I started out with a graphic design degree because I loved making things — logos, layouts, packaging, anything with a grid and a good color palette. What I didn't expect was how quickly "make it look good" turned into "make it work." Every design decision I made kept running into the same question: does this actually connect with the person it's for?
That question is what pulled me out of pure design and into marketing. I wanted to be in the room where the strategy got decided, not just handed a brief after the fact. So I went looking for it — taking on more campaign work, more positioning, more full-funnel ownership — until the design skills I'd built became one tool in a much bigger kit.
"Design got me in the door. Understanding why it works is what got me the seat at the table."
Today I work as a Marketing Operations Lead, but I still think like a designer — obsessive about the details, protective of the brand, and genuinely happiest when strategy and craft are working together instead of fighting each other.
- 2017–2019
Graphic Design Degree
Where it started — College of DuPage (A.A.S. Graphic Design). Built the visual foundation: identity systems, packaging, layout, art direction.
- 2019–2022
Brand & Design Roles
Took on more strategic ownership — brand identity, campaign direction, packaging systems for consumer brands.
- 2022–Now
Marketing Operations Lead
Now owning full-funnel strategy, campaigns, and brand systems end-to-end — with design still baked into everything I build.
