HEY-O!
Creative and Brand Strategist with a design thinking background and over 15 years of consumer insight experience. Highly adept at blending creative and analytical styles of thinking. Expert at orchestrating the collective power of data, research, and creativity to develop elegant, integrated brand experiences. The “About” page is the first thing I look at on anyone’s website.
Check out my story below or download my resume.
EDUCATION
DUAL MAJOR // BFA, Industrial Design // BFA, Art History // University of Illinois
Creative Problem Solving L2 Certification // Creative Education Foundation
Facilitation + Team Building Certificate // Association for Challenge Course Technology
Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) A2 // Instituto Cervantes
RELEVANT HIGHLIGHTS
Collects, conducts, and curates data and research into insight-based strategies that inspire creative solutions.
Seamlessly blends into your team while providing fresh perspective and ideas. Fluent in design thinking and creative problem solving.
Experienced in developing omni-channel marketing strategies for household brands with specific focus on integrated and cohesive consumer journeys.
Brand + Creative Strategist
Independent Consultant
2019 - Present
Director of Creative Strategy
AISLE ROCKET
2015 - 2022
Champion of holistic consumer experiences including the first digitally integrated signage for May is Maytag Month, which drove 67% of visitors to the in-store landing page, increased the in-store conversion rate 7x over the previous year, and became a case study for several other brands.
Synthesized business needs with market and consumer research to identify opportunities and propose innovative experiences; including KitchenAid’s first ever Lookbook which drove 27% more visitors to Product Listing Pages and averaged 21% higher conversion than the site average.
Led ethnographic interviews, audits, and journey mapping including the discovery of 14 untapped insights now driving Loyalty + Owner Experience initiatives for Maytag and Whirlpool.
Produced collaborative creative workshops, uncovering a major opportunity for everydrop to differentiate itself in the market with a new positioning and brand refresh.
Developed content strategies for household brands; One program resulted in a +454% YoY increase in monthly site visitors and 69% higher HVT rate for product focused articles.
Account planner + Creative Strategist
2017 - 2020
Sr Art Director
2015 - 2017
Identified unmet needs in the Consumer Decision Journey to create purchasing solutions within the in-store environment
Developed strategic marketing concepts based on the evolving shopper experience
Created traditional and non-traditional POP experiences for 10+ new product launches
Art Director
ADAMS OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
2013 - 2015
Developed high-impact, results-oriented creative campaigns. Directed concepting, design, and execution of 800+ billboard designs for large and small businesses
Designed and conducted training workshops to introduce creative needs with the sales team (e.g. tone, target audience, etc.) improving their ability to sell creative concepts
Built a system to resize digital artwork for all 12 units in the Kalamazoo market; what used to take an entire day was shortened to 40 minutes
Created and implemented an online tracking tool organizing all projects as they progressed from contract signing through printing. Decreased amount spent annually on errors and reprints by 66%
Creative Director
Colorado Serenity Magazine
2011 - 2013
Coordinated and designed all ads (averaging 65 per month), made possible by streamlining project workflow and creating net-new tracking systems to increase creative output without losing quality
Drove growth in ad spend every month of employment through impactful strategies and client relationships
Worked directly with clients to create individualized marketing campaigns based on unique audience needs and business objectives
Innovation Associate
MADDOCK DOUGLAS
2006 - 2009
Discovered and validated unmet consumer needs. Balanced analytical and creative approaches to provide highly conceptual results backed by quantifiable data. Helped clients like Kellogg’s, Sherwin Williams, and SC Johnson launch multiple new products into market.
Conducted over 50 ethnographic interviews. Synthesized results to define untapped white space ripe for new product innovation
Designed, facilitated, and/or participated in creative ideations applying the creative problem solving process to activate ideas and build new solutions
Sound interesting?
Curious about that gap?
Teambuilding
Facilitator
2009 - 2011
Facilitating team building on high ropes courses throughout the foothills of Colorado was one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. The growth I personally experienced was matched only by incredible moments watching individuals surprise themselves with abilities they didn’t think they had.
The team discussions and retrospectives were the foundation for the empathy and facilitation skills I practice today. The problem solving skills needed on each element foreshadowed my love of design thinking. Working as a ropes course instructor was definitely not on the path from Point A to Point B, but it’s something that brought immense value to my current life.
Server + Retail Manager
It is my firm belief that everyone should work in the service industry at some point in their lives. Whether in a restaurant, behind a bar, or in retail—the service industry is ripe with life lessons (as well as being a gold mine for human observation opportunities!). Here are just a few of the big take-aways from those experiences:
Customer Experience Matters: The kitchen might be chaotic, but customers still expect an exceptional experience. The lesson? Measure, learn, and continuously improve.
Consistency is Key: Consistent messaging throughout the consumer journey is crucial. If a shopper sees one thing on your website, it should match what they find in-store. Disjointed branding only leads to confusion.
Emotions Drive Purchases: People buy based on feelings. Even the most logical buyers seek an emotional connection before making a purchase. Your brand's role is to elevate your product’s qualities to evoke the emotions your customers need to feel.