Resume

Degreed creative professional: enterprise graphic design, marketing, and instructional design

  • 25+ years of broad-based experience supporting diverse clients in academia and industry.

  • Highly organized, budget-sensitive, and collaborative project manager and contributor.

  • Confident, self-motivated, hard-working verbal/written communicator with all audiences.

  • Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, Premiere Pro, Rush, Lightroom, XD. Microsoft Office Suite, Drupal, Desire2Learn, SharePoint.

Professional Experience

Graphic designer, Western Michigan University (WMU), Kalamazoo, MI—November 2015-present

Lead and execute all stages of graphic design from concept to completion and develop, implement, and deliver
effective and modern design solutions for a public research university with 16K+ students, 860+ academic staff,
and eight degree-granting colleges. Work directly with customers and senior management. Mentor assigned student interns/junior staff. This is a full-time position.

  • Earned Award of Excellence, 2016, for WMU Brand Book, 46th Annual UCDA Design Competition.

  • Concurrently manage multiple projects from start to finish.

  • Demonstrate/apply strong and confident interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills.

  • Work in a matrixed environment: report to the WMU Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Communications and to the Creative Director.

  • Partner with WMU VP, outside consultants, and in-house web, communication teams to update University websites, boost page SEO, and improve user experience.

    Lead all aspects of art direction and design and produce full range of emerging/traditional media communications materials—print, web, video—compliant with WMU brand standards.

  • Create original/unique products, including videos from storyboards, updates to existing videos. 

  • Work remotely on a distributed team and reliably deliver high-quality products to deadline.

  • Use diverse applications for design and web: Adobe Creative Cloud: InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat, Premiere Pro, Rush and Lightroom, MS Office Suite, Drupal, Desire2Learn, SharePoint.

  • Partner with specialists and consultants to ensure optimal use of web systems/applications.

Develop videos, multimedia interactions, original graphics, and design recommendations. Work and produce deliverables across multiple development formats. Work with interactive web technologies to blend text, graphics, multidimensional images, sound, and video. Prepare graphics and illustrations to elaborate on or complement technical writing. Adapt to and follow project schedules and deadlines. Ensure deliverables meet editorial and customer specifications, and adhere to standards for quality, graphics, format, and style. Create multimedia products based on customer and management requirements. Remain current on multimedia software tools, presentation styles, and development trends. Use photographs, drawings, diagrams, animation, and charts that increase users’ understanding. Work with instructional designers to select the best media for messages and audiences (web-based training, webinars, instructor-led training, online videos).

  • Provide Section 508-compliant accessibility deliverables.

  • Develop and update html pages (Drupal), SharePoint pages, and maintain existing content.

  • Use interactive technologies to blend text, graphics, multidimensional images, sound, and video. 

Execute pivotal role in design construction and leadership for creative projects for the WMU enterprise. Expertly develop and present strategic design recommendations and translate creative briefs into high-quality, emotive print and digital media that tell compelling stories. Ensure consistency and accuracy to client brand personality and standards. Formulate clear and thoughtful design strategies and concepts to meet organizational objectives. Execute work efficiently at the highest level of quality in creative and marketing environment and deliver diverse product sets that include campaign concepting, print collateral, digital media, logo and mascot development, and email and web templates. Discern client and customer needs and design deeply personified expressions and original, customized narratives that connect with clients and motivate audiences. Perform design analysis, document design, and internal marketing design requirements. Work collaboratively as a leader and/or subject matter expert.

  • Think Big and Rethink Smart Campaigns, 2018-2020: partnered with WMU VP of Marketing and Creative Director to co-lead the design and execution of strategic communications and marketing campaigns: increased internal student and staff engagement with the University, drove redesign/rebrand of WMU website and logo, improved student recruitment and admissions protocols, and surpassed expectations.

  • Ongoing collaboration with Marcom’s web and communication team to transition WMU content management system from Drupal 7 to 9— as the design expert.

  • Partner with WMU Office of Information Technology as the design expert to execute transition to the improved faculty, staff, and student portal, GoWMU in Salesforce.

