Graphic Designer

Marcus & Millichap: The Vara Group

2023-present

Graphic Designer for the marketing team of The Vara Group within Marcus & Millichap’s Seattle office.

Contribute to The Vara Group’s commercial investment property specialist team by effectively presenting their research and analysis on behalf of their clients. Create marketing packages including print and digital collateral: proposals, offering memorandums, research reports, emails, and social graphics. Assist with the team’s rebrand and social media foundation. Copy edit and proofread written content. Source and retouch photos. Print and bind proposals.

Photo Retoucher

Tara Gimmer Photography/TAGphoto

2013-present

Freelance, remote. Retouch studio headshots and on-location portrait sessions. Maintain consistent exposure and color balance. Write Photoshop actions to expedite layer setup and batch saving. Even surface and tone of skin and teeth, smooth hair, remove glasses refraction, and straighten clothes. Receive RAW files through PhotoShelter and return completed images via Dropbox.

Communicate promptly, adhere to quick turnaround time, and deliver specific client requests. Adapt processes and provide prototypes of expanded client services in support of owner’s vision and future business goals. 

Assist on location shoots by transporting and setting up equipment, interacting with clients, and recording client concerns and post production requests.

Photo Retoucher

Rad Power Bikes via Creative Circle

2023

Freelance, remote. Retouch and clip out product images for the ebike customizer shopping experience. Align each edited image with bike frame to ensure accurate and consistent scale and lighting.

Senior Graphic Designer

Tori Belle Cosmetics and LashLiner Inc.

2020-2022

(View work samples here.)

Design email and website banners, product spec sheets, social media content, and internal marketing collateral for both online retail companies (LashLiner Inc. and Tori Belle Cosmetics) as well as for Tori Belle’s affiliate program. Using Adobe Creative Suite, retouch and composite photos and incorporate with design elements in representation of the Tori Belle and LashLiner brands and products. Create marketing collateral for events including conferences, incentive trips, in-house fundraisers, and virtual productions. Edit copy and collaborate with translators to produce Spanish and French iterations of marketing collateral. Develop templates, Adobe Libraries, and style guides. Present and implement website and social media content format revisions in consideration of both desktop and mobile experiences by collaborating with the eCommerce Team. 

Design product catalog to represent product line expansions and to educate affiliates and their customers about product ingredients and benefits, packaging utilization, and purchasing options. Organize product categories, write and edit copy, and create imagery (retouching, color-correcting, compositing, and shooting).

Share processes from studio team background in hopes of elevating and streamlining the collaborative potential of the Creative Team. Outline and implement archiving systems for creative assets and Creative Team projects. Research design trends, brands, and voices in the cosmetics and fashion industries and present concepts to Creative Team members and leadership with the intention of establishing brand standards and guidelines that are thoughtfully inclusive and scalable.

Graphic Designer and Photographer

Restaurants Unlimited Inc.

2018-2019

(View work samples here.)

Utilize Adobe Creative Cloud software to concept and design print and digital marketing collateral for twenty brands nationwide, including Palisade, Cutters, Kincaid's, and Henry's Tavern. Increase guest engagement through marketing emails, social media, and magazine advertisements. Develop postcards, flyers, posters, and signage for display in restaurants. Build partnerships between restaurants and community organizations through creative event promotion.

Expand asset library by shooting, editing, and categorizing new imagery, including textures, backgrounds, locations, and other stock imagery.

Create and deliver photographic assets for events including the Restaurants Unlimited Annual Leadership Conference (Cedarbrook Lodge and Elysian Taproom), National Hockey League media broadcast events (Henry's Tavern SLU), the setup and filming of an Evening Magazine segment (Henry's Tavern Bellevue), and multiple restaurant locations.

Photograph food and beverages for upcoming campaigns. Photograph craft cocktails for Seattle Cocktail Week 2019 and RUI's seasonal beverage specials. Deliver assets fitting for 20 restaurant brands. Utilize photographic assets for digital and print collateral. Photograph menu updates for Pizzeria Fondi. Incorporate imagery within Adobe Dimension composite scene for large-scale print advertisement.

