MY WHY
I grew up knowing what it meant for life to feel alive, joyful, and full of imagination. My dad embodied it. In his short 44 years, he was the ultimate dreamer and creator: spinning records, collecting treasures, innovating businesses, and celebrating every moment with a contagious energy that made others believe anything was possible.
Losing him at a young age left me with deep grief, chronic pain, and years of trying to suppress my sadness. It wasn’t until the pandemic that I discovered something powerful: the objects he left behind, heirlooms, records, small artifacts of his life, weren’t just memories. They were tools for healing. By creating with them, reflecting on our shared moments, and reconnecting with his legacy, I began to transform.
That experience shaped my life’s work. I’ve spent over 20 years helping people and organizations navigate transformation, blending strategy with psychology, creativity, and now, neuroaesthetics, the science of how aesthetics and aesthetic experiences measurably change our brains and bodies.
To me, creativity isn’t just expression; it’s a catalyst. And aesthetics aren’t just what we see; they’re how we make sense of change and learn to adapt. Together, they make change not only possible, but livable, beautiful, and sustainable. And dare I say, more joyful.
—Rhonda Jolyean
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
JOLYEAN (pronounced like the legendary Dolly Parton song) is named after the spirit of my father. His first born couldn’t have just any middle name, so he came with his own creation. Naturally, it had to be the title of a song to match the tune, “Rhonda”, but with a family twist.
He wove together parts of the middle names of three beautiful women in his life- my grandmother, Jo, my mother, Ly(nne), and my other grandmother (J)ean. Thus Rhonda Jolyean was born. Literally.
RHONDA JOLYEAN HALE
Founder
Pioneering Aesthetic Engagement for Meaningful Change
Rhonda Jolyean Hale is a creative strategist and speaker who helps future-facing organizations reimagine change as a human, aesthetic experience.
With over 15 years of experience in organizational transformation, change psychology, and personal development, Rhonda works at the intersection of neuroaesthetics, behavioral science, and creativity. She is the founder of Jolyean Creative, where she develops research-informed frameworks like the Aesthetic Resilience Blueprint™ (ARB) to help leaders and teams prepare for brighter futures.
At the heart of her approach is a simple belief: aesthetics and creativity aren’t luxuries, they foundational catalysts for meaningful change. Whether working with leadership teams or guiding individuals through transition, Rhonda’s work is about making change feel more engaging, meaningful, and sustainable.
Drawing on tools such as aesthetic mapping, spatial audits, and narrative design, she helps organizations and individuals shape environments, practices, and cultures that support emotional adaptability and forward motion. Her work is rooted in neuroarts and change psychology, with a focus on helping people not just manage change but experience it in ways that inspire growth and imagination.
An avid believer in the power of aesthetics to heal and inspire, Rhonda draws from art, design, and cultural trends to infuse her work with both play and possibility. She brings this inspiration into every engagement, helping people and organizations not just think through change — but feel their way forward.
