A brand builder.
A brand is a collection of experiences, memories, attitudes, and beliefs that shape our perceptions. A brand is a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, organization, or an individual. I help brands, both people and organizations, grow. I shine light on the truth. I uncover the essence of who they are, and where they want to be. Whether it’s WinCo Foods or a sophomore in high school, I help brands differentiate themselves from the competition. So they are unique. So they stand for something.
After more than 17 years in both creative and client services at a Boise-based ad agency I helped build from scratch, I have spent the past handful of years running a student-powered creative studio and collaborating with an incredible team of leaders and students to build one of the most innovative high schools in the nation.
A creative catalyst.
My first boss and mentor once described me as “a 5 tool player,” and I’ve developed a lot more skills since then. I’m a leader, planner, design thinker, facilitator, collaborator, copywriter, graphic designer, video director, producer, and editor, website manager, content creator, public relations and event planner, public speaker, and memory maker. I combine empathy, insight, elaboration, grit, and a passion for advertising, media, and culture to achieve business objectives through comprehensive campaigns, brand development, insightful storytelling, compelling content and design, as well as experiential marketing.
A candid coach.
Empowering creative confidence is what I do everyday. Building highly-collaborative teams is how I do it. Both require trust, vulnerability, candor, energy, optimism, and an ability to identify and leverage other’s strengths. I encourage teams to fail fast, take risks, and always push for quantity. Though I have confidence in my own creative skills, I first prefer to delegate, elaborate, and collaborate. I constantly ask for feedback from everyone around me, and I give consistent, constructive, and candid feedback. I lead. I get my hands dirty. I have fun doing it. I value people over principle and results over ego. That’s the secret to my coaching success.
Disclaimer: These words are how my co-workers describe me.
Employment History:
Creative Director & Coach, One Stone (2015-current)
Serves on Leadership Team that develops, communicates, and shares One Stone’s mission, vision, values, and stories of transformation and growth
Directs all marketing planning, branding, and creative development on a local, regional, national, and global level
Designs and iterates one of the nation’s most innovative learning and assessment models
Writes and designs print collateral and presentations for national funding partners
Plans, manages, and designs the onestone.org website
Writes, directs, and edits video
Coaches high school students in a variety of design thinking and creative experiences
Advises 8-12 students with academic, social/emotional, and professional growth per year
Two Birds, LLC Creative Studio Director (2015-current)
Leads all training, staffing, new business, client relations, planning and creative, invoicing, as well as the production schedule for One Stone’s student-powered creative studio that typically bills about $50,000 annually
Coaches multiple, fluid and diverse project teams (approximately 75 high school students per year) with vast levels of experience in a variety of paid and pro bono client projects ranging from brand and strategic planning, identity design, video, web, outdoor, social, publication design, experiential and event marketing, and design thinking consulting
Ensures all final student work is at a professional level of quality through grit, patience, iteration, candor, elaboration, and personal intervention (if necessary)
Freelance Creative (2015-2018)
Developed and managed client relationships
Planned campaigns, built brands, wrote copy, designed logos, websites, and collateral
VP Creative/VP Brand Planning, DaviesMoore/Marketing Media Group (1998-2015)
Built agency culture as member of the agency’s leadership team
Directed all marketing planning, strategy, and creative development
Managed a seven-person creative department and production schedule
Led a five-person integrated PR team (digital, event, and experiential)
Built brands as lead copywriter and designer
Produced and directed video, film, and photo shoots
Wrote and designed all new business proposals, pitches, and RFPs
Produced all marketing plans, briefs, and strategy documents
Developed estimates, timelines, and production schedules
Coordinated vendor/partner relationships and wrangled talent
Hired as the agency’s first employee and worked in creative, planning, account, public relations, and media teams
Profile & Skills
Flexible, gritty, and collaborative leader who builds creative cultures through candor and accountability
Excellent manager, communicator, and uses human-centered design to solve complex challenges
Loyal and highly-respected, recognized for integrity, empathy, and character
Technically skilled in Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, Premiere), Squarespace, Google Suite, Microsoft Office
Education
University of Idaho, B.S. Public Communication/Marketing Minor