Volunteer Photographer

KEXP Radio

2015-2019

(View portfolio here.)

Collaborate with video production team to photograph live studio sessions. Edit images and publish final set on KEXP's Flickr.

Volunteer Photojournalist

Seattle Music Insider

2014-2018

Schedule and confirm media coverage permission through artists and publicists. Photograph live music events, edit images, write reviews, and post content through WordPress to the Seattle Music Insider website. 

Wedding and Event Photographer

JayLee Photography

2016-2018

(View portfolio here.)

Document weddings as second shooter for principal photographer. Adhere to company standards in composition, lighting, and thorough coverage while delivering a fantastic client experience.

Also provide event coverage for corporate clients such as Planned Parenthood, Alaska Airlines, and the Russell Wilson Passing Academy.

Product Photo Editor, Editorial Photo Editor, and Production Artist

Zulily

2012-2016

(View work samples here.)

2012 - Joined zulily as a Product Photo Editor and earned a promotion to the Editorial Photo Editor team in 2013. Used Adobe Photoshop and Bridge to process and upload a high volume of product, editorial, and composite images for the daily-changing, fast-paced, commercial website. Regularly produced about 150% of peer average.

2014 - Earned a promotion to the Special Events Team as a Production Artist. Collaborated with merchandisers, stylists, photographers, and copywriters under art director leadership to produce unique shopping experiences. Design homepage tiles, banners, and button navigation for responsive website, mobile web, and mobile app for different devices. Incorporate visual and written assets into cohesive campaigns for brands including Disney, American Girl, PUMA, and Oakley, while also adhering to Zulily’s brand standards.

Uploaded assets and verified functionality on desktop and mobile devices. Communicated with team both in person and through Gmail, Outlook, and Basecamp.

Photojournalist and Graphic Designer

Rwanda Partners/All Across Africa

2011-2012

(View work samples here.)

My involvement with All Across Africa (formerly called Rwanda Partners) began with a graphic design internship in Seattle. I planned and implemented a benefit concert to fun uniforms for a school in Rwanda. I booked five artists to perform at The Triple Door's Musicquarium Lounge. I contacted businesses and gathered donations for a silent auction. I designed digital and print promotional materials and also distributed and hung posters.

As a volunteer photojournalist, I went to Rwanda for the second time in February 2012. I collaborated with Kigali-based staff and translators, traveling around the country to gather interviews, photographs, and research. My work focused on business development, education, healthcare, and reconciliation. I processed images using Adobe Photoshop CS5 and completed feature articles and updates from research and interviews I collected, sending content back to the Seattle office every few days.

After returning to the US, as a volunteer photographer and graphic designer, I styled and shot photographs demonstrating everyday use of Rwandan baskets. I designed the initial layout for an informational book utilized to sell baskets at Costco stores throughout the country. I also worked a 10-day Costco roadshow by sharing stories and information with customers and using the book to illustrate how the baskets were made, who the makers were, everyday uses for the products, and how supporting the business contributed directly and intentionally to the artisans and their communities.

Graphic Designer

ChocMo Chocolate Bistro

2011-2012

Design product packaging, print ads, and business identity materials. Photograph products, location, and events to represent all components of the new business: artisan chocolates, cafe, restaurant, and wine bar. Also work as the business’s only employee in every capacity.

Photographer and Photo Editor

Concordia College

2008-2011

Directed and conducted a photo shoot for "Eurydice" theatrical work's promotional materials. The photo shoot took place in a swimming pool. Photographs received first place in the 2011 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival.

Documented events for various music programs, including the band, choir, and community outreach masterclasses.

Worked as a photographer and then as the photo editor for "The Concordian," the weekly student-run newspaper. Collaborated with writers to cover current events and profile pieces and adhered to AP style in writing photo captions. Developed leadership and communication skills by organizing coverage amongst photographers, reporters, and editing staff. Selected effective imagery for news layouts in Adobe InDesign, edited photographs with Adobe Photoshop, and followed the NPPA code of ethics.