diff --git a/src/app.css b/src/app.css
index 46bd27e..9badc85 100644
--- a/src/app.css
+++ b/src/app.css
@@ -46,6 +46,17 @@
 			transform: rotateY(2.4deg);
 		}
 	}
+
+	--animate-pulse-ring: pulse-ring 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+	@keyframes pulse-ring {
+		0%,
+		100% {
+			opacity: 0.5;
+		}
+		50% {
+			opacity: 1;
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 * {
diff --git a/src/components/council/CouncilAvatar.svelte b/src/components/council/CouncilAvatar.svelte
index 7fd3e26..0f19a3d 100644
--- a/src/components/council/CouncilAvatar.svelte
+++ b/src/components/council/CouncilAvatar.svelte
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 </script>
 
 <div
-	class="bg-ecsess-600/50 relative aspect-square size-20 overflow-hidden rounded-full sm:size-24"
+	class="bg-ecsess-600 relative aspect-square size-24 overflow-hidden rounded-full sm:size-24"
 >
 	{#if src && !imageError}
 		<img
diff --git a/src/components/council/CouncilCard.svelte b/src/components/council/CouncilCard.svelte
index bba0fed..f01c089 100644
--- a/src/components/council/CouncilCard.svelte
+++ b/src/components/council/CouncilCard.svelte
@@ -1,60 +1,80 @@
 <script lang="ts">
 	let { onViewProfile, name, position, image, featured = false, tag = null } = $props();
-	import { getInitials } from '$lib/format';
+
+	function getInitials(n: string | null | undefined): string {
+		if (n == null || typeof n !== 'string') return '';
+		return n
+			.trim()
+			.split(/\s+/)
+			.filter(Boolean)
+			.slice(0, 3)
+			.map((w) => w.charAt(0).toUpperCase())
+			.join('');
+	}
 
 	let imageError = $state(false);
-
 	function handleImageError() {
 		imageError = true;
 	}
 </script>
 
