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EXPERIENCE:

 

With years of experience in the advertising industry (after actually working in the medical field as a Paramedic, Phlebotomist, Histology & Pathology Assistant, Cardiac ICU Operations Technician, and a Veterinary Technician), I am a creative leader who has proven Pharma and medical ‘hands-on’ experience and can develop and execute campaigns that combine storytelling, innovation, and effectiveness.

My passion is to create work that moves people, challenges assumptions, and inspires action. I enjoy collaborating with talented teams and partners to bring ideas to life, from concept to execution. I also have a diverse background and interests, ranging from travel, music and theater to science, medicine and motorcycles, that inform my creative approach.
 

Freelance Writer + Creative Director

ARNOLD WORLDWIDE, CHEMISTRY, D'EXPOSITO & PARTNERS, etc.

2023 - present

I’ve collaborated with agency teams across several industries, helping them develop, improve and execute effective work for both Multicultural and General Markets.
Clients: Enhance Health, Progressive Insurance (Dr. Rick campaign), Beyond Meat, Toyota, Tajín Seasoning, etc.

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Writer + Creative Director

CAMPBELL EWALD, New York, NY

2021 - 2022

I lead the NY creative department and helped revive New York State’s tourism and business development after the pandemic, while working on a number of other amazing projects, such as branding and launching Constellation Brand’s new Ahora Tequila Seltzer, rebranding NYC’s area airports like LGA, JFK, and EWR, finding high-quality recruits for the Port Authority Police Department, and expanding the commercial reach of a beloved Arizona dairy farm.
Clients: I❤️NY, Empire State Development (NY State tourism and business initiatives), Garanimals, Port Authority of NY & NJ, PAPD, Constellation Brands (Ahora Tequila Seltzer, Casa Noble, Mi Campo), Shamrock Farms, Mutual of Omaha, Clyde May’s whiskey.

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Writer + Creative Director

CASANOVA//McCANN, New York, NY

2006 - 2020

I was hired to start and lead the NY creative department from scratch. At the time the office only had one account, the U.S. Army, and then one creative, me. That changed quickly as I helped pitch and win brands such as Janssen’s Invokana (which we launched), Lovaza, GSK, Entresto, Novartis, Taiho, etc. And was the creative lead for 14 years on highly regulated brands such as Cigna, Cigna Healthspring, US Army, USPS, NY and CA Lotteries.
Clients: Lovaza, GSK, Invokana, Janssen, Entresto, Novartis, Taiho, Emblem Health, Michelle Obama's LetsMove.org, Cigna, Cigna Healthspring, UNICEF, Coca-Cola, Denny’s, U.S. Army, Microsoft, U.S. Postal Service, NY Lottery, Miller Lite, Corona, Negra Modelo, Bud Light, Nescafé, Nesquik, Ulta, L'Oreal, MasterCard, Nestlé Pure Life, Minute Maid, Stouffer’s, Ad Council, Verizon, Staples, Time Warner Cable, OK Cable, Nature Valley, Madison Square Garden, Nestlé Boost, ProMujer.org, WWF (the panda, not the wrestlers).

Creative Director + Consultant/Advisor
Ad Council - National Creative Review Committee, New York, NY

2007 - 2018

As a member of the CRC I was responsible for reviewing and approving campaigns' strategic and creative direction to help raise the bar in an effort to maintain the Ad Council's standard of excellence and to promote social change, and mostly focused on health-related issues.

Campaigns: Child Oral Hygiene, Lung Cancer, Childhood Obesity, Child Car Safety, Disaster Relief, Emergency Preparedness, Pet Adoption, Buzzed Driving, Discovering Nature, etc.

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Writer + Creative Director

TBWA\CHIAT\DAY True Agency, Los Angeles, CA

2005 - 2006

I was hired as Creative Director. Promptly the ECD that hired me left, and I took over the creative reins for all the brands at the agency, helping launch the new Nissan Murano models, the brand new Nissan Versa, and even the Nissan Micra in Europe. We also successfully repositioned the weakening AARP brand and gave it a refreshed jolt of life.

