrations, or rebuilding sites into maintainable platforms.
03 Ongoing Work
Many projects continue long-term through feature additions, performance improvements, content structure changes, and ongoing technical support.
Case Studies
Projects are completed as part of agency collaborations and are presented without client attribution.
Case Study: Transforming a Static Website into a Dual-Engine Searchable Resource Library
Overview
A national nonprofit needed to transform a simple one-page Webflow site into a searchable library for educational resources.
The original site functioned primarily as a list of links, which made it difficult for users to find relevant materials as the collection grew. The organization needed a system where visitors could quickly locate resources by topic, audience, format, or author, while maintaining a clean and accessible interface.
After reviewing the project requirements, I recommended rebuilding the site in WordPress to support structured content and advanced search.
Challenge
The existing Webflow site could not support the organization’s long-term goals. The team needed a structured resource library capable of handling hundreds of documents, videos, and webinar materials while remaining easy for staff to manage.
Key challenges included:
• Building a filtering system that allowed users to refine results by multiple criteria
• Supporting grouped resources such as multi-part webinars and companion materials
• Enabling search across both metadata and document content
• Maintaining a strict separation between compliance-approved resources and community-submitted materials
Webflow’s CMS lacked the flexibility needed for structured content types, complex filtering, and multiple search indexes.
Solution
I rebuilt the site in WordPress using custom post types, taxonomies, custom fields, and a search system designed to handle a large resource library.
Resources are organized using structured metadata such as topic, audience, author, and resource format, allowing content to be filtered and searched in multiple ways.
To support the organization’s compliance requirements, I implemented two separate SearchWP engines. One indexes compliance-approved materials, while the other indexes community-submitted resources. This keeps the two collections separate while maintaining a consistent search interface for users.
FacetWP provides real-time filtering, allowing visitors to narrow results instantly using multiple criteria without page reloads.
PDF documents are fully searchable, allowing users to find information contained within downloadable resources.
Additional logic groups related resources together within search results. For example, multi-part webinars and companion materials appear as a connected set, helping users recognize when resources belong to a larger series.
Dynamic action buttons were also implemented so that each resource displays the appropriate action, such as “Watch Video,” “Download Document,” or “View Course,” depending on the available media.
The interface was styled with custom CSS and JavaScript to maintain a clean presentation while remaining compatible with Elementor’s layout system.
Results
The finished platform transformed a static one-page site into a structured resource library that staff can update independently.
Visitors can now locate relevant materials by filtering across multiple categories, including topic, audience, author, and resource type. Searching across document content significantly improves discovery of relevant information.
By separating search indexes for different content sources, the system also supports the organization’s compliance requirements while maintaining a simple experience for users.
The site is now capable of supporting hundreds of resources and can continue to grow without changing the site structure.
Project Snapshot
Platform: WordPress
Key Features: Advanced search, real-time filtering, PDF content indexing
Tools: Elementor Pro, SearchWP, FacetWP, ACF, CPT UI
Outcome: Scalable resource library supporting hundreds of materials with instant search and filtering.
Case Study: Scholarship Resource Platform for Native Students
Project Overview
A nonprofit scholarship organization needed a modern website to manage dozens of scholarship opportunities while also providing resources for students, alumni, and donors.
The platform needed to function as both a scholarship directory and an information hub, while remaining simple enough for non-technical staff to update regularly.
The Challenge
The organization manages a large number of scholarship opportunities, each with different eligibility requirements, application details, and deadlines. Their existing workflow made it difficult for staff to keep listings updated without technical assistance.
In addition to scholarship listings, the site needed to support several engagement programs, including student recognition initiatives, alumni outreach, donor engagement, and press announcements.
The solution needed to provide structured scholarship listings, flexible content areas, and an intuitive editing experience for staff.
The Approach
To solve this, the site was built on WordPress with a customized WooCommerce implementation used as a scholarship catalog rather than a traditional online store.
Each scholarship is structured as a catalog entry containing detailed eligibility information, deadlines, and application details. Staff can add or update scholarships directly through the WordPress dashboard, allowing the organization to maintain an evolving list of opportunities without relying on a developer.
Additional engagement features were implemented through custom forms, interactive graphics, and content components that help guide students through the college preparation and application process.
The Build
The scholarship directory is powered by WooCommerce, adapted to function as a structured catalog system. This allows scholarship opportunities to be managed as individual entries with organized metadata and flexible content fields.
Custom forms were built using Ninja Forms to support student and alumni engagement programs. These forms include image upload functionality for initiatives such as Student of the Month and alumni submissions.
To support storytelling and program visibility, the site also includes:
• An organizational timeline highlighting the nonprofit’s history and growth
• An interactive student resource graphic that explains the college application journey
• A blog used for news, press releases, and student success stories
The platform was designed so staff can easily maintain content, publish updates, and keep scholarship information current.
