Hello! I'm a creative brand leader with over 16 years of experience driving creative campaigns and scaling internal capabilities at high-growth companies. I love leading multi-disciplinary teams, using both left and right-brained thinking to creatively solve business and client challenges.
Using my leadership skills and visionary thinking, I’ve led creative and brand repositioning efforts with in-house and world-renowned agencies, built and led in-house creative teams, fostered a spirit of innovation and collaboration with internal and external staff, utilized market data and consumer insights to inform brand, creative, and marketing direction, and introducing new systems to boost business efficiencies like project management, DAM, and PIM systems.
I have also rebranded century-old brands, conceptualized and launched new brands, co-led pop-up shop retail concepts, and directed the redesign of multiple brands' websites. I am passionate about creative brand building, omni-channel integration, and creative storytelling.
Expertise & Skills
Adobe Creative Suite - Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Xd, Lightroom, Acrobat Pro
Adobe Marketing - Campaign, Experience Manager
Adobe Marketing - Campaign, Experience Manager
Figma, Asana, Workfront, Smartsheet, Clickup, Trello, Notion, Brandfolder, YouTube, G-Suite.
Creative Direction / Creative Storytelling / Brand Strategy / Omni-Channel Marketing / Creative Leadership / Brand Identity & Positioning / Social Strategy & Design / Brand Marketing / Lifestyle Photo Shoot / Studio Photography Management / Video & Motion Assets / Content Management
Digital Advertising Management
Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Snapchat, and third-party advertising agencies.
Google Ads, GA4, Shopify, Sprout Social
Smoking Umbrella
Greater Chicago Area
2024 - Present
Greater Chicago Area
2024 - Present
Founder + Creative Director
Clients – Red Kap, Public Rec, Wildhawk, and non-profit organizations.
At Smoking Umbrella, we're all about elevating brands through our innovative and tailored creative and brand consulting services. We love breathing life into internal creative and brand teams by focusing on team development, creative strategies, and comprehensive creative operational services. Partner with us, and let's unlock your brand's full potential together, regardless of size or stage.
Public Rec
Chicago, IL
2024 - 2025
Chicago, IL
2024 - 2025
Creative Director
• Directed creative and brand teams, managing initiatives spanning multiple channels.
• Revamped product architecture to enhance consumer navigation.
• Developed a detailed consumer profile to enhance brand positioning.
• Directed creative and brand teams, managing initiatives spanning multiple channels.
• Revamped product architecture to enhance consumer navigation.
• Developed a detailed consumer profile to enhance brand positioning.
Uni Brands Corporation
Greater Chicago Area
2021 - 2024
Greater Chicago Area
2021 - 2024
Creative Director, Brand
Brands – Uniball & POSCA
• Established an in-house creative team, fostering agility and innovation with a team of 5 creatives and 3 agencies.
• Transformative creative & brand marketing strategy resulting in a +4200% increase in impressions across all marketing channels.
• Led strategic brand collaborations, like Secret Walls and TED.
• Established and directed brand voice and visuals, managing content across 10 different platforms including B2B and B2C markets.
• Implemented cutting-edge project management and DAM systems, streamlining workflow efficiency by 40%.
• Led transformative social strategies that led to a 390% increase in followers.
• Conceptualized and directed e-commerce campaigns resulting in a notable 45% increase in conversion rates.
• Transformative creative & brand marketing strategy resulting in a +4200% increase in impressions across all marketing channels.
• Led strategic brand collaborations, like Secret Walls and TED.
• Established and directed brand voice and visuals, managing content across 10 different platforms including B2B and B2C markets.
• Implemented cutting-edge project management and DAM systems, streamlining workflow efficiency by 40%.
• Led transformative social strategies that led to a 390% increase in followers.
• Conceptualized and directed e-commerce campaigns resulting in a notable 45% increase in conversion rates.
Harlem Furniture
Greater Chicago Area
2021
Greater Chicago Area
2021
Creative Director
• Managed in-house creative team, outside agencies, and freelancers.
• Oversaw the prioritization and assignment of all creative requests.
• Maintained creative budgets and timelines.
• Set creative direction for the brand.
• Partnered with cross-functional leaders in marketing, e-commerce, and merchandising to evaluate and establish KPIs.
• Managed in-house creative team, outside agencies, and freelancers.
• Oversaw the prioritization and assignment of all creative requests.
• Maintained creative budgets and timelines.
• Set creative direction for the brand.
• Partnered with cross-functional leaders in marketing, e-commerce, and merchandising to evaluate and establish KPIs.
Duluth Trading Company
Mount Horeb, WI
2017 - 2021
Mount Horeb, WI
2017 - 2021
Creative Director
• Directed separate, unique brand voices and visuals for Duluth Trading, AKHG, and 40 Grit.
• Strategically planned omni-channel creative campaigns for multiple brands.
• Facilitated collaboration between Product, Merchandising, and Marketing teams on seasonal, strategic initiatives while accommodating business trends and market shifts.
• Led the design, brand voice, and layout direction of all divisional creative work (catalogs, emails, digital work, and printed marketing pieces).
• Oversaw all divisional concept development work.
• Directed all photography, graphics, and illustrations (lifestyle, studio, and on-figure web photography).
• Conducted creative production process improvement and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Managed the hiring, training, and oversight of full-time and freelance staff.
• Maintained the creative budget.
• Executed Omni-channel campaigns and seasonal themes.
DuluthTrading.com
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Senior Managing Art Director - Digital
• Directly managed the digital creative team responsible for e-mail, web, social, and video/motion assets.
• Oversaw production of strategically sound, creative assets for all digital channels.
• Increased revenue streams from all digital channels.
• Translated creative strategy and UI/UX decisions to front end developers.
• Facilitated collaboration between business, marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce VP’s as well as outside agency partners.
