VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

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We all want to be seen and heard. My past and present clients used to struggle with the time-consuming challenges of marketing and communications. They were falling behind the rest of the world as time marched on.

That is why I combined my passion for Graphic Design and Community Planning to give non-profits, small businesses, and entrepreneurs a voice in our ever-changing society!

 

TOOLKIT

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           GRAPHIC DESIGN: Branding, Displays, Presentations, Web, Illustrations, Paintings, Videos, Animation

           ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE: Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Audition, After Effects  

           MARKETING: Word Press, WiX, BlackBaud, Asana, Constant Contact, MailChimp, Canva, Figma,

                                 Event Brite, Shopify, Printful, Every Action

           GOOGLE SUITE: Gmail, Drive, Calendar, Meet, Slides, Forms, Ads

           SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn

           MICROSOFT OFFICE SUITE: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Publisher, SharePoint, Teams 

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CAREER EXPERIENCE

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GRAPHIC DESIGN CONSULTANT                                                                                                                        January 2016 – present

BJB Multimedia – Pittsburg, CA

Creates marketing and graphic design services for single and group clients. Provides posters, brochures, and videos for event and exhibition planning. Improves promotional advertising for small businesses and non-profit organizations.

 

RESEARCH ASSOCIATE                                                                                                                                              April 2013 – present

Restore Our Community Coalition - Buffalo, NY 

Designs visual branding for award-winning community development program. Assists Executive Director and Chairperson with the administration of case studies, press releases, event planning, and social media content. Engaged membership with twenty new partnerships and 4,000 new individual supporters.

 

          DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS                                                                               September 2023 ‐ March 2024

          Children’s Day School ‐ San Francisco, CA

          Initiated strategic communications for internal and external outreach among staff, faculty, and board

          members to tell the story of a co-educational institution. Increased school's brand presence that distinguishes

          it from competing Pre K-8 schools in San Francisco.

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WEBMASTER & GRAPHIC DESIGNER                                                                                                                May 2021 – August 2023

Pacific School of Religion – Berkeley, CA

Manages website with WordPress, organizes online campus store with Printful and Shopify, and reinforces visual branding with Illustrator and InDesign. Serves as communications liaison between Admissions and Development departments by managing web and graphic design projects for campus programs, events, and conferences. Maximized engagement among students, alumnx, and donors for the mission-centric institution.

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GRAPHIC DESIGNER                                                                                                                                  February 2019 – August 2020

The Salvation Army Kroc Community Center – Suisun City, CA

Collaborated with manager on branding strategy for year-round programs and events. Designed new Branding Book to re-establish the center’s visual identity. Improved the public profile for one of twenty-six Salvation Army Kroc Centers nationwide.

 

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER                                                                                                                           May 2017 – August 2018

Preservation Buffalo Niagara - Buffalo, NY

Redesigned website and relaunched the newsletter for an architectural preservation organization. Revived marketing outreach through new partnerships and community events. Secured three local landmark designations through twelve new partnerships and over 100 individual new members.

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FINANCIAL EDUCATION SPECIALIST                                                                                                            October 2016 – March 2017

The Service Collaborative of Western New York – Buffalo, NY

Collaborated through an AmeriCorps assignment with the United Way of Buffalo & Erie County. Provided Power Point presentations about financial literacy for the Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope (CASH) Coalition. Earned certificate by serving low and middle-class clients during the 2016-2017 tax season.

 

 

VOLUNTARY EXPERIENCE

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BOARD MEMBER                                                                                                        March 2017 – June 2018; January 2021 - present

Locust Street Neighborhood Art Classes, Inc. - Buffalo, NY

Collaborated with a revitalization team for a non-profit art institute during a period of transition. Recorded monthly board meetings, signed checks, and approved payroll. Established a long-range plan that improved personnel and community outreach relationships.

 

GUEST AUTHOR                                                                                                                                                     August 2013 - present

Buffalo Rising - Buffalo, NY

Publishes educational articles for a blog promoting arts, culture, history, and community planning in the

Buffalo-Niagara region.

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PARTICIPATORY BUDGET DELEGATE                                                                                                         September 2015 – April 2016

Clean Air Coalition, Buffalo, NY

Served as liaison for an under-represented community for Buffalo’s inaugural Participatory Budget program. Introduced the “Little Free Libraries” program, which brought five little libraries to Buffalo’s Masten Council District on an $8,000 budget.

 

GRAPHIC DESIGN INTERN                                                                                                                        October 2014 – January 2015

Abbey Mecca & Company - Buffalo, NY

Designed logos, posters, and brochures using Adobe Creative Suite. Assisted on branding and advertising material for a comprehensive advertisement agency.

  

AWARDS & HONORS

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CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION for the concentration of CRAFTING COMMUNITY NARRATIVES                                              2020

Congress for New Urbanism – Washington, DC

 

PRESERVATION AWARD for EDUCATION, OUTREACH, and PLANNING                                                                                        2019

Preservation Buffalo Niagara – Buffalo, NY

 

CERTIFICATE OF NATIONAL SERVICE                                                                                                                                                2017

Corporation for National & Community Service - Buffalo, NY

 

WILLIAM DORSHEIMER COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD                                                                                                                 2016

Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy - Buffalo, NY

 

EDUCATION

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Continuing Education Diploma, Entrepreneurship in Creative Arts

Buffalo State University - Buffalo, NY

 

Master of Fine Arts Degree, Visual Communications

Rochester Institute of Technology - Rochester, NY

 

Bachelor of Arts Degree, Environmental Design

State University of New York at Buffalo - Buffalo, NY