Clients: Nissan, Infiniti, AARP, Hilton Hotels

 

Senior Art Director

DEUTSCH, Los Angeles, CA

2004 - 2005

I did a lot of fun and effective work for great beer, food and fashion brands. I got to try them all too.

Clients: Coors, Coors Light, Old Navy, TGIFriday’s, Cici's Pizza, Mexicali beer, Aspen Edge beer, Cultural LA

 

Writer & Art Director + Associate Creative Director

THE VIDAL PARTNERSHIP, New York, NY

2001 - 2004

I co-led the creative teams on the below brands. We helped the agency become "Agency of the Year", won 3 Radio Mercury Awards 3 years in a row, a first in the industry, and won over 20 other awards, including a couple of "Best of Shows" in creative festivals. I was an integral part of the "New Biz Team", pitching and winning about 10 accounts in one year. It was intense but satisfying.

Clients: Heineken, Amstel Light, Wendy’s, Old Navy, MasterCard, DirecTV, McDonald’s, Target, Kohl’s, Citibank, Johnnie Walker, Buchannan’s, Century 21, Helzberg Diamonds

 

Writer & Art Director + Associate Creative Director

LEO BURNETT, Prague, Czech Republic

1999 - 2001

After a successful year at Leo Burnett's headquarters in Chicago, I was promoted to ACD and was asked to go to Leo Burnett's Prague office to lead their international brands' creative team. As much as I tried to write in Czech for their local brands, they didn't let me, but I did some pretty great work in English for their international brands, helping the agency become "Agency of the Year".

Clients: Coca-Cola, Sprite, Fiat, CV Online, GE Capital Bank, Prague Zoo, Pilsner Urquell beer, Hospodarske Noviny newspaper, Radegast beer, World Online (Czechia's AOL), Kooperativa Insurance

 

Art Director

LEO BURNETT, Chicago, IL

1998 - 1999

I started at Leo Burnett in Chicago as a student/intern and within 2 weeks earned a job offer after selling 2 campaigns for Nintendo, including one for the new Star Wars game. My first client presentation ever was to George Lucas and Nintendo's President. My ECD advised me to make them laugh. I did. It worked.

Clients: Nintendo, Disney, Disney CruiseLines, Kellogg’s, Keebler, Phillip Morris anti-smoking division

 

 

 

JUDGING EXPERIENCE:

 

•Radio Mercury Awards (Chief Judge for 2022, 4X Executive Final Jury)

•Addy’s - National (2023)

•Addy’s - Miami

•Addy’s - New York

•Ad Stars Festival (4X, 2X Executive Jury) - South Korea

•Mobius Awards (3X)

•New York Festivals (4X)

•NYF’s Midas Awards

•Ojo de Iberoamerica (2X Final Jury) - Argentina

•The O’Toole Award

•ThinkLA Interactive Awards

•Tomorrow Awards (2X)

•USH Idea Awards (2X)

 

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OTHER THINGS I'VE BEEN BLAMED FOR:

 

•Member of the Ad Council National Creative Review Committee

•Member of the Radio Mercury Awards Advisory Council

•Nominated “Creative Director of the Year” by Hispanic Ad in 2011 and 2012

•Nominated for the American Advertising Federation Hall of Achievement 2011

•Nominated for AdColor’s Rising Star Award 2011

•Speaker at Ad Stars 2011 & 2019 Advertising Festival in Busan, South Korea

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EDUCATION:

 

MIAMI AD SCHOOL (Miami / Minneapolis / Chicago)

Art Direction & Copywriting

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BERLIN SCHOOL OF CREATIVE LEADERSHIP (Miami, FL)

Creative Leadership​

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KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY (Manhattan, KS)

Microbiology & Pre-Veterinary Medicine (I know, I have questions too.)

 

CENTRAL OF VISUAL ARTS HIGH SCHOOL (San Juan, PR)

Graphic Design & Advertising

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LANGUAGES:

 

ENGLISH - Fluent​

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SPANISH - Fluent​

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GERMAN - My half Austrian kids laugh too hard when I attempt it, so no.

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CZECH - Meh

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