AMK Solutions

Design Director | Remote | November 2023 – present

Responsible for creating exceptional user experiences. Methods include conducting research to validate product-market fit and usability, wireframing, prototyping, and producing impeccable high-fidelity designs. Expert in developing comprehensive accessible design systems from the ground up, empowering design and engineering teams to move faster and more efficiently. Adept at partnering with executives and product teams to define the product vision; managing project timelines; and, working closely with engineering teams to ensure designs are built to spec and function seamlessly. 

Varsity tutors

Design Director | Seattle, WA | February 2017 – May 2023

  • Collaborated with the VP of Design and team leads to generate, evaluate, design, and prototype concepts for a reimagined consumer product vision to present to management and the board of directors that now serves as the blueprint for the company’s future.

  • Led creative and design, copy, and delivery for brand, marketing, and e-commerce initiatives. Examples include: redesigning the website from a purely lead generation tool to a robust website that supports the marketing of a suite of products as well as e-commerce; designing pages to support the launch of new products; and, developing scalable visual identity and design systems.

  • Led research, UX, and creative efforts for customer acquisition and website conversion. Examples include: global navigation architecture and design; class search and browse; registration pages; lead form optimization that increased conversion by 25%; supporting international versions of the website; and, the transformation of a package-based business model to a subscription-based business model.

  • Led UX redesign of an end-to-end application that allowed tutors to quickly and easily apply to work on the platform while supporting data mapping and gathering the necessary information to facilitate both human and AI analysis. With a flat marketing spend, redesign resulted in a 74% increase in applicants, an 18% higher conversion rate, a 106% increase in contracts offered, an 83% increase in contracted tutors, and significant reductions in costs associated with internal processing efforts and unnecessary background checks.

  • Supported executives leading up to Nerdy’s IPO (NYSE:NRDY; parent company) by designing investor pitch decks, brand guidelines, signage, a website, and marketing materials and later, quarterly earnings reports.

  • Designed experiment plans including low-effort A/B tests to determine long-term investment and research studies including moderated and unmoderated usability studies, and surveys.

  • Design lead on a team of 12 people and manager to four direct reports, including contractors.

Thrive Causemetics

Art Director & Visual Designer | Seattle, WA | March 2015 – January 2017

Employee #1 recruited to build the brand’s identity, including logo, website, ads, packaging and marketing materials, which rapidly gained national press attention and contributed to the brand going viral. Optimization of social ad campaigns resulted in a 50X increase in revenue. Responsible for art direction, copywriting, and designing campaigns spanning print, web and experiential mediums.

Julep

Senior Designer | Seattle, WA | June 2012 – March 2015

Print and web design and art direction, including monthly capsule campaigns, branding, corporate identity, marketing materials, and packaging. Rebranded Julep’s packaging system across six product categories; lead packaging designer for products sold on julep.com and internationally at Sephora.

Sephora

Graphic Designer | San Francisco, CA | June 2010 – September 2013

Recruited for graphic design internship at Sephora’s corporate headquarters in San Francisco. Designed packaging for limited-edition Sephora by OPI products in collaboration with the FOX television show, Glee. Worked on brands including Kat Von D, Hello Kitty, Tarina Tarantino, tokidoki, Charlotte Ronson and Sephora by OPI. Asked to continue as design contractor for the executive team after internship ended. 

Frause

Senior Account Executive | Seattle, WA | December 2004 – August 2007

Managed and executed corporate public relations campaigns. On top of running accounts, was asked to lend creative skill set to bring in new business. Design work was praised and utilized professionally which led to more extensive projects, including advertisements, newsletters, brochures and invitations for multiple clients. Designed Seattle mayor Greg Nickel’s 2006 Climate Action Plan and winning pitch for Starbucks Coffee Company. 

brunswick group

Account Executive | New York, NY | June 2002 – September 2004

Advised domestic and international clients on corporate financial public relations, including crisis and employee communications, mergers, acquisitions and restructurings for a variety of Fortune 500 companies. Responsible for message development, media training and pitching to press. Promoted and awarded a 50 percent salary increase due to exceptional performance. Clients included Gucci, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia and Eidos. 

university of washington

Master of Fine Arts Degree, Visual Communication Design

Striker Scholarship Recipient

Boston College

Bachelor of Arts Degree, English | Chestnut Hill, MA

Junior year abroad through Gonzaga University in Florence, Italy 

philanthropy

Bulldog Haven Northwest | Seattle, WA | Foster + Volunteer | October 2015 – Present

Teens in Public Service | Seattle, WA | Board Member | June 2006 – June 2007

YMCA | Boston, MA | Counselor | 2000 – 2001

skills

Figma, Sketch, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, XD, and Microsoft Office

Highly-organized, outgoing professional who thrives on solving problems creatively