Learning every day.
I’m a professional designer and user experience advocate with over twenty years of experience in design, art, and teaching. I’m an aspiring leader and mentor who loves to coax great design out of people. I’m a lifelong learner and behavioral science enthusiast who is endlessly fascinated by people and why they make the decisions they do. And, I’m a believer in learning about who you are creating for and understanding that it can make or break a final product.
Work Experience
2018-Present
Senior Creative Designer, Digital - American Girl. On the ever-evolving digital flagship team my role has been to partner with UX to assist with user research, provide wireframes, contribute to the establishment of information architecture, and offer rationale for strategic decisions. Additionally, I have worked with the marketing team to create emails, support promotions, and build high-visibility pages to educate and market to the consumer, juggling multiple projects, gathering the necessary information and executing effectively and on time. I have also been a part of two re-platforms, including complete site overhauls.
2016-2019
Senior Creative Designer, Strategic Brand Creative - American Girl. On the strategic brand creative team, my role was to support and lead design in the creation and dissemination of internal brand style guides. This required working with multiple teams across the organization to distill the essence of the brands and products and make those distillations visual. Additionally, our team presented ideas to leadership for approval and ultimately to the larger creative organization to ensure aesthetic cohesion in all customer-facing communications.
2012-2016
Senior Graphic Designer, Catalog - American Girl. On the catalog team I helped create concepts for seasonal marketing campaigns, executed layout and final designs for spreads and created graphic assets. I also participated in consumer research sessions and helped to translate consumer feedback into actionable ideas.
2009-2012
Special Projects Employee, Marketing Communications - American Girl. As a freelancer at American Girl I supported internal visual communications and graphic processes, created concept sketches, rough layouts and graphic assets for catalog, and contributed to ideation sessions.
2009-2012
Creative Director/Sole Proprietor - Tablet Infographics. During the recession I started my own Infographics studio. I was responsible for marketing, business development, client relations, and everything you have to do if you own your own business. On the creative side, I hosted conference calls with clients, assembled the necessary information, created concept sketches, and presented rough designs to gain client approval. I was responsible for creating final versions of the graphics or recruiting freelance talent to assist in their creation. I managed, and art directed the freelance artists and myself to achieve the optimal product for the client.
2004-2008
Information Artist - Funnel Inc. As one of the first employees of Funnel Inc, a small agency specializing in information design, I was responsible for participating in client consultations to discern the customer need. The information gathering stage would often include on-site visits and client meetings. I was also responsible for creating concept sketches for client approval and working with the creative director to generate final art for delivery.
Education
1996-1999
University of Wisconsin, Madison
MFA, fine art, drawing/painting and conceptual art. Teaching assistantship from 1997-1999.
1986-1991
University Georgia, Athens
BFA, fine art, drawing/painting.
1990
The Cooper Union, New York
Classes in drawing, painting and film. Exchange program from the University of Georgia, Athens.
Additional information
Technical skills
Adobe; Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat, XD, AEM. Microsoft; Outlook, Excel, Teams, PowerPoint. Sketch. Shopify; Contentstack
Interests
Learning about anything, especially related to behavioral science and behavioral economics. I also like cooking, movies, and watchmaking.
Client experience
American Girl®, American Way magazine, Duffy & Shanley, EnerPath, Fresh Energy, Golf Magazine, Kerry Group, Linkwell (Anthem/Blue Cross Blue Shield), Little & Co (Target, Ecolab) McGarry Bowen (Blue Cross Blue Shield), Mottis (Sensus), Optum, Oxford University Press, Rodale Grow (Victor Pest Control), Thermo Fisher Scientific, Publicis (TruGreen), Wine Enthusiast magazine, Winstanley Partners (GE), Crispin, Porter + Bogusky (Molson, Virgin Air), Dunkin Donuts, Ford, Newcastle Ale, Nissan, Discover card, Comfort Inn, and many others.