  • Repeatedly designed/delivered on-brand print and digital media assets for WMU website.

  • Effectively led/motivated interdisciplinary teams in resource-constrained remote work settings.

  • Reliably demonstrated project ownership and commitment to delivering successful results.

 Apply superior design and critical thinking skills and take a lead role in projects. Design and coordinate production of printed and online promotional materials for WMU. Produce designs for printed promotional materials that implement WMU design standards. Coordinate client meetings to prepare proofs, confirm deadlines, discuss budgets, and ensure completion of project deadlines and budgets by guiding the client through the process. Manage and coordinate production of finished designs with vendors. Write specifications to obtain bids, prepare design mock-ups, storyboards, verify proofs, and attend press checks. Plan and art-direct photo shoots for the University’s magazine and photography database. Represent WMU on design issues. Support and consult WMU colleges and departments and provide art assets that meet visual identity guidelines. Maintain database for tracking project status, billings, documenting project specifications and other data.

Senior marketing specialist, WMU, Kalamazoo, MI—July 2011 to November 2015

Developed and implemented marketing, promotion, and communication strategies for the University’s Student Affairs mission. Reported to the WMU Marketing Manager.

  • Demonstrated strong leadership skills, collaborative work style, and ability to recommend, design and implement new or existing initiatives: promoted Student Affairs mission and goals, designed/produced wide range of communication materials using traditional and emerging technology. Managed print, web, and multimedia projects impacting Student Affairs.

  • Completed training in Drupal and other web-based applications and helped transition Student Affairs websites to the content management system.

  • Completed one-year WMU Leadership course on my own initiative.

  • Completed U.S-funded 3-year program to improve student college experience, identify obstacles.

Coordinated production of publications and promotional material. Engaged with and oversaw designers, writers, and photographers. Developed and maintained marketing communication plans and calendars. Explored concepts and ideas for promotional materials and designed marketing projects. Wrote and proofed copy, including promotional material, press releases, web, and social media content. Ensured compliance with institutional communication, branding/identity, and marketing standards. Maintained integrity of the WMU brand. Translated message points into clear communications and met objectives. Developed plans and oversaw execution of special events. Contributed to department-/college-specific marketing or communications initiatives or programs. Approved advertising within budget. Supervised part-time staffers.

 

Instructional design/multimedia support specialist, WMU, Kalamazoo, MI—April 2008- to July 2011

Online Education team member: jointly supported instructional/multimedia design in close collaboration with WMU faculty. Designed, developed, built, and supported 100+ online courses each semester that met faculty and student goals and needs. Supported faculty development workshops teaching web-based course content delivery system. 

  • Developed effective instructional materials for online courses from start to finish. Used instructional design methodology best practices to analyze, evaluate, design, and develop functional specifications.

  • Applied design standards to create educational solutions that met client needs.

  • Created/maintained content in the learning management system (Blackboard Vista and the new Desire2Learn) that supported learning: content editing, graphic design, web development.

  • Demonstrated expertise in Adobe CC, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, Premiere Pro, web conferencing, social media, Microsoft Office, voice/video editing applications.

Early career:

  • Adjunct Instructor, MKTG-4740-105 - Creative Strategy, WMU, Kalamazoo, MI, 2018

  • Freelance Designer (full-time), Vicksburg, MI, 1997-2008.

  • Designer, photographer, South County Communications, Vicksburg, MI, 1994-1999

  • Adjunct Instructor, Advertising and Design, Kalamazoo Valley Community College, Kalamazoo, MI and St. Clair County Community College, Port Huron, MI, 1994

  • Designer, Lawton, King, Fricke, Inc. (full time), Kalamazoo, MI, 1993-1994

 

Education and professional development

  • Master of Arts, Educational Technology, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design, Printmaking and Painting, Adrian College, Adrian, MI

 

Memberships:

Arts Council of Kalamazoo

International Society for Technology in Education

Michigan Association for Computer Users in Learning

University & College Designers Association

Academic Leadership Academy

Professional Learning Community

Broncos First