Creative and strategic leader.
Strategic creative leader with a proven track record in retail design, branding and design thinking with an extensive history of delivering innovative and successful retail concepts for premium brands, both domestic and international.
Experienced in creative leadership, problem-solving, brand development, strategy, and design implementation. Focused on understanding and defining brands and translating them into unique physical and meaningful experiences.
EXPERTISE
Team Building + Mentoring
Creative Direction
Creative and Analytical Problem Solving
Brand Design + Strategy
Conceptual Design
Market + Trend Research
Store Design + Developement
Space Planning
Visual Merchandising
Material/Finishes Research + Selection
Space Planning
Retail Fixture + Furniture Design
Prototype Development
Guideline Creation
Experience
WAYFAIR HEAD OF EXPERIENTIAL CREATIVE | WAYFAIR + SPECIALTY CREATIVE // July 2023 - present
Environmental + store design | Branded environments | Special event design |
Retail signage | In-store copy | Custom branded packaging | Retail multimedia displays
The Experiential Creative team works with cross-functional partners to develop differentiated retail concepts and define the brand presence in the physical design space. Working with key stakeholders and business leaders on the brand, marketing and physical retail teams, the Experiential Creative team provides strategic planning, concept design and creative direction on store design and experiential marketing programs that leverage the brand language to create engaging and resonant experiences.
Projects include:
• Wayfair stores
• Perigold stores
• All Modern stores
• Joss & Main stores
• Birch Lane stores
• Bravocon activations
SHERIDAN & CO HEAD OF DESIGN // 2006 - February 2021
Led the creative direction and design of an international, multi-disciplined team. Managed successful domestic and international pitches and projects for global brands, with responsibilities including preparing client proposals and budgets, establishing strategic and creative direction, and ensuring deliverables surpassed expectations. Oversaw design projects through the strategy, creative, development, and implementation stages.
• Fostered and maintained client relationships.
• Responsible for building creative team.
• Key role in establishing studio culture.
• Led and mentored a team of junior, middle and senior designers.
• Manage and track profitibility of projects.
• Proactive approach designing new concepts, techniques and processes.
Key achievements include:
Effectively led international strategy, creative, and technical teams in the pitch and design of one of the largest banks in Georgia, Europe.
Headed strategy, global branding, and design for Morphe, one of the world’s fastest-growing cosmetic brands.
Led the design, development and implementation of the first retail concepts for beauty icon and leader Pat McGrath Labs.
Managed 90% of the 2019 and 2020 internal design projects within the allocated budget.
Key Clients: Fenty Beauty, Estee Lauder, TBC Bank and Pat McGrath Labs.
FORCE MAJURE (aka Raison Pure) Senior Designer // 2002 - 2005
Established the product and packaging design department of Raison Pure's New York office. Developed and led numerous projects for a broad range of clients, ranging from entrepreneurial start-ups to major international corporations.
Key Clients: Unilever, Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson and AT Cross.
FUTUREBRAND DESIGNER // 1999 - 2002
Worked on large roster of internationally known clients to produce innovative packaging, product and display concepts. Collaborated with the branding, graphics and advertising teams.
Key Clients: ExxonMobil, BectonDickinson and Nestlé.
Education
ADOBE CREATIVE SUITE Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator
3D STUDIO MAX
VRAY
SKETCHUP (basic knowledge)
RHINO
Education
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY Bachelor of Industrial Design