EDUCATION:

 

BFA

(Studio Art; Emphasis in Graphic Design, minor in Drawing)

Indiana University of Pennsylvania

 

University of Ljubljana

(Academy of Visual Communications)

Ljubljana, Slovenia

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

 

Brand Mercenary

Simko Creative

Washington, DC

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With nearly two decades of professional design experience, my skills include the conception of new and refreshed brand strategies, the development of identities and brand expressions, advertising and social campaigns, as well as the design of marketing communications materials. In addition to these skills, I have also learned to communicate efficiently with key client stakeholders, as well as collaborate effectively with primary agency contacts and leads. I’m doing so, it is my mission to maintain an on-time and impactful deliverable workflow. 

As a graphic designer, illustrator and art director for several businesses and organizations, I have developed a unique style that incorporates my freehand talents with experience and knowledge of the latest in design technologies. Earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and studying at The Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Ljubljana, Slovenia, my background in the arts includes many forms of traditional and non-traditional media, as well as art history. With this foundation, I continue to explore how these fundamentals can be applied to new forms of communication and design. With over fifteen years of professional design expertise supporting a diverse range of clients that includes corporations, retail, non-profit, government and traditional advertising agencies, I have created an authentic and unique style that has consistently proven to be successful.

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Associate / Creative Director 

CHIEF

Washington, DC

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As an Associate Director, I serve as a creative lead in all aspects of branding, print and interactive design, as well as work closely with the project management, technology, and strategy teams to ensure seamless production of creative work. As a proven leader, mentoring and managing creative teams, I help to establish strong brand experiences and identities. With over 15 years of industry experience, I have become skilled in all aspects of the design process—from conception to completion. Having established the visual identity for over a hundred businesses and organizations, I have proven to bring a wealth of brand development experience to CHIEF. 

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Art Director / Creative Director

The Adfero Group

Washington, DC

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As the first creative hire at Adfero, my primary responsibility was to grow the creative capabilities of the agency into a fully functioning internal design department, servicing all of the agency’s client creative needs. This role included speerheading the development of innovative design concepts across several forms of media, building effective brands for a number of different organizations, large government agencies, associations, as well as establishing a consistent, efficient workflow of strong design deliverables. My role also included growing and mentoring a team of in-house and external design resources, managing all creative work-flow, utilization, as well as participating in new business development. As the head of the creative department, I also helped to establish a symbiotic relationship with each of the individual account leads and especially our interactive department to create new, innovative forms of UX/UI designs.

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Owner 

Simko Creative

Annapolis, MD / Washington DC

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As an independent contract designer and art director, I have built seamless aesthetic and visual identities as well as established brand recognition for over a hundred businesses and organizations. I have also collaborated with several area communications firms including GMMB, Craft Communications, Gumbinner and Davies, Borcz:Dixon, Herrmann Advertising, The Pomerantz Agency, as well as others. In addition to this, I have also continued to supply numerous charities with marketing campaigns and promotional identities in order to build awareness and support around specific causes.

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Art Director / Senior Designer 

Rams Head Marketing & Promotions

Annapolis, MD

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As art director and senior designer of Ram’s Head, my role was to establish a strong brand presence for the Rams Head Group, a proprietor of several restaurants, taverns, and live performance venues across much of eastern Maryland, most notably, Annapolis and Baltimore. This position included developing and executing all marketing and advertising materials for the company’s various events, promotions, and performances through a variety of different media including television, radio, social media, out-of-home and traditional advertising.

 

During the duration of time there, I also helped to establish a strong and recognizably consistent brand presence for each of the organization’s various venues. In order to do so, I worked towards an extremely deliberate and consistent brand essence and voice, maintained a streamlined visual identity across all materials, as well as rebuilt each of the sub-brands visual identities in order to realign with the overall look and feel of Rams Head. 

 

Art Director

Borcz : Dixon Advertising

Crofton, MD 

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As primary lead on creative activities of this traditional advertising agency, I developed numerous successful brands, print advertising and social media campaigns, interactive experiences, and collateral packages for several associations and corporations. As the art director, I also maintained a steady workflow of effective design deliverables for the agency, as well as mentored a team of junior designers and external resources. My responsibilities included executing top level design outcomes, maintaining strong quality control of all creative projects, establishing seamless client and vendor communication, project budgeting and utilization of design resources as well as helping to push new opportunities for the agency. 

