Creative Blueprint Design

Ellicott City, MD
Est. Mar. 2019
Freelance Graphic Designer since 2006

Full-time Graphic Design company.

• Design and establish company branding, logos, marketing materials, books, invitations and direct mail campaigns

• Run all aspects of the business, including client acquisition, accounting, time and budget management, customer communications and service 

• Notable clients include Plants Nouveau, Yamaha Music School, Marathon Youth Ministry, Paradigm Press

AGorA Financial

Baltimore, MD
Art Director, Jun. 2012– Mar. 2019
Graphic Design, Feb. 2006– Jun. 2012

Agora Financial is an independent publishing company that provides unbiased, economic commentary, market news and analysis through free and paid print and online publications. Customer acquisition methods are focused on direct response marketing.  

• Art Director for a multi-million-dollar financial publishing company overseeing the print and online presence focusing on a streamlined user experience from acquisition through retention 

• Hired, managed, collaborated and worked closely with a team of designers, establishing workflows, lead designs and coordinated priorities while also communicating with all levels of management 

• Developed strategic ideas for website redesigns, rebranding, direct mailers, renewals and retention of customers to support marketing team with targeted and audience-aware solutions

• Highly organized with a strong background in prioritizing and managing a high-volume, fast-paced workflow while practicing strong attention to detail, critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Creatively versatile and aware of customers goals to tailor designs to their needs while presenting strong conceptual/visual designs

• Established creative concepts within direct response, financial and technology driven markets to increase revenue and acquire new customers

• Created and laid out a large range of print and web media, including newsletters, reports, direct mailings, renewals, books and event materials

• Up-to-date with industry leading software (Adobe Creative Cloud, namely InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and Acrobat) and using Wordpress day to day while being comfortable understanding online platforms.

• Worked directly with printers and fulfillment teams to provide all needed specifications and to ensure quality outputs

• Oversaw and established branding collateral and workflows to ensure multi-discipliniary teams find assets and use them adhering to branding guidelines

• Took on responsibilities to oversee and manage our stock image library Shutterstock and Adobe licenses/Creative Cloud

• Developed and managed relationships outside of the company, organizing and providing art direction for professional photoshoots, also hiring and managing design contractors, freelance copy-editors and indexers on an as-needed basis

  “I truly cannot say enough good things about Susi. I have yet to come across another leader and/or designer with her level of attention to detail, determination, integrity, talent, communication skills, and professionalism. I had the privilege of having her as my supervisor/manager while working at Agora, and to be honest, she's the best boss I've ever had. She truly cares about the work AND the people, making them both the strongest possible. She personally trained and equipped me with the knowledge needed to succeed and challenged me to be a better designer than even I thought I could be. She taught me to fine tune details I had never even noticed before in my designs, and she always had the perfect solution to any problem that might arise. Susi's creativity and talent shows in all kinds of ways, from her problem solving and organizational skills to her interior decor artistry and graphic design. Her respect for her work, her clients, and her team members is unmatched and visible in everything she does.”

  — Kristen Talbott, Former Graphic Designer at Agora Financial

Association of American Medical Colleges

Washington D.C.

Graphic Design Intern, Aug. 2005–Feb. 2006

The AAMC serves a vital purpose as the nation’s voice for America’s medical schools and teaching hospitals. 

• Learned about branding guidelines and the importance of a cohesive company presence 

• Executed prompt turn-around times in a fast-paced professional environment.

• Applied branding while designing a multitude of print collateral including newsletters, postcards, brochures, magazine covers and posters for an annual conference

“Any agency or organization will benefit from Susi’s expertise and work ethics. Susi showed great enthusiasm and willingness to learn. She is open to suggestions and has a “can do” attitude at all times.”

— Douglas Ortiz, Creative Manager, Association of American Medical Colleges, Washington D.C.

Yamaha Music School of Boston

Boston, MA

Yamaha Corporate Music Schools

Los Angeles, CA

Freelance Graphic Designer since 2007

YMS of Boston is a music school consisting of dedicated music teachers and administration professionals who are passionate about music education and who work under the greater Yamaha Corporate umbrella. I have been creating work for both entities.

• Create a large variety of designs including recital or informational posters, recital programs, brochures, onlines ads and handle all communication with their local printer

• Ads and posters have been published in various media outlets in the Boston area

“At Yamaha Music School of Boston we use a ‘discovery driven growth’ approach to promotion and marketing, demanding quick turnarounds, creative ideas, a willingness to try new things, and flexibility. This approach is balanced by maintaining a commitment to the Yamaha brand, which represents the highest in quality and international reputation in its industry. Susanne’s work style, design skills and technical abilities embody these qualities. She has been a perfect fit for us.”

— Jim Keenan, School Director, Yamaha Music School of Boston

Plants Nouveau

West Newbury, MA

Freelance Graphic Designer since 2009

Plants Nouveau is a new plant introduction and marketing company who helps plant breeders bring their plants to market.

• Projects ranging from print ads, annual conference materials, large banners, up to 80-page brochures, and handle all estimates with varying printers

• My work has been featured in Landscape Magazine, American Nurseryman, and Nursery Pro magazines

  “Susi is a talented, energetic, super creative and organized designer who can bring any idea my crazy head comes up with to life. She stays on task, finishes on time and always delivers a superb end product. We are very happy with her work in ad, logo, catalog and general marketing materials design for Plants Nouveau.”

  — Angela Treadwell Palmer, Co-Owner of Plants Nouveau

University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Bachelor of Science: Visual Design, Graphic Design Emphasis | December 2005

GPA 3.94, Golden Key International Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society member

Anne Arundel Community College

Associate Degree of Applied Science: Communication Arts Technology, Media Production | December 2003

Graduated summa cum laude, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Member

Languages

Fluent in German and English

Professional Development
PEPCON/ Creative Pro Week: Chicago 2015, San Diego 2016, New Orleans 2018

2019 Adobe Digital Government Symposium: Washington D.C. 2019

Awards and Special Mentions

2005 UMBC Holiday Card, my design was chosen by the President, Freeman A. Hrabowski III

2003 Academis Achievement Award: Transfer Scholarship