-<!-- svelte-ignore a11y_no_noninteractive_element_to_interactive_role -->
-<article
-	class="group bg-ecsess-800 ring-ecsess-500/50 ring-offset-ecsess-900 hover:ring-ecsess-300 hover:shadow-ecsess-400/50 focus-within:ring-ecsess-300 focus-within:ring-offset-ecsess-900 grid h-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer grid-rows-[auto_1fr] overflow-hidden rounded-xl shadow-md ring-2 ring-offset-2 transition-all duration-500 ease-out focus-within:ring-2 focus-within:ring-offset-2 hover:shadow-xl {featured
-		? 'w-full max-w-56 sm:max-w-64'
-		: 'w-full max-w-56 sm:max-w-64'}"
-	role="button"
-	tabindex="0"
-	onclick={onViewProfile}
-	onkeydown={(e) =>
-		e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ' ? (e.preventDefault(), onViewProfile()) : null}
->
+<!-- Wrapper: card + ring layer (ring pulses on small screen only) -->
+<div class="relative w-full max-w-full sm:contents">
 	<div
-		class="bg-ecsess-700 relative flex aspect-square min-h-0 w-full items-center justify-center overflow-hidden"
+		class="group relative flex h-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer flex-row overflow-hidden rounded-xl shadow-md transition-all duration-500 ease-out sm:grid sm:grid-rows-[auto_1fr] {featured
+			? 'w-full sm:max-w-64 md:max-w-[13.6rem] lg:max-w-72'
+			: 'w-full sm:max-w-64 md:max-w-[13.6rem] lg:max-w-72'} bg-ecsess-800 ring-0 ring-offset-0 ring-ecsess-500/50 ring-offset-ecsess-900 hover:ring-ecsess-300 hover:shadow-ecsess-400/50 focus-within:ring-ecsess-300 focus-within:ring-offset-ecsess-900 focus-within:ring-2 focus-within:ring-offset-2 hover:shadow-xl sm:ring-2 sm:ring-offset-2"
+		role="button"
+		tabindex="0"
+		onclick={onViewProfile}
+		onkeydown={(e) =>
+			e.key === 'Enter' || e.key === ' ' ? (e.preventDefault(), onViewProfile()) : null}
 	>
 		{#if tag}
 			<span
-				class="bg-ecsess-600 text-ecsess-50 ring-ecsess-400/60 absolute top-2 right-2 z-1 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-xs font-semibold tracking-wide uppercase shadow-md ring-1"
+				class="absolute top-2 right-2 z-10 rounded-md px-2 py-1 text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide shadow-md ring-1 bg-ecsess-600 text-ecsess-50 ring-ecsess-400/60"
 			>
 				{tag}
 			</span>
 		{/if}
-		{#if image && !imageError}
-			<img
-				src={image}
-				alt={`Profile picture of ${name} for the position of ${position}`}
-				class="h-full w-full object-cover object-center"
-				onerror={handleImageError}
-			/>
-		{:else}
-			<span class="text-ecsess-150 text-4xl font-bold sm:text-5xl" aria-hidden="true">
-				{getInitials(name)}
-			</span>
-		{/if}
-	</div>
-	<div
-		class="flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 px-2 py-3 text-center sm:px-3 sm:py-4"
-	>
-		<h3 class="text-ecsess-50 line-clamp-2 w-full text-base leading-tight font-bold sm:text-lg">
-			{name}
-		</h3>
-		<p class="text-ecsess-200 line-clamp-2 w-full text-xs italic sm:text-sm">{position}</p>
-		<button
-			type="button"
-			class="bg-ecsess-500 text-ecsess-950 hover:bg-ecsess-400 hover:text-ecsess-50 focus:ring-ecsess-300 focus:ring-offset-ecsess-800 mt-1 w-full cursor-pointer rounded-lg px-3 py-2 text-xs font-semibold shadow-md transition focus:ring-2 focus:ring-offset-2 focus:outline-none sm:text-sm lg:hidden"
+
+		<!-- Picture section: fills entire area, image covers it -->
+		<div
+			class="relative flex min-w-20 shrink-0 items-center justify-center overflow-hidden rounded-l-xl bg-ecsess-700 aspect-square sm:min-w-0 sm:w-full sm:rounded-none"
 		>
-			View profile
-		</button>
+			{#if image && !imageError}
+				<img
+					src={image}
+					alt={`Profile picture of ${name} for the position of ${position}`}
+					class="size-full object-cover object-center"
+					onerror={handleImageError}
+				/>
+			{:else}
+				<span class="text-ecsess-150 text-2xl font-bold sm:text-5xl" aria-hidden="true">
+					{getInitials(name)}
+				</span>
+			{/if}
+		</div>
+
+		<div
+			class="flex min-w-0 flex-1 flex-col justify-center gap-1 px-3 py-2 text-left sm:items-center sm:justify-center sm:gap-2 sm:px-3 sm:py-4 sm:text-center"
+		>
+			<h3 class="w-full text-lg font-bold leading-tight text-ecsess-50 line-clamp-2 sm:text-lg">
+				{name}
+			</h3>
+			<p class="w-full text-xs italic text-ecsess-200 line-clamp-2 sm:text-sm">{position}</p>
+			<button
+				type="button"
+				class="mt-1 hidden w-full rounded-lg bg-ecsess-500 px-3 py-2 text-xs font-semibold text-ecsess-950 shadow-md transition focus:ring-2 focus:ring-ecsess-300 focus:ring-offset-2 focus:ring-offset-ecsess-800 focus:outline-none hover:bg-ecsess-400 hover:text-ecsess-50 sm:mt-1 sm:block lg:hidden"
+			>
+				View profile
+			</button>
+		</div>
 	</div>
-</article>
+
+	<!-- Small screen only: pulsing ring (opacity only), not the card -->
+	<div
+		class="absolute inset-0 pointer-events-none rounded-xl ring-2 ring-ecsess-400/60 ring-offset-2 ring-offset-ecsess-900 animate-pulse-ring sm:hidden"
+		aria-hidden="true"
+	></div>
+</div>
diff --git a/src/components/council/CouncilCardPopUp.svelte b/src/components/council/CouncilCardPopUp.svelte
index 93c4e7a..c721e81 100644
--- a/src/components/council/CouncilCardPopUp.svelte
+++ b/src/components/council/CouncilCardPopUp.svelte
@@ -9,8 +9,13 @@
 		onClose,
 		id = 'popup-title'
 	} = $props();
-	import { getInitials } from '$lib/format';
 	import { Mail, X } from '@lucide/svelte';
+
+	function getInitials(name: string | null | undefined): string {
+		if (name == null || typeof name !== 'string') return '';
+		const words = name.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+		return words.slice(0, 3).map((w) => w.charAt(0).toUpperCase()).join('');
+	}
 	import { scale } from 'svelte/transition';
 
 	let imageError = $state(false);
diff --git a/src/lib/format.ts b/src/lib/format.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 78139bb..0000000
--- a/src/lib/format.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,13 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * Get initials from a name (e.g. "Jane Doe" → "JD", "Mary Jane Watson" → "MJW").
- * Uses first letter of up to 3 words. Safe for null/undefined/empty.
- */
-export function getInitials(name: string | null | undefined): string {
-	if (name == null || typeof name !== 'string') return '';
-	const words = name.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
-	if (words.length === 0) return '';
-	return words
-		.slice(0, 3)
-		.map((w) => w.charAt(0).toUpperCase())
-		.join('');
-}