> christina > creative direction, design & information architecture

Christiansted  St. Croix USVI  tel: +1 340 773 2386
St. Croix is the largest of the three US Virgin Islands,
a territory of the USA in the Caribbean archipelago

I provide "boutique agency" style creative and production services for small and large clients; creating branding, effective marketing materials and/or user experiences for interactive and traditional media. My priorities for any project center on usability, clarity, and brand recognition.

I have experience in: art directing, designing and copywriting for traditional and online media; creating branding solutions for multinational content providers; assessing and creating content and user interfaces for interactive television, cell phones and on the web; translating marketing and technical requirements; building storyboards, flowcharts, wireframes, and prototypes; casting and art directing photo shoots; final production of printed and online materials through printing/launch; assembling and managing small design and production teams.

> experience

Big Swell Design > creative direction

Principal of a design studio, providing end-to-end consulting and production in traditional and new media, creating logos, brands, websites, brochures, signage, advertising, tee-shirts, press releases and other sales tools for a variety of large and small clients. Creative duties include art direction, branding development/strategy and product development; design, illustration, photography, interviewing, copywriting, comping, pre-press and print trafficking. Managerial duties include sales, client communications, scheduling and project management, vendor selection, small team management and accounting.

Clients include retailers, non-profits, artists, vacation rental properties, advertising and direct mail agencies, magazine and catalog publishers, galleries, technical consulting firms, toy companies, NYC municipal theater, dot-coms and small businesses.

e-City > interactive TV content development & consulting

In addition to the contract development work for clients listed below, developed a permission-based marketing model for interactive television. Collaborated with usability manager to build use cases for end users and marketers in the interactive television space. Researched advertising, MSO and content publishing markets and wrote and illustrated presentations for potential investors and clients. Created concept and IA for B2B corporate website.

e-City > Microsoft > localization & usability consulting

Analyzed US version of MSTV training website with an international team of design and usability professionals. Made recommendations on linguistic, cultural, and technical aspects of content needing modification for the European market. Managed, prioritized and implemented localization methodology for modification of content and interaction design under tight deadline for Microsoft TV US and UK.

e-City > Stichting Nieuwe Millenium > branding strategy & UI design

Developed brand map for Amsterdam-based non-profit community television foundation and its parent and subsidiary organizations and grants. Researched visual search engines and online media broadcasting, and created wireframes for a web-based streaming video library interface. Created brands and logos for the prototype which assisted the Stichting in securing seed funding.

e-City > CapaTV > interaction design & information architecture

Developed original concepts for interactive television and convergent platforms for respected French television production company. Worked in an international, multidisciplined team to build entertainment applications, IA and UIs for interactive television prototype, including rollout to mobile phones and internet. Invented unique advertising/revenue models. Created interactivity flowcharts, storyboards and production timelines. Resulted in a 3 year joint venture agreement with the client.

e-City > UPC > user experience & interactive TV development

Part of group consultancy to UPC Netherlands, to create prototypes and project planning for multinational rollout of digital television services. Defined user experience and developed navigation systems, interfaces and community applications for interactive television. Gathered data for cultural localization in European and Amsterdam markets. Built IA and UIs for interactive television prototypes. Worked with Microsoft engineers to create extensive documentation of the beta 2 MSTV platform slated for client technical trial. Used platform documentation to create gap analysis against client requirements. Worked with design team to create branded reskin of platform to client specs.

iVillage.com > creative direction & information architecture

Built IA and managed development/design processes for: portal launch, new sub-brand sites, on-line tools and features. Directed pre-IPO branding overhaul for network, successfully presenting work to executive team. Managed design team and freelance staff. Acted as liason between editorial, community and development teams to redesign member acquisition, member profiling, and chat/message board environments and methodology. Internally evangelized and designed personalization features and tools. iVillage won a WebbyAward for Community in 1999. Redesign of member profiling features resulted in dramatically increased site traffic.

Created and produced trade and consumer marketing materials. Created IA and content direction for corporate intranet. Volunteered for employee task force to evaluate HR policies. Assistant managed/played fullback for iVillage soccer team, resulting in 6 - 1 winning season in Silicon Alley league, 1998.

iVillage.com > Parent Soup > art direction & information architecture

Redesigned the flagship iVillage.com parenting site to improve branding and incorporate a new IA. Built and managed design team. Designed IA, UI, branding for spinoff websites of Parent Soup. Created conversion templates and new cobranded interactive products for existing traditional content. Developed original concepts with editorial team. Designed site templates. Translated site IA to proprietary AOL format. Worked with production team to improve site performance. Created marketing & promotional materials. Created original illustrations to extend brand. Improved site design and organization resulted in exceeding aggressive goals for member acquisition in 1997.

Disney > freelance graphic design & art direction

Provided creative support for a team of art directors, vendors, buyers and producers to publish three nationally distributed mailorder catalogs. Responsible for cover designs and final sign-offs on separation proofs. Assisted in concepts, layout, casting and directing photo shoots, graphic design, copywriting and pre-press production of technically challenging material under tight deadlines. Performed IT duties and trained "analog" staff in digital pre-press techniques. Creative input resulted in measurable sales increases on specific spreads and merchandise, and fan letters from parents and kids.

Parsons School of Design, NY
Bachelor's in Communication Design, BFA awarded.
Focus on typography, print design, advertising.

> personal

Volunteering with the National Park Service to carry out research on nesting endangered sea turtles. Contracting with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to collect data and seeds on native tree species in the Virgin Islands. Creating collaborative children's books with other artists. Building ornamental chicken tractors. Studying conversational Italian.