Designers.
Strategists.
Foodies.
How we got here
3rd Edge began as a very New York story. Founder Frankie Gonzalez grew up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, graduated from Parsons, and got his start as an Assistant Art Director at The New York Times. After freelancing from 1998, he kept coming back to one idea: good design gives mission-driven organizations a real edge. Inspired by the third rail of NYC trains, the symbolism of the number 3, and the way clear communication moves people, he launched 3rd Edge in 2001.
From the beginning, our work was about helping organizations express important ideas with more clarity, confidence, and impact. Through brands, websites, and reports, we help turn complex missions into communications people can understand, trust, and act on.
Who we serve
We work with mission-driven organizations across Education, Environment, Health, Housing & Community Development, Human Services, Justice Reform, Public Interest Law, Public Research, and Social & Economic Revitalization.
Many of our clients are managing a familiar mix of pressures: serving different audiences, supporting fundraising, keeping communications useful over time, and making sure their public presence reflects the true quality of their work. We’ve collaborated with organizations such as:
Recognition
Our work has earned more than two dozen awards and been published internationally. We appreciate the recognition, but we care most about what the work makes possible: when a donor gives, a partner says yes, or someone finds the information or support they need.
LEADERSHIP
Frankie leads design from first sketch to final build. A proud Lower East Sider and Parsons graduate, he cut his teeth at The New York Times before launching 3rd Edge in 2001. His work has earned numerous awards and been recognized internationally, but what still drives him most is helping organizations turn complex challenges into clear, compelling systems that work in the real world. Coffee-fueled, typography-obsessed, and endlessly curious, Frankie is happiest with his wife and seven children, often after finding great Indian food.
Rob helps mission-led teams find their focus and make it usable by shaping message, structure, and user paths, then helping keep the work moving. Trained in Marketing at Baruch, with executive study at Dartmouth, he blends systems thinking with audience insight and practical clarity. He has led strategy and IA/UX for ADDF, New Brunswick Tomorrow, LLS, NYCHDC, and ELSF. He cares deeply about clear language, clear choices, and partnerships that make a real difference in people’s lives. Outside of work, he can usually be found exploring museums, trying new restaurants, or rooting hard for his favorite teams.