With over 15 years of experience as a creative and brand professional, I am passionate about developing and executing innovative and effective creative and brand strategies that drive business results and customer engagement. As the Creative Director at uniball Corporation, I lead a comprehensive creative and brand vision that elevates our marketing across all channels, including digital, print, social, and direct marketing.
Some of my key accomplishments include leading the brand and creative repositioning efforts with a world-renowned agency, implementing a new in-house creative team, fostering a spirit of innovation and collaboration, utilizing market data and consumer insights to inform the brand and creative direction, and introducing a new project management and DAM system to the organization. I have also rebranded century-old brands, launched new brands, co-led pop-up shop concepts, and directed the redesign of multiple brands' websites. I have expertise in creative direction, brand strategy, art direction, omni-channel integration, social media strategy, digital design, print design, lifestyle photo shoot, studio photography management, video and motion assets, creative storytelling, and digital marketing.
Expertise & Skills
Adobe Creative Suite - Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Xd, Lightroom, Acrobat Pro
Adobe Marketing - Campaign, Experience Manager
Adobe Marketing - Campaign, Experience Manager
Asana, Workfront, Smartsheet, Clickup, Brandfolder, Trello, Basecamp, YouTube, Jira, G-Suite.
Creative Direction / Brand Strategy / Omni-Channel Integration / Creative Leadership / Brand Identity & Positioning / Social Strategy & Design / Brand Marketing / Digital Design / Print Design / Lifestyle Photo Shoot / Studio Photography Management / Video & Motion Assets / Creative Storytelling
Digital Advertising Management
Google Ads, Meta, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Roundel (in-house advertising arm of Target), and third-party advertising agencies.
uniball
Greater Chicago Area
2021 - present
Greater Chicago Area
2021 - present
Creative & Brand Director
• Develop a comprehensive creative & brand strategy that elevates our marketing across channels.
• Lead brand, creative, and market repositioning efforts with a world renowned agency.
• Implement a new creative team, shifting concept and production work from multiple agencies to an in-house team.
• Foster a spirit of innovation, asking open-ended questions to help inspire fresh, creative thinking.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of uni-ball products, target audience and the competitive landscape within the writing industry.
• Study behavioral data and customer insight to help inform our creative strategy and drive growth.
• Maintain a close awareness of creative and marketing trends, along with omni-channel best practices.
• Introduced a new project management and DAM system to the organization, training staff and managing the process.
• Identify gaps in existing and new digital marketing efforts.
• Cultivate collaborative relationships with cross-functional teammates.
• Develop a comprehensive creative & brand strategy that elevates our marketing across channels.
• Lead brand, creative, and market repositioning efforts with a world renowned agency.
• Implement a new creative team, shifting concept and production work from multiple agencies to an in-house team.
• Foster a spirit of innovation, asking open-ended questions to help inspire fresh, creative thinking.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of uni-ball products, target audience and the competitive landscape within the writing industry.
• Study behavioral data and customer insight to help inform our creative strategy and drive growth.
• Maintain a close awareness of creative and marketing trends, along with omni-channel best practices.
• Introduced a new project management and DAM system to the organization, training staff and managing the process.
• Identify gaps in existing and new digital marketing efforts.
• Cultivate collaborative relationships with cross-functional teammates.
The RoomPlace
Greater Chicago Area
2021
Greater Chicago Area
2021
Creative Director
• Lead and set the company-wide direction for The RoomPlace’s visual brand and drive favorable business results.
• Inspire the team to create work that aligns with the company’s strategies and goals.
• Lead the development of unique, compelling advertising campaigns to build awareness for The RoomPlace and differentiate the brand.
• Protect the integrity of the company’s brand, keeping in mind that every great brand must evolve; lead the evolution as needed and in accordance with the company’s goals.
• Work with partners in marketing, UX, and merchandising to determine and align the creative work with company-wide plans.
• Partner with cross-functional marketing leaders to discuss creative effectiveness, experimentation results, and lead the team to iterate and improve based on data.
• Oversee the prioritization and assignment of all creative requests, and partner with the Director of Marketing Operations to establish processes to keep the team engaged, creatively inspired, and focused on priorities.
• Help onboard and guide the work of agencies and freelancers according to budgets, timelines, and scope.
• Lead and set the company-wide direction for The RoomPlace’s visual brand and drive favorable business results.
• Inspire the team to create work that aligns with the company’s strategies and goals.
• Lead the development of unique, compelling advertising campaigns to build awareness for The RoomPlace and differentiate the brand.
• Protect the integrity of the company’s brand, keeping in mind that every great brand must evolve; lead the evolution as needed and in accordance with the company’s goals.
• Work with partners in marketing, UX, and merchandising to determine and align the creative work with company-wide plans.
