Resume / experience
Summary
Accomplished marketing creative leader & UX strategist, with a strong track record of success with fintech, insuretech, travel, loyalty, and CPG brands. Proven ability to lead and manage high-performing creative and content teams, develop creative strategies, and execute marketing campaigns. Proficient in all aspects of the creative design process, from ideation to execution, with a focus on user research, testing, and data-driven decision making.
Recent Highlights & Results
Impactful Branding Initiatives
Led the rebrand of Rewards Network, redesigning the B2B corporate site, web apps, and dealer customer products/reporting, resulting in improved user experience and increased engagement.
Increased brand awareness and engagement by 71% through the implementation of captivating marketing initiatives.
Drove a 23% increase in new customers through the use of an online customer review management system.
Transformational Team Leadership
Transformed and grew a 10-member in-house Creation Lab team, expanding a high-performing team of 3 designers to an interdisciplinary team of 10 in under 6 years.
Mentored and developed a team of designers and UX professionals.
Reduced team hours by 44% by introducing the Rapid Design Lab creative & UX process.
Design Excellence at Scale
Led the creation of the Connected Digital Style Guide Design System and Principles, elevating design quality standards and boosting velocity across development teams and the organization.
Partnered with product management and technology teams to develop and implement agile development practices.
Rapid Experimentation for Growth
Implemented Rapid Design Lab creative & UX process, resulting in a remarkable 44% reduction in team hours for recurring promotional emails, landing pages, and direct response initiatives.
Pioneered the creation of consumer dining brand Neighborhood Nosh, leveraging multiple channels and incentives to establish a loyal clientele.
Innovative Workspace
Led the corporate branding for a new office studio, which included designing the space and creating its visual identity.
Increased employee satisfaction by 15% through the creation of a more innovative and collaborative workspace.
High Standards and Agile Practices
Set and enforced performance standards for employees.
Collaborated with product management and technology teams to develop and implement agile development practices.
Increased team productivity by 20% through the implementation of agile development practices.
Strategic Partnerships
Worked with online ordering platforms ChowNow and Zuppler, as well as digital gift card company Giftya, to add user experience and design features to existing product sites.
Improved the overall user experience and site metrics of partner sites by 15%..
K! Design – Chicago, IL
Principal Creative & User Experience Director, 2022 – Present
Working with creative agencies and independent companies providing creative / UX direction for digital and traditional Marketing experiences.
Developed brand identity and marketing materials, including brochures, website designs, and social media ads.
Cultivated a branding strategy for a diverse collection of company swag, including t-shirts, hats, mugs, and water bottles. The branded products were distributed to customers and partners, resulting in increased brand awareness and engagement.
Rewards Network – Chicago, IL
Senior Manager, Creative & User Experience, 2020 – 2022
Manager, Creative & User Experience, 2014 – 2020
Developed and implemented creative and user experience strategies for B2B and consumer audiences, resulting in $105M+ in annual revenue.
Led the Reward Network's rebrand from the ground up, improving the brand image, strengthening competitiveness, and engaging a broader audience.
Led creative strategy and brand ownership for 25+ programs, including 16 national travel loyalty programs, 7 extended partnerships, and 2 consumer brands.
Pioneered the creation of consumer dining brand Neighborhood Nosh, which leveraged multiple channels and incentives to establish a loyal clientele.
Established the UX discipline company-wide, and cultivated user experience as a mindset and process for the Marketing and Product teams.
Led the launch of 34 corporate and partner brand sites and developed customer lifecycle strategies across channels
Developed and implemented a client portal and proof of marketing platform for B2B customers.
Created a branded system of sales tools that helped to drive restaurant participation and retention, expanding the customer base from 9.9K restaurants to 17K.
Cross-collaborated with Product & Technology teams to design and execute a client portal, achieving a 54% increase in customer usage.
CRITICAL MASS – Chicago, IL
Creative Lead, Senior Art Director, 2013 – 2014
Oversaw a team of visual designers and cultivated experiences across digital touchpoints to drive revenue growth and client retention.
Advanced cross-functional collaboration, building and nurturing a positive, creative environment to deliver cutting-edge user experiences, marketing, branding, and advertising in newly emerging, evolving channels.
Facilitated a test-and-learn, user-centered design process, partnering with the user experience, data, and analytics teams to develop a design testing and optimization process to enhance efficiency and scalability.
Drove creative brainstorming sessions, providing valuable expertise to in-house and offshore creative teams and collaborating with clients, UX teams, and partner agencies to create effective, appealing visual and written content to meet each client’s unique goals.
Spearheaded the creation of the Million Fan Salute, a digital extension of the partnership between USAA and the NFL, providing fans the opportunity to support the military and their favorite NFL team with a digital salute while furnishing the military a chance to win cash prizes, resulting in the collection of 1.2 million salutes of thanks on the site.
RAZORFISH – Chicago, IL
Senior Art Director, 2009 – 2013
Led creative development from end to end, collaborating with designers, copywriters, information architects, technology leads, and project managers to deliver innovative solutions for every client's business and brand objectives.
Championed the development, testing, and implementation of complex UX-driven initiatives and solutions, augmenting the existing visual template system and redesigning StateFarm.com to create a more appealing and user-friendly website.
Partnered with celebrity chef Guy Fieri to deliver the most extensive social media campaign and contest in company history with the Ritz Crackers Recipe Challenge, granting fans the opportunity to enter their recipes, generating 351K unique page views, increasing the client’s Facebook fans by 189K, and exceeding overall program goals by 52%.
Leveraged the online social presence and the popular “Care to Share” sweepstakes for Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain, instituting the new brand positioning and expanding the Facebook community, yielding 120% application usage and 457% in total entries while increasing overall sales by 156%.
RAND MCNALLY – SKOKIE, IL
Senior eCommerce Design Lead, 2008 – 2009
Led the creative strategy, design, and user experience (UX) for the Rand McNally eCommerce travel website, resulting in a 23% increase in online sales year over year.
Managed creative processes for site and major marketing initiatives, including homepages, landing pages, and design studios, in collaboration with global merchants.
Coordinated site assets, landing pages, and graphics, meeting brand creative standards and deadlines, and created interfaces that solved complex interactions with elegance and simplicity.