Design and Marketing Consultant
March 1998?Present

Working with organizations to motivate and inspire design staff, concept new product options, or produce media for a new approach to an already established brand. Past clients include: Music Direct, Edward Don, Allen Brothers, Eco-Technologies, The Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, Coldwell Banker Real Estate, and GB Affiliates.

Senior Art Director - Hammacher Schlemmer
March 1998?May 2001

Responsible for the look and feel of all materials, most significantly, the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog. Co-created with the Copy Director in creation of concepts?maintaining brand consistency. Worked with Head of Merchandising for product placement?paginating the twenty to twenty-five catalogs annually.

• Project Conception
• Layout and Design
• Photo Art Direction
• Final color approval of all printed pieces
• Hiring and management of design staff

Art Director/Graphic Designer - Visual Communication Chicago, Inc.
September 1991?March 1998

Began as a part time business venture and emerged into a full time position promoting such clients as Black & Decker, Camden Partners International, and The Meetinghouse Companies

• Concept through production of advertising campaigns
• Promotional and corporate identity programs
• Management of freelance designers, copywriters and photographers

Art Director / Designer - Donovan & Associates
November 1989?January 1993

Duties of this position included the conception and production of advertising campaigns promoting such clients as Shaxted, Robert Vance and JMB Urban Development Corporation. Campaigns included materials ranging from ROP ads to four and five-color catalogs. Materials produced included catalogs for the 900 North Michigan Shops, Oakbrook Center and Stratford Square.

• Concept and Design
• Model Selection
• Direction of Photography
• Final Press Checks

EDUCATION:

Master of Fine Arts [MFA]
Northern Illinois University; Studio Art?Painting, May 1989

Bachelor of Fine Arts [BFA]
Northern Illinois University; Studio Art?Illustration, December 1986

Associate of Arts [AA]
William Rainey Harper College; Liberal Arts, July 1982

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS/ CONTINUED EDUCATION:

College Art Association Annual Conference, Chicago, February 14-17, 2024

Adobe MAX, The Creative Conference, (Virtual), October 10-12, 2023

Illinois Art Education Association Annual Conference, Q Center, St. Charles, IL, Session Chair/Presenter, Human Wrongs, Human Rights, Session Chair/Presenter, November 11, 2022

National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development, NISOD Fall Virtual Conference, (Virtual) October 21, 2022, Session Presenter Staying in Touch with Reality: Human Rights Issues and Critical Thinking Skills."

Adobe MAX, The Creative Conference, (Hybrid), October 18-20, 2022

Adobe MAX, The Creative Conference, (Virtual), October 26-28, 2021

ArtConnectEd, Annual Conference, (Virtual), April 9-11, 2021, Session Speaker, It's Curated and It's Conceptual

College Art Association, Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, (Virtual) February 10-13, 2021, Session Speaker, While No One is Looking: Using Fine Art to Expose Climate Injustice and Advance Eco-Human Rights in the Post-Pandemic World.

College Art Association, Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, February 12-15, 2020

Illinois Art Education Association 2019 Fall Conference, St. Charles, IL, November 21-23, 2019, Session Speaker, Profound Art: Helping the Student to Understand Global Human Rights Issues through Personal Life Challenges

Society of Typographic Aficionados, TypeCon2019; Minneapolis, MN, August 28-September 1, 2019

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Annual Design Conference, Pasadena, CA, April 4-6, 2019

Illinois Art Education Association, Annual Conference, Bloomington-Normal, IL, November 9-10, 2018, Keynote Speaker, The Art of Influence: Breaking Criminal Traditions - Using the Arts to Create Social Change Session Speaker, Creating an Identity-Making Uncomfortable Content Approachable

Society of Typographic Aficionados, TypeCon2018; Xx, Portland, OR August 1-5, 2018

American Institute of Graphic Arts, AIGA Design Conference 2017, Minneapolis, MN, October 12-14, 2017

College Art Association, 105th Annual Conference, New York, February 15-18, 2017, Session Chair, Change Artists-Using the Arts to Leverage Change

College Art Association, Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, 2014

Society of Typographic Aficionados, TypeCon2013; Part&, Portland, OR 2013

Society of Typographic Aficionados, TypeCon2011: Surge, New Orleans, LA 2011

American Institute of Graphic Arts, GAIN Business Design Conference, New York2010

College Art Association, Annual Conference, Chicago, IL 2010

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Future History 3, Educators Conference, Chicago, IL 2009

American Institute of Graphic Arts, GAIN Business Design Conference, Chicago, IL 2008

QuarkXPress 8 Xperience Design Global Tour, Chicago, IL 2008

National University & College Designers Association, Design Education Summit, DeKalb, IL 2008

QuarkXPress Symposium, Chicago, IL 2007

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Next, National Design Conference, Denver, CO 2007

American Institute of Graphic Arts, The Power of Design, National Conference, Vancouver, BC 2003

American Institute of Graphic Arts, GAIN Chicago, one-day business conference, Chicago, IL 2003

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Regional Design Education Conference, Chicago, IL 2002

How Design Conference San Francisco, CA 2001

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Internet Only Design Conference, Miami Beach, FL 2000

American Institute of Graphic Arts, Risk & Reward Conference, San Francisco, CA 2000

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS:

College Art Association of America, Member; 1988-Present
American Institute of Graphic Arts, Member; 1999-Present
Society of Typographic Aficionados, Member; 2018-Present
Illinois Art Education Association, Member; 2019-Present
Filter Photo Festival, Reviewer; 2010,12, 2015-16