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Freelance Creative Professional : Brand Consultant / Copywriting / Web Design & Content Management
Independent
Jan 2000 - Present (24 years 10 months)
Working on various projects with an emphasis on brand strategy, visual design,
and user experience, in partnership with B2B and B2C businesses, organizations
and state agencies.
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Visual / Content Designer & Sr. Analyst
ManTech - DHS Science & Technology
Washington, DC
Feb 2023 - Oct 2023 (8 months)
Collaborated and actively participated in standing up the DHS Science &
Technology Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Office through
activities such as: Creation of a DEIA SharePoint site and an external public
facing online site page; created and analyzed employee surveys for feedback;
created DEIA Office brand identity artifacts; collaborated on a strategic roadmap;
and created back-office organization structure.
Assisted DHS S&T directorate of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility
(DEIA) with research and development (R&D) in the creation and implementation
of a formal DEIA Program.
Supported the Director of DEIA by interfacing and working closely with
government leaders to integrate DEIA principles throughout the organization by
learning and contributing to help build consensus among diverse stakeholders
and multidisciplinary teams.
Facilitated, coordinated, and/or supported diversity, equity, inclusion, and
accessibility workshop/training sessions, special emphasis programs, and
workforce community building events.
Collected, compiled, and analyzed DEIA data to create visualizations to
communicate the state of the S&T workforce in efforts to influence progress
towards desired outcomes; and to identify areas for improvement across the
workforce and employee lifecycle.
Liaised with government-wide DEIA professionals and stakeholders and
participated in relevant councils and committees to foster relationships that
enhance S&T’s DEIA posture and initiatives through collaboration and partnering.
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UX UI Design Specialist / Sr. Business Analyst
Alpha Omega Integrations
Washington, DC
Mar 2020 - Dec 2020 (9 months)
Worked with several lean agile teams of SBA CX Designers, UX Design Interns,
Marketing, Developers, Project Managers, Architects and Product Managers to
migrate and maintain legacy applications to one common entry point platform,
incorporating new and updated UI within SBA brand guidelines and 508 compliances.
Gathered requirements for wireframe designs and development features from SBA
surveys, customer interviews and project meetings to create user stories and tasks
in JIRA for 3-week sprints.
Provided UX thought and design consultation thereby improving and developing
processes and documentation to better explore, execute and deliver design assets,
products and solutions for various initiatives and stakeholders.
Developed project roadmaps, plans, scheduling, and resource allocation.
Mentored peers monitored JIRA tasks for roadblocks and worked closely with
guiding Design Interns.
Conducted usability and user research sessions/interviews to re-evaluate existing
products and
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Sr. Business Analyst / UX UI
Precise Software Solutions
Rockville, MD
May 2018 - Feb 2020 (1 year 9 months)
Working between the roles of Technical B.A. and UX/UI Designer on cross functional teams in collaboration with government agencies to propose, design and develop information, reporting and documentation portals being adaptable and collaborative by navigating through the dynamics of the project life cycle. Providing UX/UI thought leadership and design consultation, wireframes, concept exploration and prototype solutions, working with program management and implementation teams on enterprise level government agency initiatives. Working with internal business leadership and functional teams to create digital marketing, social media and application tools for business promotion. Working with executive and B.A. teams in collaboration with clients to propose an improved enterprise solution, listening to and evaluating client needs, communicating capabilities and defining solutions, taking accountability for driving excellence in terms of presenting and incorporating crucial process dynamics, such as, UX/UI best practices and solutions, understanding the organization and interdepartmental dependencies and relationships, understanding business strategy and defining a plan of action to deliver high quality enterprise design proposals.
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Sr. UX/UI Team Lead
CSRA International at Office of Justice Programs
Feb 2014 - May 2018 (4 years 3 months)
Consulting as a Contract Team Lead and Senior UX UI Designer, working and project managing collaboratively with internal and external team members, and government stakeholders to deliver high profile projects in an agile environment. Ensuring that the user experience of web sites, applications, and internal SharePoint sites supports the organization's strategies and goals. Collaboratively defining the usability and user interface for new and existing OJP portal SharePoint applications and external agency sites with internal teams and external stakeholders. Developing high-level schedules, work plans, hi/low fidelity storyboards, mockups and prototypes to effectively communicate project requirements. Gauging the usability of new and existing internal and external web sites to improve their user experience. Collaborating with end users, business analysts, government stakeholders and developers to gather and understand business requirements.
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UX/UI Designer/Sprint Lead-AgileThought Inc. (TekkFusion)
Ernst & Young
Atlanta, GA
May 2013 - Nov 2013 (6 months)
Providing UX/UI thought leadership and design consultation, wireframes, concept exploration and prototype solutions in a client-facing role to a "Big 4" firm on a global multi-million dollar enterprise level auditing application project utilizing agile methodology, Rally project documentation and Twitter Bootstrap framework. Responsible for leading a sprint UI team to create high fidelity wireframes according to design documentation, user stories and business requirements, working additionally with 350 people/17 scrum teams consisting of onsite and offshore developers, business analysts, product owners, multiple vendors, SMEs and project managers. Facilitating and/or participating in UX UI reviews, feature team concept meetings, retrospectives and site demos. Partnering with development team to ensure proper implementation of UI designs and patterns, and retention of user experience.
