Professional Summary
Strategic and hands-on Creative Director with 20+ years of experience elevating brands through integrated marketing and insight-driven creative leadership. Expert in guiding small cross-functional teams, developing cohesive design systems, and delivering high-impact digital, print, video, and web experiences that support brand growth and business objectives. Known for blending strategic thinking with creative innovation to bring clarity and consistency to brand ecosystems.
Core Skills
Creative Leadership & Strategy
Creative Direction, Brand Strategy & Stewardship, Design Systems, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Design and Print Management, Team Mentoring, Design Thinking, Leadership
Design & Craft
Graphic Design, Branding & Identity, Typography, Concept Development, Multichannel Design, Packaging Design, Responsive Website Design, UX/UI Design & Collaboration, Generative-AI Creative Exploration, Prompt Engineering
Marketing Execution
Content Strategy, Integrated Campaigns (Digital & Print), Digital Marketing (Strategy & Execution), Advertising, Social Media, Motion Graphics, Video Production, SEO & AI Search Optimization (LLMs)
Illustration
Digital and Traditional (pencil, markers, acrylics, and watercolors).
Tools & Platforms
Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, XD, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Express, Firefly), Figma, Canva, SocialPilot, Google Analytics, Microsoft Office, HubSpot, Brevo, WordPress CMS, Unbounce, ClickUp, Slack, ChatGPT, Claude
Experience
Freelance Creative Consultant
Melissa Corrigan Design | Queensbury, NY | August 2002 - Present
Provide strategic creative direction and design solutions, enhanced by generative AI-driven ideation and content refinement, for diverse clients across industries. Collaborate with stakeholders to translate complex marketing goals into compelling, on-brand visual communications that strengthen awareness, engagement, and credibility.
Key Achievements
Creative Leadership: Partner with local and national clients to develop cohesive brand identities, digital campaigns, and marketing systems that elevate visibility and drive measurable growth.
AI-Enhanced Creative Workflow: Integrated generative AI tools into ideation, content exploration, and visual development to accelerate concepting and expand creative possibilities across creative projects.
End-to-End Delivery: Execute projects from concept through launch across print, digital, and experiential touchpoints, balancing creative vision with client goals, timelines, and budgets.
Notable Work
Schenectady City School District: Developed branding and marketing for the “Circle Up” initiative, including logo design, campaign collateral, and community outreach materials that unified program identity and boosted engagement.
JMZ Architects: Led creative direction for the firm’s rebrand and website redesign, establishing a modern visual identity aligned with firm values and positioning the company as an innovative leader in architectural design.
Director of Marketing
Jet Genius Florida Holdings LLC | Remote: November 2022 - November 2025
Director of Creative Marketing: November 2022 - December 2024
Director of Creative Marketing: November 2022 - December 2024
(Remote) Led marketing strategy, brand positioning, and revenue-driving initiatives for three aviation brands within the Jet Genius portfolio. Partnered directly with the owner and senior leadership to align marketing with business objectives, while personally owning all creative direction and design from concept through execution—directing a writer, development team, paid media support, and external partners.
Key Achievements
Hands-On Creative Leadership: Spearheaded rebrands and marketing transformations across all brands in the portfolio, tailoring scope and creative execution to each brand’s needs across digital, print, video, web, and social.
Market Growth Initiatives: Researched and identified new advertising markets and targeted multichannel campaigns—exceeding ROI goals by 50% and directly resulting in a new $100K–$500K membership acquisition.
Generative AI: Integrated AI-driven insights and tools into creative workflows to streamline ideation, inform and accelerate content development, and improve the speed and quality of final deliverables.
LLM Search Optimization: Identified and led a forward-looking content strategy to align brand websites with AI-driven and LLM-based search behavior, increasing discoverability and organic reach.
Social Media: Led the establishment of a social media presence from the ground up—developing content strategy, cadence, and creative—growing followership to 2k across a program that did not previously exist.
Marketing Operations: Managed project workflows, budget tracking, performance analytics, and ROI reporting while directing internal teams and overseeing external partners across PR, SEO, print, and agency relationships—leading content development to ensure consistent, high-quality execution across all initiatives.
Team Leadership: Led cross-functional teams and collaborators, providing strategic guidance and feedback informed by performance metrics, ensuring initiatives aligned with business objectives and delivered measurable results.
Notable Work
Jet Agency Rebrand: Executed a full-scale rebrand spanning identity, web, advertising, and a comprehensive suite of digital, print, and environmental materials—laying the foundation for 100% revenue growth.
Graphic Designer/Marketing Lead
Saratoga Hospital/Albany Med Health System | Saratoga Springs, NY: March 2018 - December 2021
Modernized a long-established marketing program as the primary in-house creative, leading creative direction across a broad and varied body of work. Partnered with department heads, executive leadership, recruiting, and the Foundation to define needs and drive initiatives from concept through final delivery, collaborating with a copywriter to advance organizational goals and build awareness of hospital services and excellence.
Key Achievements
Creative Leadership: Owned all creative decision-making across a high volume of concurrent initiatives—setting creative direction and managing stakeholder expectations to deliver work that consistently elevated the organization’s brand perception and authority.
