Career Experience:

Gather.com (Gather, Inc.) 2005-Present

Director, User Experience Design
Boston, MA

Provide creative vision, project management, user experience direction, functional architecture, and product management planning. Manage usability engineering and user testing programs. Oversee front-end development, and site content requirements.

  • Lead Gather's creative design and Web Development teams.
  • Conduct usability testing, customer research, and competitive analysis.
  • Provide all information architecture and site-wide application and navigation planning.
  • Maintain Gather.com’s site position on the cutting edge of user-generated media, social networking, and forward-thinking web 2.0 technology innovations.

NLG (National Leisure Group, Inc.) 2002-2004

Director, Creative Services
Woburn, MA

Lead and motivated in-house creative agency consisting of more than 20 web designers, print designers, copywriters, and traffic management. Directed brand identity for 30 owned and licensed brands including Expedia, Vacation Outlet, Cruises Only, Orbitz, Yahoo Travel, Priceline, BJ's Vacations, Sam's Club, Wal-Mart, and others. Deliverables include online advertising, web site design, catalogs, direct mail, retail display, newspaper/magazine advertising, and broadcast media. Responsible for trademarks, copyright, and other intellectual property. Managed $5M project workflow annually.

  • Integrated 6 new owned brands through acquisitions and mergers in 2003. Integration work included ad planning, brand overhaul, and new web site builds.
  • Built 11 additional license brands since 2002.
  • Instituted new email advertising programs and online affiliate programs.
  • Streamlined web promotion process improving go-to-market time by 200% and increasing production by 300%.
  • Consolidated print and web teams under unified creative leadership.
  • Implemented improvements to increase usability and conversion.
  • Launched new brand identity for NLG corporate, Cruises Only, Vacation Outlet, Cruises.com, and BJ's Vacations.

Gateway, Inc. 1997-2002

Art Director/Manager, Web Design and UI
Beverly, MA (2000-2002)

Developed strategies, prepared budgets, and set project timelines for complex eCommerce projects including Gateway.com, Gateway Accessory Store, NECXdirect.com, eSource, email marketing, online advertising, and other initiatives. Directed photography and external resources. Created and enforced brand strategies and style guidelines, navigation standards and user interface protocols. Motivated and managed Web design and production teams.

  • Improved conversion rates and increased annual revenue to nearly $250 million on Gateway.com due to a major redesign aimed at creating a more unified brand presence and improved user experience.
  • Increased close rates by 50% and increased revenue from $85 million to $110 million on the Gateway Accessory Store and NECXdirect.com through implementation of a sitewide redesign, improved navigation, and functional enhancements.
  • Increased traffic to Gateway.com more than 175% through introducing online advertising and email marketing programs raising total visits to nearly 110 million shoppers each year.
  • Designed and implemented new shopping cart and checkout process for Gateway.com resulting in increased accessory sales of $12 million annually, 25% over previous sales figures.
  • Reduced turnaround time on design approvals by half through negotiation of new procedures with legal, branding, and trademark departments.
  • Integrated the recently acquired NECXdirect brand into the Gateway family of Internet properties.

Design Team Lead, Web Design and UI
San Diego, CA (1999-2000)
Provided design services, brand direction, and project management for major Web initiatives and enhancements. Coordinated redesign efforts. Specialized in navigation and user interface design. Managed new product launches, photography, and usability testing. Supervised designers.

  • Participated in transitioning the previous eCommerce design organization to the new corporate HQ located in San Diego, California.
  • Designed and implemented eSource allowing B2B clients to create sites personalized to each client's individual needs. More than 5,000 eSource sites have generated 300+ million quotes and leads.
  • Introduced interactive product tours providing customers with increased access to detailed information about Gateway products, while maintaining minimal clicks to their purchasing goal.
Senior Designer, Marcom/Digital Publishing
North Sioux City, South Dakota (1997-1999)
Managed design and production of print advertising, marketing communications and sales support collateral. Developed and managed photography and document archive as a support tool to sales, marketing, and eCommerce. Implemented new corporate identity system and monitored branding usage. Participated in project management, staff supervision, and budgeting.

  • Developed and supervised an in-house, on-demand digital publishing operation with 24-hour turnaround to provide personalized collateral to Fortune 500 clients.
  • Instituted relationship-marketing initiatives through online, email, and fax technology allowing account teams to easily access targeted communications for major business clients.
  • Implemented special programs to promote sales through our Campus Computing Program helping Gateway increase it's exposure to the education market.
GPU Energy, Inc., (firstEnergy, Inc.) 1988 - 1997
Art Director, Corporate Communications, Middletown, PA
Managed all advertising, video production, graphics, illustration, publishing, printing, photography, display and interior design needs for the Office of the President, Communications, and Marketing divisions. These projects included brochures, books, newsletters, advertising, presentations, stationery, proposals, signs, logos, trade shows, and packaging. Handled scheduling, budgets, purchasing.

  • Designed two energy education centers saving more than $100,000 in design and architect expenditures.
  • Contributed photographic work to Life Magazine and the Smithsonian Institute.
  • Participated in public affairs, employee communications, and media relations.
  • Implemented new identity system and managed corporate branding.
  • Consolidated in-house graphics and photography functions from four facilities to one.
  • Converted TV/video operations to non-linear digital video systems and trained operators.
  • Designed zero-effluent darkroom for black and white photography.
  • Honored with more than 40 awards for design, advertising and public relations.
Pomeroy's Department Stores, Inc., 1987 - 1988
Senior Photographer, Harrisburg, PA

Provided fashion and hard-line photography for catalog, newspaper and magazine advertising. Participated in planning and production of broadcast advertising. Managed all studio operations and budgets. Coordinated stylists and talent. Designed sets, props, and scouted locations.

  • Mastered complex lighting techniques for difficult products such as glass, jewelry, and fragrances.
  • Developed specialties for large-set photography and location shooting.
  • Fluent with 35mm, 645, and large-format photography.
Volt Information Sciences, Inc., 1986 - 1987
Graphics Specialist, Blue Bell, PA

Make-ready artist for Bell Yellow Pages until promoted to camera graphics department.

Other Experience:

Fine Artist, 1983 - Present
Participated in more than 200 exhibitions in galleries and museums across the Unites States and Europe. Artistic mediums include photography, sculpture, printmaking, and hand-blown glass.

  • Included in the permanent collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
  • Honored with eight exhibit awards including four Best of Show honors.
  • Organized panel discussions and accepted several lecture invitations.
New Art Voices, 1993 - 1997
Board President, Director, Lancaster, PA

Director of Programs and Communications for this non-profit community organization whose mission was promotion, development and experimentation in all artistic media. Created mission and vision. Developed marketing plans and budgets. Other duties included fund-raising and event management.

  • Developed organization branding and visibility programs.
  • Managed more than 30 events and curated 20 exhibitions.
  • Increased membership to nearly 500 members and attendance exceeding 3000 guests per event.
Pennsylvania State University, 1996
Adjunct Professor, Harrisburg, PA

Taught advertising, design, typography, and desktop publishing to senior-year communications students. The course featured instruction in QuarkXpress and Adobe PhotoShop software and imaging equipment. Recommended curriculum, software, and computer hardware.



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