EDUCATION

University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
2001—2005
B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies
Concentrations: Communications,
Studio Art and Graphic Design

Studio Art Centers International
January—April 2004
Florence, Italy
Study Abroad

Andean Study Center
May—September 2007
Quito, Ecuador
Intensive Spanish Study

SKILLS

Fluency with Macintosh and Windows operating systems.

Fluency in Adobe InDesign, QuarkXpress, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Dreamweaver.

Strong experience in DSLR photography, shooting in raw and photo editing. Click to see my Flickr site.

Proficiency in Adobe Flash.

Experience in printmaking and studio crafts.

Fluency in all Microsoft Office programs.

Proficiency in Spanish.

EXPERIENCE

VISUAL AND INTERACTION DESIGNER
SmartBrief, Inc.
Washington, DC 
June 2011—PRESENT

  • Provide core, iterative UI/UX leadership to project teams through wireframes, high-fidelity screen and HTML mockups and GUI elements.
  • Create and drive the interface and experience process: user needs and requirements definition, concept development, scenario development, storyboards, task analysis, and low-level interaction design.
  • Create and drive a UI/UX patterns and styles curriculum and documentation guide for Creative Services and Development teams to reference when creating visual design and implementing it.
  • Work with Project Manager to gather and translate requirements from stakeholders and communicate UI/UX strategies and solutions to the project team.
  • Create personas, scenarios or storyboards to communicate user behaviors, motivations and goals.
  • Plan, execute and analyze qualitative and quantitative user research.
  • Synthesize and translate user research into actionable insights, concepts and solutions.
  • Continue to support mobile team as mobile designer.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
SmartBrief, Inc.
Washington, DC 
April 2010—June 2011

  • Lead mobile designer for Android and iPhone app launches.
  • Worked with senior designer as part of Creative Services team on all design work.
  • Designed files for e-newsletter launches including masthead designs, letterhead images, form page design and website creative.
  • Designed social media branding files including work for Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and company blogs.
  • Created print pieces primarily for sales staff as auxiliary promotional materials. Work included banners, postcards, brochures, one-pagers, posters, print ads for trade publications and custom business cards.
  • Conceived and created company directory. Photographed staff and edited pictures, created internal resource and maintained resource as company grew rapidly.

SITE DESIGNER
www.obxspex.com 
April 2009—Present

  • Developed a basic commerce site for www.obxspex.com, a small independently-owned optical shop.
  • Used the original logo for the company and the store’s location on the Outer Banks to create the feel for the site. Using Dreamweaver CS4 and hand coding, created and implemented the CSS stylesheet for the site.
  • Set up photo shoot with client to create a library of images that would improve merchandise marketing. Edited and integrated photos for site design.
  • Handled all aspects of launch and maintenance, from purchasing the domain name and server space to uploading files and submitting site to search engines after launch.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 
Newspaper Association of America
Arlington, VA 
November 2007—April 2009

  • Worked with contacts in various departments on marketing and design projects such as promotional brochures, logos, web graphics, postcards and newsletters.
  • Worked with Art Director on the design of PRESSTIME, the monthly award-winning magazine published by the Association.
  • Coordinated with vendors for both print and online products to ensure that files and materials were prepped correctly.
  • Strategized within teams to create new marketing and design concepts for advertising campaigns, editorial ideas and brand identities.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Andean Study Programs, Mango Tree Café and Casa Foch Hotel
Quito, Ecuador 
May—October 2007

  • Worked as a graphic designer for the hotel and café. Created identities, menus and publicity for both establishments.
  • Coordinated projects in print and web from start to finish, from brainstorming sessions through the production process.
  • Worked in English and Spanish with local vendors to research and secure competitive rates. Translated promotional and educational material into English. Developed marketing strategy for the hotel and café to increase prominence in the local market.

VARIOUS POSITIONS
Envision EMI
Vienna, Virginia 
August 2005—March 2007

  • Served as Associate Director of Curriculum for the Junior National Young Leaders Conference: worked with a team of four other staff member in developing curriculum for a leadership conference based in American history for middle–schoolers; helped design both the staff training material and the student informational material in InDesign and Illustrator; integrated techniques for all learning types to create interactive and engaging lessons and activities.
  • Served as the Associate Director of Programs for the National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology: worked with a team of eight other Associate Directors to orchestrate all aspects of an intense 9-day forum focused on technology for high-schoolers; met and worked with vendors for the computer and audio/visual needs of the training and conference; worked closely with two other Associate Directors to manage a staff of nine operators who oversaw conference logistics.
  • Served as a Faculty Adviser for the National Young Leaders State Conference at statewide conferences around the country: taught conferences weekly in major American cities; taught eighth and ninth graders personal leadership skills such as conflict resolution, presentation skills, group dynamics, goal setting, appreciating diversity, leadership techniques, project planning and responsible decision making; designed the training manual for staff members in InDesign.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER and ENGLISH TUTOR
Weddings In Tuscany
Poggio a Caiano, Italy 
February 2004—July 2004

  • Created identity, brochure and letterhead for the agency.
  • Translated promotional materials and business letters from Italian to English.
  • Helped direct tours of area villas for prospective clients.

VARIOUS POSITIONS
North Carolina Scholastic Media Institute
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 
June 1996—June 2003

  • Served as an adviser on The Rush staff for four years. The Rush is produced during the 4–day institute where students write stories, take pictures and design a newspaper in under 72 hours.
  • Oversaw students as they worked on both writing and designing
  • Facilitated the production process with University newspaper and local print operation.
  • Participated in the summer Institute for high school journalists for three years as a student.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER 
Carolina Union Marketing and Design
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
May—December 2003; January—July 2005

  • Created a logo for FallFest, an annual event hosted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s student union. The logo was published on posters, banners, and t–shirts, and the event has an annual attendance of 16,000 people.
  • Created invitations for the Performing Arts Society that were sent to potential donors to the Carolina Union Performing Arts Series and the Memorial Hall Reconstruction Project.
  • Assisted in creating logos for events sponsored by the Performing Arts Series. These events were an effort to allow patrons time before and after Series shows to socialize and network.
  • Assisted with the union’s promotional materials. Duties included maintaining publicity mailing lists; distributing promotional materials; compiling and mailing press kits, press releases and other publicity materials; and handling routine publicity–related correspondences.