Brand & Design Stewardship: Refined and strengthened the hospital’s brand voice and creative standards, establishing a fresh, consistent aesthetic across the full spectrum of communications—from patient-facing materials to executive-level publications—strengthening recognition and trust across every audience.
Creative Operations: Managed the full production lifecycle, from project intake and vendor sourcing through print specifications, promotional items, and final delivery, maintaining quality and accountability across every initiative.
Notable Work
Corporate Annual Report: Designed and produced the hospital’s first annual report, elevating brand credibility and community perception through refined storytelling and visual design.
Yearly Gala: Led full creative ownership of the Foundation’s flagship annual fundraising event, delivering invitations, program, advertising, and all event collateral, with fundraising goals consistently exceeded year over year.
Creative Director
Allegory Studios & CultureTalk | Saratoga Springs, NY: July 2008 - November 2017
Led creative direction and brand development for a boutique agency serving local and national clients across multiple industries. Collaborated with partners and clients to shape brand strategy, oversee creative execution, and ensure excellence across all deliverables. Managed internal and freelance designers, guided developers, and worked closely with photographers, videographers, and print vendors to bring complex creative concepts to life.
Key Achievements
Award-Winning Creative: Earned four industry awards recognizing design excellence and brand storytelling:
• 2017 MarCom Award: Balzer & Tuck Website and Nussbaum Driver Recruitment Campaign
• 2012 ReBrand Merit Award: NBS Rebrand
• 2011 ReBrand Notable Award: Walking Mountains Rebrand
• 2017 MarCom Award: Balzer & Tuck Website and Nussbaum Driver Recruitment Campaign
• 2012 ReBrand Merit Award: NBS Rebrand
• 2011 ReBrand Notable Award: Walking Mountains Rebrand
Brand Leadership: Directed over 25 brand initiatives encompassing logo design, websites, and marketing collateral—delivering strategic, differentiated visual narratives.
Expanded Creative Capabilities: Introduced video and motion graphics as new agency offerings; self-directed in Premiere Pro and After Effects to lead testimonial video production and motion storytelling.
Team Leadership: Mentored creative staff, participated in hiring, and provided annual performance feedback to foster professional growth and maintain high design standards.
Notable Work
CultureTalk Brand Development: Led the end-to-end creation of the online survey company CultureTalk, from logo design to survey interface, marketing campaigns, and integrated marketing collateral. As a new brand venture, its market traction and growth led the agency to transition exclusively to scaling CultureTalk.
Balzer & Tuck Architecture: Developed a new brand identity and website that modernized the firm’s presence and earned a MarCom Award for design excellence.
Nussbaum Transportation: Concepted and executed the “Faith & Family” recruitment campaign, including videos, motion graphics, and web assets, recognized with a MarCom Award.
Assistant Advt./Private Label Supervisor
The Golub Corporation | Schenectady, NY: August 1999 - August 2002
Graphic Designer: August 1999 – June 2000
Graphic Designer: August 1999 – June 2000
Led the creative direction and production of private label packaging design initiatives for the company’s extensive product line. Managed a small creative team, overseeing concept development, design execution, and vendor collaboration to ensure brand consistency and strong shelf appeal. Collaborated closely with internal stakeholders and external print vendors to deliver packaging that reflected high design standards and aligned with business objectives.
Key Achievements
Award-Winning Design: Led creative efforts for multiple private label packaging lines, earning three consecutive NORI Finalist Awards for excellence in design and visual innovation.
Brand Elevation: Elevated packaging design standards to compete effectively with national brands, enhancing perceived value and market presence.
Team Leadership: Mentored junior designers to strengthen creative execution and maintain production quality and consistency.
Graphic Designer
Fletcher-Barnhardt & White | Charlotte, NC: July 1996 - May 1999
Created high-impact marketing and promotional materials for Fortune 500 clients, including Dr. Pepper, MCI/Worldcom, and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. Worked collaboratively with senior art directors and account teams to deliver bold, on-brand creative that met strategic marketing objectives and elevated client visibility.
Key Achievements
Award-Winning Design: Earned a PICA Gold Award for the MCI/Worldcom Kentucky Derby Invitation, recognized for creative excellence and craftsmanship.
National Campaign Creative: Designed the “Sounds of Summer” SunDrop sweepstakes campaign, developing packaging, in-store displays, and branded merchandise that increased consumer engagement.
Earlier Experience
Art Director
Custom Printers & Design Graphix, Charlotte, NC
Graphic Designer
Iuppa/McCartan Marketing Communications, Rochester, NY
Education
Rochester Institute of Technology
Major: Graphic Design
Bachelor of Fine & Applied Arts, 1990
Bachelor of Fine & Applied Arts, 1990
Mohawk Valley Community College
Major: Advertising Design & Production
Awards
• 2017 Marcom Award Winner: Balzer & Tuck Website
• 2017 Marcom Award Winner: Nussbaum Driver Recruitment Campaign
• 2012 ReBrand Merit Award: NBS
• 2011 ReBrand Notable Award: Walking Mountains
• 2002 NORI Finalist: Price Chopper Facial Tissue
• 2001 NORI Finalist: Price Chopper Pure Maple Syrup
• 2000 NORI Finalist: Price Chopper Maraschino Cherries
• 1999 PICA Gold Award: MCI Kentucky Derby Invite