• Mentored art directors, designers, illustrators, and copy writers.
• Led large-scale creative campaigns and omni-channel projects.
• Directed separate, unique brand voices and visuals for Duluth Trading, AKHG, and 40 Grit.
• Strategically planned omni-channel creative campaigns for multiple brands.
• Facilitated collaboration between Product, Merchandising, and Marketing teams on seasonal, strategic initiatives while accommodating business trends and market shifts.
• Led the design, brand voice, and layout direction of all divisional creative work (catalogs, emails, digital work, and printed marketing pieces).
• Oversaw all divisional concept development work.
• Directed all photography, graphics, and illustrations (lifestyle, studio, and on-figure web photography).
• Conducted creative production process improvement and cross-departmental collaboration.
• Managed the hiring, training, and oversight of full-time and freelance staff.
• Maintained the creative budget.
• Executed Omni-channel campaigns and seasonal themes.
DuluthTrading.com
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Senior Managing Art Director - Digital
• Directly managed the digital creative team responsible for e-mail, web, social, and video/motion assets.
• Oversaw production of strategically sound, creative assets for all digital channels.
• Increased revenue streams from all digital channels.
• Translated creative strategy and UI/UX decisions to front end developers.
• Facilitated collaboration between business, marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce VP’s as well as outside agency partners.
• Mentored art directors, designers, illustrators, and copy writers.
• Led large-scale creative campaigns and omni-channel projects.
Weyco Group, Inc.
Glendale, WI
2008 - 2017
Glendale, WI
2008 - 2017
Senior Graphic Designer
Brand – Florsheim, Florsheim Kids, Stacy Adams, Florsheim x Esquivel
Brand – Florsheim, Florsheim Kids, Stacy Adams, Florsheim x Esquivel
• Responsible for all creative decisions and art direction for catalog, packaging, marketing materials, and digital.
• Led lifestyle photography art direction.
• Overhauled product photography strategy and direction.
• Created and strategized marketing promotions to drive increased revenue.
• Led and mentored the design team.
• Collaborated with marketing directors, brand managers, and VP’s to ensure omni-channel assets were visually consistent globally.
• Defined brand standards for product design team.
• Led lifestyle photography art direction.
• Overhauled product photography strategy and direction.
• Created and strategized marketing promotions to drive increased revenue.
• Led and mentored the design team.
• Collaborated with marketing directors, brand managers, and VP’s to ensure omni-channel assets were visually consistent globally.
• Defined brand standards for product design team.
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Graphic Designer
Brands – Florsheim, Florsheim by Duckie Brown, Florsheim Kids, Stacy Adams, Nunn Bush
Brands – Florsheim, Florsheim by Duckie Brown, Florsheim Kids, Stacy Adams, Nunn Bush
• Responsible for creating unique, eye-catching and brand-right designs.
• Designed omni-channel assets for brand catalogs, POP, packaging, web and email graphics.
• Directed and designed a new collaboration between Florsheim and men’s fashion house, Duckie Brown.
• Introduced studio photography lifestyle shoots, helping to increase revenue.
• Partnered with product design to help guide brand standards.
• Designed omni-channel assets for brand catalogs, POP, packaging, web and email graphics.
• Directed and designed a new collaboration between Florsheim and men’s fashion house, Duckie Brown.
• Introduced studio photography lifestyle shoots, helping to increase revenue.
• Partnered with product design to help guide brand standards.
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Jr. Footwear Designer - Nunn Bush
• Design new line of products for Nunn Bush Shoes on a seasonal time line.
• Work directly with factories on footwear designs.
• Introduced and designed branding for a new outdoor line extension.
• Collaborate with brand managers and marketing to determine creative direction.
• Keep up with fashion trends and seasonal styles across the industry.
• Design new line of products for Nunn Bush Shoes on a seasonal time line.
• Work directly with factories on footwear designs.
• Introduced and designed branding for a new outdoor line extension.
• Collaborate with brand managers and marketing to determine creative direction.
• Keep up with fashion trends and seasonal styles across the industry.
Accomplishments
POSCA Brand Strategy
Launched strategic brand partnerships, collaborated with social influencer to curate engaging content, and developed unique & limited POSCA packs which increased direct-to-consumer sales by 294% during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, all while increasing overall brand awareness across the market.
Launched strategic brand partnerships, collaborated with social influencer to curate engaging content, and developed unique & limited POSCA packs which increased direct-to-consumer sales by 294% during Black Friday/Cyber Monday, all while increasing overall brand awareness across the market.
Florsheim Re-brand
Initiated and led the re-branding of Florsheim Shoes, a 130+ year-old shoe company, including brand research & positioning, creative direction, design, and asset creation.
Initiated and led the re-branding of Florsheim Shoes, a 130+ year-old shoe company, including brand research & positioning, creative direction, design, and asset creation.
New Brand Launch - 40 Grit
Launched a new brand under the Duluth umbrella, 40 Grit, positioning it as a value driven brand to be a gateway to our more premium brands.
Launched a new brand under the Duluth umbrella, 40 Grit, positioning it as a value driven brand to be a gateway to our more premium brands.
Redesign of DuluthTrading.com
Directed the redesign of Duluth Trading’s website to integrate multiple brand experiences, improved the UI/UX for a better customer experience and worked cross-functionally with e-commerce, web development and marketing.
Directed the redesign of Duluth Trading’s website to integrate multiple brand experiences, improved the UI/UX for a better customer experience and worked cross-functionally with e-commerce, web development and marketing.
Museum of Man Area - Underwear Shop
Led the concept team to launch the Duluth Trading underwear shop in Mall of America, providing strategy and creative direction.
Led the concept team to launch the Duluth Trading underwear shop in Mall of America, providing strategy and creative direction.