Senior Director of Marketing Communications & Education
  
National Home Furnishings Association
April, 2006 – Present
High Point, North Carolina
   

Responsibilities include managing three departments to oversee the association’s marketing/creative direction and brand development, evaluate education programs and implementation, manage an off-site Resource Center during Furniture Markets including exhibitor coordination and leasing, as well as serve as managing publisher and creative contributor to the association’s trade magazine Home Furnishings Retailer. Provide creative leadership, conceptualization, and hands-on design as well as mentor staff designer. Able to work diplomatically with all departments, affiliates and areas of the industry; possess excellent multi-tasking skills and very conscientious to remain within department's budgetary parameters. Extremely well organized and dedicated to developing, recommending and creating the appropriate creative communication tools to achieve the association's strategic goals.
     
Creative Director
  
Endura Products, Inc.
October, 2001 – April, 2006
  
Colfax, North Carolina
   
Managed all aspects of marketing department's creative development with regard to branding implementation, print collateral, sales presentations, website and trade show graphics from concept to final art. Also responsible for coordinating vendor resources, managing in-house and outside graphics resources as required, able to effectively manage and produce projects on tight deadlines, report directly to company president. Called upon company-wide for a variety of creative and graphic needs and valued as an integral part of the company’s professional image.
     
Senior Creative Designer
  
Crescendo Technologies Group
April, 2000 – May, 2001
  
Alpharetta, Georgia
   
Responsible for client consulting, design, development and quality control of websites and printed material. Worked with a variety of business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients to design effective graphic interfaces for their web pages and print collateral while addressing branding issues. Also responsible for coordinating vendor resources, tracking project stages as well as mentoring and supervising other designers.
     
Lead Creative Designer
  
Lithonia Lighting
April, 1995 – April, 2000
  
Conyers, Georgia
   
Created effective design for production of product collateral, web graphics, presentations, trade show and display graphics for the largest lighting manufacturer in North America. Interfaced with all aspects of print production from concept meetings to comp presentations, print-ready files and press approvals. Directed photo shoots and produced concept storyboards for video. Maintained excellent professional relationships and communication with product group clients. I set the pace for the entire design staff with regard to multifaceted product launches and campaigns, introduced innovative concepts and provided instruction and information. Designed a highly successful architectural lighting ad campaign which won awards for outstanding achievements in advertising. I was responsible for defining and maintaining Lithonia Lighting's corporate branding, and was frequently called upon company wide to consult on many graphics issues. My troubleshooting abilities, initiative, innovative ideas, professionalism and commitment to excellence made me a vital member of the Marketing Department.
     
Graphic Designer
  
Keyboard Composition
1987 – 1995
 
Atlanta, Georgia
   
Implemented creative design concepts in the production of corporate identity packages, logos, brochures, newsletters, print ads and a variety of other print media to satisfy a broad range of client needs. Coordinated tight deadlines while handling a diverse work load and co-management of the studio. Developed and maintained strong client relations; improved the efficiency of this small three-person studio while strengthening the company’s reputation and increasing productivity and revenue.
     
   
Art Institute of Atlanta
    
1984 – 1986
  
Atlanta, Georgia
   
Graduated with an Associate in Arts degree in Visual Communications.
     
 
   
Proficient in QuarkXpress, Adobe InDesign, PageMaker, Illustrator, Freehand, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Flash, and Dreamweaver. Windows and Mac platforms.