Outcome
The new platform provides the organization with a centralized system for managing scholarship opportunities and student engagement programs.
Staff can independently add scholarships, publish announcements, and feature student achievements through a simple WordPress workflow. The flexible architecture also allows the site to expand as new programs and resources are introduced.
The result is a sustainable digital platform that supports the organization’s mission while remaining easy for internal teams to maintain.
Key Features
• Custom WordPress site built for a scholarship-focused nonprofit
• WooCommerce adapted into a structured scholarship catalog
• Editable scholarship listings managed directly by staff
• Custom engagement forms with image upload functionality
• Interactive student resource graphic explaining the college pathway
• Organizational timeline showcasing the nonprofit’s history
• Blog for student stories, news updates, and press releases
• Ongoing design updates and site maintenance
Takeaway
This project demonstrates how WordPress can be extended beyond traditional websites by repurposing WooCommerce into a structured content management system.
By combining flexible content management with customized functionality, the platform enables the organization to manage scholarships, highlight student achievements, and communicate with its community through a single scalable system.
Project Snapshot
Platform: WordPress
Key Features: Scholarship catalog, student resource hub, engagement forms, storytelling content system
Tools: WordPress, WooCommerce (customized catalog), Ninja Forms, timeline and interactive content plugins
Outcome: A scalable platform for managing scholarship opportunities, student programs, and organizational storytelling.
Case Study: Online Learning Platform Built with LearnDash
Project Overview
Discussion forums were implemented using bbPress and connected to individual courses, allowing enrolled students to participate in course-specific discussions.
WooCommerce was configured to handle registrations for Zoom and in-person trainings. Instead of processing payments automatically, the system records registrations so the organization can send invoices through QuickBooks and confirm participation manually.
Additional automation was implemented to help staff manage training capacity and maintain accurate participant records.
The Build
Twenty online courses were structured within LearnDash, each organized into lessons and quizzes that guide users through the material with clear navigation and progress tracking.
Course-specific discussion forums were created using bbPress, allowing participants to ask questions and interact with instructors within a private course environment.
WooCommerce was configured to manage registrations for live trainings, including both Zoom-based and in-person sessions. These registrations function as enrollment records rather than traditional purchases, supporting the organization’s manual invoicing workflow.
To help manage limited-capacity events, a custom automated waitlist system was implemented. When a training reaches capacity, additional users can join a waitlist, providing staff with a clear list of interested participants.
Administrative tools were also configured to export training and registration data into spreadsheets for internal record-keeping and reporting.
Outcome
The finished platform provides the organization with a centralized system for delivering courses, managing live training registrations, and supporting student discussions.
Staff can manage courses, track registrations, and control invoicing through a workflow that mirrors their real-world operations. Students experience a structured learning environment with clear navigation, progress tracking, and access to course discussions.
The flexible WordPress foundation allows the training catalog to expand over time as new courses and programs are added.
Key Features
• WordPress learning platform built with LearnDash
• Structured courses with lessons, quizzes, and progress tracking
• Private course-specific discussion forums using bbPress
• WooCommerce configured for live training registrations
• Manual QuickBooks invoicing workflow for paid offerings
• Automated waitlist system for sold-out trainings
• Spreadsheet export of registration and training data
• Scalable platform designed for expanding course catalogs
Takeaway
This project demonstrates how LearnDash and WooCommerce can be combined to support hybrid learning models that include both self-paced courses and scheduled trainings.
By integrating structured course delivery with custom registration workflows and manual invoicing, the platform supports the organization’s operational needs while providing students with a clear and professional learning experience.
Project Snapshot
Platform: WordPress
Key Features: Structured online courses, course-specific forums, live training registrations, automated waitlist system
Tools: LearnDash, WooCommerce, bbPress, WordPress export tools
Outcome: A scalable learning platform supporting online courses, live trainings, and manual invoicing workflows aligned with the organization’s operational processes.
Some client work cannot be publicly listed. Additional client work available upon request.
About
Kacia Kendall, Founder & Developer/Creative
Kacia is the founder of ZemraCreative, a creative technology studio focused on building thoughtful digital systems for organizations and small businesses. The studio’s work centers on custom WordPress development, structured content architecture, and building reliable platforms for sites that manage complex information.
ZemraCreative frequently collaborates with agencies on technically demanding projects, helping translate design concepts into scalable, well-structured websites. Many of the systems developed through the studio support large resource libraries, searchable content collections, and content workflows designed to remain manageable over time.
Over the course of a long-term web development career, she has built and maintained 100+ websites across agency collaborations and independent client projects.
Alongside development work, Kacia creates motion and generative visual projects, and has collaborated with platforms such as Mixkit and Runway. This combination of engineering discipline and creative work informs the studio’s approach to building websites that are both technically robust and visually engaging.
Contact
Start a Project
If you’re planning a new website, a structured content system, or need help improving an existing site, describe your project below and I’ll get back to you by email.