 

Senior Designer (contract)

CRAFT media

Washington, DC

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As a senior contract designer for CRAFT, I conceptualized and created several different brand identities and correlating collateral packages and interactive experiences for a variety of different organizations, agencies, and political figures. Among these, I worked on establishing a personal brand package for a well-known Congressman and political leader.

 

Senior Designer (contract)

Gumbinner & Davies Communications

Washington, DC

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During the 2010 election cycle, I contracted full-time and on-site to create countless direct mail and campaign materials for a large variety of local, state-wide and national candidates running for a variety of different offices. This was extremely fast-paced and time sensitive work, demanding efficient workflow and strong communication with campaign liaisons and copywriters. After 2010, I have continued to support Gumbinner and Davies in limited capacities during future election seasons.

 

Senior Designer  (contract)

Herrmann Advertising and Design

Annapolis, MD 

 

Senior Designer (contract)

The Pomerantz Agency 

Annapolis, MD 

 

Senior Designer (contract)

The Cordish Company

Baltimore, MD 

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As a full-time, on-site contract designer for Cordish, I focused on designing logo identities and supporting materials for the various urban development projects nationwide. This included designing the logo identities for existing projects as well as the marketing and proposal materials for projected projects in new cities. I also helped to supply design support on promotional materials for existing establishments, including PowerPlant Live in the Baltimore Harbor.

 

Senior Graphic Designer

Homestead Gardens

Davidsonville, MD

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As the primary creative and in-house designer, I created all marketing materials, publications, internal and external communication materials as well as advertising for this large-scale retail and distribution garden center. During this time, I utilized much of my illustration skill set to establish a very specific and recognizable brand on a national level. I also handled all vendor and printing communications, workflow processes and external resourcing.

 

Graphic Designer

BoatU.S. Corporation

Alexandria, VA

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As an entry level designer, I worked my way up through this in-house design department to become one of the leaders in the design of numerous publications, retail and membership marketing and advertising materials, corporate branding, internal and external corporate communication needs, company collateral materials, as well as a quarterly national magazine, distributed to over a million readers.

 

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS:

 

›› Extensive knowledge of all current Adobe Creative Suite      

   programs, Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Office, Prezi and

   other business software applications

 

›› Strong experience in developing conceptual strategies

   for advertising, social media, communication outreach,

   as well as digital campaigns

 

›› Experience with overseeing multiple projects and collaborating

   with design and account staff as well as clients to yield efficient

   and effective creative solutions

 

›› Execptional illustration and fine art skills, including   

    photography, painting, printmaking, and drawing

 

›› Understanding of interactive design, including latest trends

   and best practices associated with user experience and user

   interface design

 

›› Advanced proficiency in the  development of new brands,  

   including brand design elements and building a comprehensive

   brand essence, voice and identity

 

›› Intense background in fine arts, including art history, design

   history, and a clear understanding of creative and aesthetic

   devices

 

›› Extensive experience with resource utilization, budgeting,

   creative project management and leading a diverse design

   team

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AWARDS:

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2017 AIGA DC 50 Award

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American Advertising Award 2018 Gold Award

Elements of Advertising: Illustration

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2016 AIGA DC 50 Award

 

2010 Reed AwardBest Statewide Mail Piece: Produced for AFSCME in the US Senate race in Missouri 2010 Reed AwardBest Congressional Mail Piece: Produced for Congressman Chris Murphy (CT-5) 2010 Reed AwardBest State Legislative Mail Piece: Produced for the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee in Ohio

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: OVERALL CAMPAIGN - Max Tyler vs. Edgar Johansson

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURECAMPAIGN: U.S. SENATE

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURECAMPAIGN: STATE LEGISLATURE - DEMOCRAT(Bungee Jumper)

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: INDEPENDENT EXPENDITURECAMPAIGN: STATE LEGISLATURE - DEMOCRAT(Pig In Folder)

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: BEST USE OF NEGATIVE/CONTRAST: STATEWIDE

 

2011 American Association of Political Consultants POLLIE AWARD: DIRECT MAIL - PUBLIC AFFAIRS