Stories — Real Pathways, Real People

James Grandberry had a journalism degree and a career that had nothing to do with it. He was working in financial services and enterprise software sales — roles that valued his communication skills but had no use for the writer he actually was.

That changed through a conversation at a local community event, where Carl told him: “We can get you a job, but you have to be ready.” Then he walked with James for the next two years.

James came into the E4 ecosystem as an instructor in the Get Creative clubs — teaching high schoolers who swore they were not creative. In that process, he found his own path. He built his portfolio, developed his voice as a copywriter, and landed at McGarrah Jessee, one of Austin’s most respected independent agencies and a long-time E4 Youth partner.

He has been there since.

In January 2026, Breaking and Entering — one of the advertising industry’s leading podcasts — featured James at McGarrah Jessee as part of a profile on the agency. He now joins Butler as a copywriter, another long-time E4 Youth partner.

Rhiannon Ferguson walked into a Get Creative! club at Akins High School and dominated the awards showcase every year she was there. Next week she graduates from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Arts and Entertainment Technologies.

She has been part of the E4 ecosystem for six years.

During the summer of 2020 — remotely, during a pandemic — she worked as a Digital Creative Apprentice, storyboarding and illustrating a complete picture book, scripting and animating a short film, and researching and documenting the gentrification of East Austin neighborhoods.

While carrying a full course load at UT Austin, she spent three years as a Creative Mentor — returning to high school clubs to guide students through portfolio-building, character design, and the work of developing their own creative voice.

In 2023 she completed a year-long creative internship at Proof Advertising, producing social media content and contributing design work to the agency’s brand identity.

She is now Youth Development Coordinator on staff, designing training programs, leading workshops, and mentoring the next generation of young artists coming up through the same clubs where she started.

She has also published two illustrated children’s books — “The Food Has Eyes” and “Izzy’s Colors.”