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Sr. Interactive Graphic Designer, Marketing-Manheim Auctions
Cox Enterprises - Manheim
Atlanta, GA
Oct 2011 - May 2013 (1 year 7 months)
Project managing digital initiatives with IT groups, developers and external agencies: replacing print materials with digital signage and content managements systems in over 50 locations streamlining event materials process by creating an online fulfillment application using SharePoint and InfoPath with a third party vendor. * Working with IT groups, UI/UX and content teams, marketing and external agencies to create e-commerce sites, web portals and components, and landing pages for microsites and private label sites. * Provide art and creative direction on projects to other designers and external agencies. * Designing print, user interfaces, web and digital branded product and marketing materials supporting the strategic direction of various national consignors (Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Chrysler, GM Financial and more) and business units. * Creating email campaigns using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, HTML and Exact Target. * Managing workflow, client expectations and project life cycles in a high-paced environment while developing processes documentation, working with junior, peer, freelance designers and agencies to create efficiencies. * Supporting junior and peer designers by training them in HTML, using email marketing tools, and sharing knowledge of seminar and computer-based training opportunities to support the team in advancing their skill sets. * Keeping abreast of digital and technical trends to ensure best practices for current and future projects.
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Sr. Designer/Art Director-Alliance Theatre
Woodruff Arts Center
Atlanta, GA
Jul 2009 - Jun 2010 (11 months)
Improved the overall branded look and feel for the new season by working closely with the Theatre Artistic Director, Writing Associates and Marketing Director to develop and design season artwork (print, web assets, digital, interactive, outdoor/indoor displays and ads, promotional), which resulted in more excitement for the next season from internal staff and previewing patrons, and creative versatility and growth for upcoming seasons. * Provided art direction and mentoring to two Art Institute of Atlanta interns and an off-site freelance designer in a busy, ever changing environment meeting daily deadlines for current and upcoming show marketing materials. * Received an award on behalf of the Alliance Theatre from the Art Institute for giving their students intern and mentorship opportunities. * Organized and established an updated and efficient archival system for marketing and creative by purchasing and implementing FileMaker. * Established a daily and monthly production workflow visible for all of marketing to access creating a better flow in the daily life of the department. * Provided art and creative direction to a junior team with the current season workload simultaneously working with senior staff to concept, art direct and create the next season's artwork. * Negotiated and landed lower print fees, decreasing estimated budget expenditures, with print vendors. * Created much needed consistency and organization across the board in the marketing department, by producing a Brand Standards Guide. * Established communications and relationships with many peers and vendors that this position had no previous contact with due to time constraints and disorganization, as a result, many things needed to improve the conditions of this role and in the marketing group were obtained quicker yielding better results.
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Web Content Manager
Georgia Pacific (Tempus IT)
Jul 2008 - Jul 2009 (1 year)
Analyzed and evaluated stacks of unorganized printed manuals and transformed them into concise and usable online directories and glossaries
for compliance and ethics manuals using HTML, XHTML, CSS, Homesite, Vignette, and CES (a WYSIWYG content management system). Presented user evaluations, implementation suggestions and wire frames to IT groups and legal teams resulting in the feedback needed to determine the proper page architecture for online directory and glossary content. Redesigned existing HTML directory templates by converting them to CSS and integrating them into the Vignette/CES system, thereby streamlining the maintenance and new page creation process. Educated legal and management teams about the online web content process proposing how their end users would access the information and
what/how they might learn, resulting in better communications and results with developing usable content for end users across the country.
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Design Manager
AIMCO (Thompson Technologies Consultant)
Atlanta, GA
Aug 2006 - Jan 2008 (1 year 5 months)
Provided art and creative direction to rebranding marketing collateral, ads and web tools for Southeastern states within the company's multi-million dollar portfolios, from conception to completion, including copywriting. * Successfully transitioned ownership of design projects from previous ad agencies in order to reevaluate the direction of branding their rehab portfolios. * Worked directly with the VP of Marketing, evaluating the effectiveness of current marketing materials to determine the strategy and direction of redesigning new tools, resulting in an overhaul based on my findings, suggestions and our overall collaboration. * Forged a relationship with a reputable multi-family real estate full service printer to assist in the production, printing and deployment of off-the-shelf marketing tool kits for leasing offices, throughout the division, for various rental magazines. * Led and participated in review meetings and web training with regional managers, executives and other peers resulting in their excitement and participation in being more proactive with utilizing the marketing tools created for them. * Saved company money by successfully being able to maintain a home design office in lieu of overspending with an agency, while continuing to be an active team member through various lines of communications.
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Brand Manager
Lane Company
Atlanta, GA
Jun 2005 - Oct 2006 (1 year 4 months)
Acted as Marketing Director for 6 months, moving between lead designer to attending strategy and branding meetings for upcoming portfolios to disseminate to the marketing team keeping the workflow in order and projects on time. * Developed unique high-end brand identities and marketing collateral for multi-million dollar new construction deals across the Southeast, such as properties in Atlantic Station: ICON, Element, 17 th Street Lofts, The Flats and Art Foundry. * Worked closely with Marketing Director, Executive VPs, RVPs, PR and Regional Property Managers to properly brand and promote the company to the public and internal/external partners. * Stayed within budget and saved the company money by negotiating print contracts with existing vendors. * Provided art and creative direction to a junior graphic designer, external agencies and contractors. * Revived the company newsletter with a fresh design that created buzz throughout the company and with external customers and business affiliates. * Gained added trust and confidence of RPMs and RVPs by negotiating and signing for ad contracts and overseeing designs with multi-family rental magazines for different classes of portfolios, determining which were the most advantageous and cost effective marketing outlets for RPMs.