• Partner with cross-functional marketing leaders to discuss creative effectiveness, experimentation results, and lead the team to iterate and improve based on data.
• Oversee the prioritization and assignment of all creative requests, and partner with the Director of Marketing Operations to establish processes to keep the team engaged, creatively inspired, and focused on priorities.
• Help onboard and guide the work of agencies and freelancers according to budgets, timelines, and scope.
Duluth Trading Company
Mount Horeb, WI
2017 - 2021
Mount Horeb, WI
2017 - 2021
Creative Director
Duluth Trading Company
Duluth Trading Company
• Provide leadership and strategic direction on omni-channel creative campaigns, ensuring the output of the highest standard to reflect each brands unique visuals and voice: Duluth Trading, AKHG, 40 Grit, & Best Made Co.
• Align with Product, Merchandising, and Marketing teams on seasonal strategic initiatives while at the same time being nimble to business trends and market shifts.
• Responsible for the design, voice, and layout direction of all divisional creative work: all catalogs, emails, digital work, and printed marketing pieces.
• Oversee all divisional concept development work.
• Responsible for direction on all photography, graphics, and illustrations (lifestyle, studio, and on-figure web photography).
• Process improvement and team communication with multiple partners.
• Reviewing, hiring and training of full-time and freelance staff.
• Planning and budgeting.
• Lead Omni-channel campaigns and seasonal themes.
DuluthTrading.com
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Senior Managing Art Director - Digital
Duluth Men - Duluth Women - Alaskan Hardgear
• Align with Product, Merchandising, and Marketing teams on seasonal strategic initiatives while at the same time being nimble to business trends and market shifts.
• Responsible for the design, voice, and layout direction of all divisional creative work: all catalogs, emails, digital work, and printed marketing pieces.
• Oversee all divisional concept development work.
• Responsible for direction on all photography, graphics, and illustrations (lifestyle, studio, and on-figure web photography).
• Process improvement and team communication with multiple partners.
• Reviewing, hiring and training of full-time and freelance staff.
• Planning and budgeting.
• Lead Omni-channel campaigns and seasonal themes.
DuluthTrading.com
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Senior Managing Art Director - Digital
Duluth Men - Duluth Women - Alaskan Hardgear
• Drive and lead Duluth Trading’s creative team, directly managing the digital team.
• Manage the creative team responsible for e-mail, web, social, and video/motion assets.
• Effectively lead multi-disciplined teams to produce strategically sound, creative assets that drive increased revenue across print, retail and digital.
• Lead digital team discussions on how to deliver the best creative for web, including articulating UI/UX decisons to front end developers.
• Facilitate collaboration between business, marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce VP’s as well as outside agency partners to present the brand effectively to consumers.
• Provide mentorship for other art directors, designers, illustrators, and copy writers to help lead large campaigns and omni-channel projects.
• Manage the creative team responsible for e-mail, web, social, and video/motion assets.
• Effectively lead multi-disciplined teams to produce strategically sound, creative assets that drive increased revenue across print, retail and digital.
• Lead digital team discussions on how to deliver the best creative for web, including articulating UI/UX decisons to front end developers.
• Facilitate collaboration between business, marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce VP’s as well as outside agency partners to present the brand effectively to consumers.
• Provide mentorship for other art directors, designers, illustrators, and copy writers to help lead large campaigns and omni-channel projects.
Weyco Group, Inc.
Glendale, WI
2008 - 2017
Glendale, WI
2008 - 2017
Senior Graphic Designer
Florsheim - Florsheim Kids - Stacy Adams - Florsheim x Esquivel
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
Florsheim - Florsheim by Duckie Brown - Florsheim Kids - Stacy Adams - Nunn Bush - Brass Boot
Florsheim - Florsheim by Duckie Brown - Florsheim Kids - Stacy Adams - Nunn Bush - Brass Boot
• 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.
• 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.
Recent Accomplishments
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.
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 am working cross-functionally with ecommerce, 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 am working cross-functionally with ecommerce, web development and marketing.
Florsheim Rebrand
Initiated and led the rebranding of Florsheim Shoes, a 120 year-old shoe company, including brand research & positioning, creative direction, design, and asset creation.
Initiated and led the rebranding of Florsheim Shoes, a 120 year-old shoe company, including brand research & positioning, creative direction, design, and asset creation.
New Brand Launch/Relaunch
Played a pivotal role in the launch of 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. I was also instrumental in standing up the relaunch of Best Made Co, a new brand acquisition for Duluth Trading.
Played a pivotal role in the launch of 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. I was also instrumental in standing up the relaunch of Best Made Co, a new brand acquisition for Duluth Trading.