MyComputerCareer - Holly Springs, NC - 10/2020 - Present
Director, Creative and Web
Oversee and direct the Creative and Web departments consisting of graphic design, video production, copy writing, web design/development, and vendor management. Responsible for development of the strategic creative and web vision for multiple brands. Working in all types of media including print, digital, website, video, email, presentation, and creative writing. Manage the branding, design, and voice of all creative outputs from internal to external creative. Work closely with Sr. Leadership, Department Heads, and other stakeholders to create data-driven solutions to marketing, web, and communications challenges.
- Complete company rebranding by creating a unified and consistent brand through the creation of a company-wide brand style guide, logos, fonts, writing style, and other materials.
- Created and managed various print and digital designs used for capturing leads from a variety of sources for MyComputerCareer, CIBR Warriors, and CIBR Ready businesses.
- Took on the responsibility for the web process and development to reduce costs by 60% through hiring an internal web developer, redeveloping the backend, and working with external web vendors.
- Increased traffic to the website by 37%, increased SEO score from mid-30's to upper 80's, and increased web site speed score from the 60's to the 90's.
- Restructured and organized the Creative department within 2 months by building policies and procedures, organizing Creative team responsibilities, and developing a creative workflow.
Professional Volunteer and Freelance Consulting - Various Locations - 12/2019 - Present
Various volunteer and freelance consulting opportunities with local organizations and churches.
- Examples of volunteer work: digitizing old records, various design work, setting up membership records, filling food orders for less fortunate, making sand bags for flood victims, and helping move household items.
Uline Shipping Supplies - Pleasant Prairie, WI - 5/2018-12/2019
Web Design Manager
Alongside the Web Director, co-directed the web design team of 17 Web Designers, Web Developers, UI/UX Designers, and Web Merchandising Specialists within the Creative department. Work directly with owner and VP of Creative to update visuals and front-end code for all homepages, class, group, item, and mobile web pages. Managed the web design strategic planning and employee engagement. Art directed and managed the process for all web design creation and approvals.
- Managed the process to transfer the mobile website from a third-party company to our internal web servers.
- Restructured the web design workflows and processes with timelines and due dates to decrease turnaround times by half.
- Oversaw the process to implement copy on product pages to display the Uline benefits, thus decreasing bounce rate and increasing conversion by nearly 10%.
- Created cross-training documentation and processes to help team collaborate more efficiently and effectively.
- Implemented a workflow template to help in the project management of all current and future projects.
Comcast Spotlight - Englewood, CO - 2012-2018
Manager, Interactive Media and Graphic Design
Managed digital advertising creative team of 6 Interactive Designers, Graphic Designers, and Interactive Coordinators in advertising branch. Worked closely with sales department to execute digital creative and print projects such as IBV (in banner videos), iTV, online banners, print materials, and web pages for large variety of clients.
- Decreased creative turnaround time from 5 days to 2 days through use of new processes and request systems in collaboration with IT and Engineering departments.
- Increased monthly digital advertisement creation from 75 to 100 to over 1.3K ads per month, contributing to growing increase in digital revenue from $17MM in 2013 to over $26MM in 2017.
- Staffed Interactive Media and Graphic Design team for department from ground up, hiring qualified design-candidates within 3 months.
- Received 2015 GEM award for customer service.
RealPrompt - Louisville, KY - 2008–2012
Director, Creative Services
Managed two departments, online design and IT teams. Managed company websites, print materials, webinars, and created and edited training videos, and maintained company network. Oversaw creation and implementation of all internal and external software applications created by contractors and vendors.
- Increased company websites from few hundred visitors to over 10K weekly visitors by employing SEO and SEM strategies.
- Increased visitors to website and contact channels, augmenting online sales in 2010 by over 48% and in 2011 by 35%.
- Implemented steps to increase SEO, making websites top searches on Google, Yahoo, and other sites.
General Electric (GE) - Louisville, KY - 2005–2008
Web Design Information Architect
Collaborated with other team members on regular basis to produce effective media to help enhance company. Designed professional web pages and e-Commerce websites, interactive designs, and print material for promoting GE businesses and partners. Created interactive campaigns, including sweepstakes, banners, and presentations. Worked closely with offshore international development team.
- Performed as lead designer for team that redesigned 2008/2009 geappliances.com e-commerce website, applying heavy user-experience studies and testing and creating wireframes, mockups, design elements, animations, and HTML files.
- Led interactive designs on 2006 Winter Olympic Games and 2008 Summer Olympic Games promotional websites and sweepstakes online games, designing mockups and final layouts, and coding all Flash ActionScript and animations.
- Co-designed 2008 monogram.com's informational website, utilizing user-experience testing, wireframes, mockups, and Flash animations.
- Managed internal and external newsletters for various GE businesses, creating all layout designs, copy editing, and HTML, informing internal employees and external customers about GE products and/or services.
- Received the Six Sigma Green Belt certification.
Zale Corporation - Irving, TX - 1999–2005
Sr. Web Graphic Designer
Created effective, user-friendly catalogs, flyers, and inserts for use in print and web. Photographed and retouched jewelry for use in multiple websites and printed materials. Designed multiple promotional media to help promote the Zales.com e-Commerce website.
- Sr. designer in bringing the Zales.com e-Commerce website into the top 50 retail websites for 2003 and 2004.
- Optimized all images on the Zales.com website, thus increasing download speed by 46%.
- Lead designer in the redesign and launch of the Zales, Zale Corporation, and Bailey Banks & Biddle e-Commerce websites.
- Lead designer in the creation of Gordon's Jewelers, Peoples Jewelers, Mappins, Piercing Pagoda, and Zales Outlet landing pages/microsites.
HealthMates International - Grand Prairie, TX - 1998–1999
Media/Graphic Designer
Kelly Services - Arlington, TX - 1995–1998
Contractor for computer applications and design