PROFFESIONAL EXPERIENCE

Dave’s Friends Productions, New York, NY
Art Director (Costume & Production Designer), Producer (November 2023 – Present)

• Managed fundraising campaign, producing art and promotional materials that raised over $12,000 for the short film Exhibition.

• Advised graphic designer, promoting strategy to increase campaign visibility and donor response.

• Collaborated with the Director to define and establish the visual identity of the short film project.

• Modeled and conceptualized the overall visual style and design elements for film, ensuring alignment with the project’s vision.

• Improved resource allocation efficiency by implementing a detailed tracking system for design expenses, completing the project 7% under budget.

• Communicated with 5+ vendors and other film crew members to coordinate design elements.

Self Employed, New York, NY
Production Designer (January 2021 - Present)

• Construct and source set elements, builds, and dressings for projects, elevating visual storytelling and character development. 

• Research and conceptualize the overall visual style and design elements for projects, ensuring alignment with the project’s vision.

• Collaborate with the Director to define and establish the visual identity of projects.

• Determine financial goals and in-season projections for productions with fewer than $2,000 budgets guiding strategic decisions for the production team.

Costume Designer (May 2013 - Present)

• Design, construct, and source costumes for 40+ films, theater productions and events, elevating visual storytelling and character development. 

• Create innovative designs, sketches, and illustrations for client presentations, amplifying the approval rate for new project concepts. 

• Determine financial goals and in-season projections for productions with fewer than $2,000 budgets guiding strategic decisions for the production team.

• Alter 500+ costumes based on actor preferences, script changes, and other production needs.

• Monitor costume use during performances and swiftly address any emergencies on stage and film shoots.

The Playboy Club, New York, NY
Head Seamstress (2019)

• Sewed and altered garments to required specifications.

• Built a custom Bunny Suit for the 2019 Bunny of the Year Award photoshoot, significantly enhancing visual appeal.

• Assessed garment damage and selected effective repair solutions using specialized tools, strengthening repair accuracy and efficiency.

• Completed over 20 custom fittings and alterations, ensuring quality standards met Playboy’s registered trademark within tight guidelines.

• Modified garments of 30+ models to establish custom-fitted styles to match holiday themes and special events.

The Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD
Adjunct Faculty (January 2017 – April 2018)

• Provided instruction to a class of 20 students for two college semesters on standard processes and procedures of costume design in theater, overseeing all phases of productions for You’ll Never Meet Mac DeMarco and The Pillowman.

• Fostered engaging class discussions in 20+ student lessons by actively soliciting input, asking open-ended questions, and using techniques to track student participation.

• Generated visually appealing character styles for 20+ costumes that married story with director vision.

• Provided specific style recommendations to over 20 students, refining their design projects.

• Analyzed scripts to design cohesive costumes that aligned with director vision and enhanced visual storytelling.

OTHER EXPERIENCE

Parity Productions, New York, NY
Graphics, Media, and Retail Manager (June 2019 – October 2022)

• Led cross-functional teams to build marketing materials and assets for 15 theatrical productions and events, managing project milestones for playwrights and clients.

• Spearheaded a comprehensive website overhaul (Squarespace), focusing on user experience optimization, creating streamlined operations and resulting in reduced bounce rates by over 20%.

• Collaborated with external contractors to restructure and modernize a database of over 500 members. 

• Mentored interns, fostering skill development that led to enhanced task completion rates on projects.

Graphics, Media, and The Parity Store (June 2017 - June 2019)

• Formulated multi-channel marketing campaigns (print, web, and email) that increased newsletter click-through rates and grew subscribers by 30%. 

• Constructed and managed an e-commerce retail store (Shopify), writing product descriptions and improving customer experience to drive sales.

• Reviewed designs and artwork developed by the Assistant Graphic Designer. 

Graphics and Media (July 2016 - June 2017)

• Captured product and event photography for website, social media, and print assets.

• Improved website content, boosting keyword relevancy and to achieve search engine optimization. 

• Managed and grew social media presence (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), engaging an audience of over 10,000 followers.