About
Embracing Diversity in Expertise and Experience
Throughout my career, I have deliberately focused on diversifying my expertise and experiences, ensuring that I offer a broad range of skills. My primary objective has always been to defy easy categorization because I am driven by multiple passions centered around communications and design. I possess an insatiable thirst for continual learning, inspired by the incredibly talented individuals I have had the privilege to collaborate with.
My approach to storytelling is as purposefully diverse as my background in design. While some agencies rely on established formulas to achieve desired business outcomes, I prefer a more nuanced approach. Communication principles based on behavioral science can be mechanized, but science without art often fails to make things as relatable as they could be. By infusing creativity and imagination into these principles, we unlock the true potential of the underlying science. This intersection of science and art is where I thrive. It requires a thorough understanding and respect for both, and knowing the correct balance between the two is vital. I am that combination of science enthusiast and artistic visionary who can find the sweet spot to target your unique audience effectively.
I believe that all successful projects result from effective collaboration. As John Donne wrote, "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main." For any of this to work, we must unify around a desired outcome first and foremost. With that as our guide, we can drive as a team to define a course of action that will achieve it. Creating such a vision, an idea to rally around, is where I do my best work. Ideation is my superpower, and I work that creativity muscle every day to keep it toned. Whether it is creative writing, designing graphic elements, motion design, drawing, or playing music, I put in the time daily to stay creatively sharp. With mental workouts, it’s not always about what you create or how you create it; it’s about allowing your mind the freedom to explore. By doing so, you add to the mental library of creative possibilities, and this library is what I offer the world.
So, let’s start a dialogue today. Let’s shape a path that leads to greater success. Let’s shake off the expected and give your audience something entirely different. By combining data and science with energized art and creativity, we can form solutions that challenge the status quo.
Work Experience
2016 - Today
Freelance/Contractor
Over the past 8 years, I have gained extensive experience working as a freelancer with a diverse array of companies, ranging from large corporations to small businesses. I have freelance contracts with prominent organizations such as Maritz Inc. and Librix, where I have contributed my expertise and skills to their projects. This diverse experience has honed my ability to adapt to different working environments and deliver high-quality results.
Creative Communications Consultant: Develop and implement cohesive communication strategies that effectively convey brand messages across platforms, ensuring consistency in tone, voice, and visual identity.
Marketing Consultant: Design and execute marketing campaigns aligned with business goals, leveraging market insights to drive brand awareness, engagement, and growth.
Design Consultant: Provide expert design services, creating visually impactful and user-centered designs that enhance brand identity and user experience.
Creative Producer: Manage the production process from concept to completion, coordinating resources and timelines to bring creative visions to life with high quality and efficiency.
Partners: Mastercard International, Maritz, CPG, The Nitrous Effect, Librix, Objective media, MOTO-Marketing.
2006 - 2008
Freelance/Contractor
Creative Strategy and Production Support: Collaborate closely with the internal creative team to develop and execute innovative strategies that align with the overall brand vision. Provide hands-on production support, ensuring that all creative assets meet the highest standards of quality and consistency.
Leadership Collaboration: Work alongside senior leadership to define clear communication pathways, ensuring that the creative vision is effectively conveyed and executed across all projects. This includes facilitating cross-functional collaboration to ensure alignment on goals and expectations.
Vision Execution: Serve as a crucial resource within the production pipeline, offering guidance and support to bring the creative vision to life. This involves not only contributing to the ideation process but also providing practical solutions to overcome production challenges, ensuring timely delivery of high-impact creative work.
2016
Creative Director
CPG - Creative Producers Group
https://cpgagency.com/
200 N Broadway UNIT 1400, St. Louis, MO 63102
Creative Team Lead: Oversee the development of themes and visual elements for corporate events, guiding the design of scenic environments and print/digital collateral.
Theme and Scenic Design: Lead the creation of cohesive themes and scenic elements, ensuring an immersive and engaging event experience.
Collateral Production: Direct the design and production of print and digital materials, ensuring consistency with the event's theme and brand identity.
Team Leadership: Mentor the creative team, coordinate with stakeholders, and ensure timely delivery of high-quality creative assets that align with the event’s vision.
Clients: Carnival Cruise lines, Planet Fitness, Dollar General, Unigroup..
2004 - 2006
Media Director
XG-Advertising
St. Louis, MO
Conceptualization: Led the creative development of web-based communications and video assets, aligning concepts with brand messaging and strategic goals.
Production: Managed the full production process, from ideation to post-production, ensuring high-quality, professional content delivered on time and within budget.
Distribution: Directed the strategic distribution of digital content across various channels, optimizing reach and engagement through targeted delivery and performance analysis.
Collaboration: Coordinated with cross-functional teams to ensure content alignment with broader brand initiatives, providing leadership and fostering a collaborative creative environment.
Client: Anheuser-Busch
2008 - 2016
Director/ Creative Services
Maritz Inc.
https://maritz.com/
1375 N Hwy Dr, Fenton, MO 63099
Lead Creative Director: Oversee the creative direction and production of diverse digital projects, including social media campaigns, mobile apps, online games, simulators, video/motion graphics, UI/UX design, email campaigns, and online training modules.
Social Media & Mobile Apps: Direct the creation of engaging social media strategies and user-friendly mobile apps that align with brand goals and enhance user engagement.
Interactive Experiences: Lead the development of online gaming, simulators, and interactive content, ensuring captivating visuals and gameplay.
Visual Content & UI/UX: Oversee the production of videos, motion graphics, and user interfaces, ensuring they are intuitive, visually appealing, and aligned with user needs.
Email Campaigns & Training Modules: Guide the design of compelling email campaigns and educational online training modules, focusing on engagement and learning outcomes.
Team Leadership: Manage a multidisciplinary team to deliver high-quality, on-time projects that meet business objectives and push creative boundaries.
Clients: Hewlett-Packard, Johnson & Johnson, Toyota, Honda, Nissan, HON, Konica Minolta.
2000 - 2004
Art Director
Expressive Tek
407 Kehrs Mill Rd, Ballwin, MO 63011
Primary Front-End Developer: Led the development of responsive websites and web applications using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, ensuring seamless functionality and performance.
UI/Web Designer: Designed intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for web projects, creating high-fidelity mockups and prototypes to enhance user engagement and align with brand identity.
Flash Animator: Created dynamic animations and interactive content using Adobe Flash, including banners, ads, and multimedia elements, to bring designs to life with motion graphics.
I don't work alone. Fortunately, I have partners across various industries who collaborate with me to fulfill the creative communication needs of their clients. Through these partnerships and network connections, I have had the opportunity to contribute to numerous projects with clientele holding prominent positions within the Fortune 500.
In My Spare Time
During normal work hours, I am dedicated to engaging in creative projects that propel the business goals of my clients. After hours, I immerse myself in creative activities that bring me immense personal joy, particularly through art and music. With a degree in fine art, I frequently create original artwork and illustrations, considering myself more of an illustrator than a fine artist. I work with various mediums, but my favorite pastime is simple pencil sketches. These sketches sometimes evolve into full-color, large-format pieces or screenprints, and you can view examples on my Instagram page.
Music has been a cornerstone of my life. As the child of two musicians, I developed a passion for music at a young age. This passion led to a record label contract, countless live performances, and immeasurable joy. Although I no longer pursue a full-time music career, I remain active in writing, producing, and performing with a three-piece band. I keep up with the latest advancements in recording and music production in my home studio. Regardless of what the future holds, I know I will continue to write songs that reflect my life’s journey.
