Resume

Pamela Golafshar

Creative strategist and visual artist with over than 20 years of experience, who understands the ins and outs of building and expressing a brand. Detail-oriented, skilled in blending storytelling and strategic thinking, with an ability to see the big picture and the small details simultaneously. I enjoy leading by inspiration and hands-on visual design, and have an unending desire for learning new skills. 

 

Experience

Senior Art Director, September 2019–present
Six Degrees | Scottsdale, AZ

Art direction, visual design, UX design and campaign strategy in a fast-paced agency setting. Responsible for spearheading creative strategy and hands-on design while collaborating with other business teams to deliver on clients’ campaign objectives.

  • Produce high-quality work for B2B and B2C clients: branding and campaign identity, print collateral, digital media, advertising, websites, tradeshow materials, presentations, packaging, emails, banner ads, social media, video, animation, etc.

  • Provide critical feedback to other team members: mentor junior designers and lead collaborative brainstorming sessions to empower and grow team members

  • Develop branding and creative visuals for clinical trials, HCP and DTC campaigns

  • Communicate clearly and thoughtfully: present visual concepts and provide rationale for design executions in order to build more effective collaboration

  • Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels to ensure transparency and clear vision

  • Projects include redesigning, wireframing, prototyping and overseeing the development of the agency’s own website, providing an improved user experience

  • Clients include healthcare/pharma, insurance, etc.: Johnson & Johnson, Abbott, Stryker, Genentech, Align, Nationwide, ThermoFisher, QSR, Varian

 

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Senior Graphic Designer, Contract, April 2019–September 2019
Yeager Marketing | Scottsdale, AZ

High-level design at an award-winning agency that provides marketing services for the B2B/SAAS technology industry.

  • Produced print design, digital design, web design, social media, infographics, branding identity and campaign collateral to deliver on campaign objectives

  • Met directly with clients and stakeholders to spearhead a brand identity project

  • Clients included Dell, CenturyLink, Cisco, Riverbed, NetApp, Puppet, Pure Storage, Veeam, TechData, Weka

 

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Creative Director, June 2018–March 2019
ITA Group | Remote

Developed communication strategies and provided creative direction to a team of project managers, art directors, writers, designers and video artists in a high-pressure agency environment, while working independently and collaborating seamlessly online.

  • Created and implemented communications campaigns and incentive programs for clients to motivate and engage their employees, channel partners and customers

  • Developed creative briefs that mapped campaign strategy and vision, ensuring alignment with the client’s brand and business objectives across multiple touchpoints

  • Collaborated with multiple business teams to create work informed by data and user feedback, working with quantitative and qualitative user research to improve campaign effectiveness

  • Managed campaign budgets and profitability on six-figure accounts

  • Created unique experiential event concepts and large-scale signage plans for consumer and industry-related events including conferences, sales meetings and business events, ensuring brand cohesion and integrity

 

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Creative Director, September 2015–June 2018
Zoe Organics | Remote

Creative direction, digital design, web design, graphic design, marketing and campaign strategy for a start-up consumer retail company. 

  • Created the visual branding in its entirety, ensuring brand integrity across multiple platforms including POP, website, social media, advertising, marketing collateral, photography and B2B sales presentations

  • Developed the brand’s creative vision; created brand guidelines and brand assets to preserve the brand expression through all formats

  •  Participated in strategic business planning at the executive level, developing creative strategy in tandem with business strategy and goals

  • Directed product and lifestyle photo shoots, adding to the visual brand library which also included the color palette, typography, tone of voice and a unique pattern for each product

  • Created a full brand refresh, including website redesign, which helped increase sales by 30% YOY

 

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Creative Director, September 2013–July 2015
Graphic Designer, October 2012–September 2013
The Vine | Hong Kong

Creative direction, communications strategy and brand management in an in-house non-profit organization.

  • Creative direction and hands-on design; managed team’s productivity and schedule for print, digital, video, animation, social media, illustration and photography to ensure continuity with campaign vision

  • Direct management of a culturally diverse team, providing leadership through coaching, collaboration and mentorship

  • Responsible for spearheading creative pitches and overseeing budgets and growth for the team

  • Developed thematic visual concepts and oversaw execution of environmental design, leading to increased audience engagement

  • Grew the department into a full-service, in-house creative agency

  • Organized and managed a team of volunteer creatives in the local community, empowering the development of new ideas and leading the execution of experiential events

  • Hired and managed internal and third-party creative resources

  • Developed the branding and provided creative direction for an international conference; integrated an informal human-centered design thinking approach to improve the attendee experience YOY

 

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Graphic Designer, Feb 2002–Nov 2004
Jr. Graphic Designer, Nov 2001–Feb 2002
Portland Art Museum | Portland, OR

In-house graphic design for a world-renowned art museum.

  • Designed print ads, outdoor banners, posters, brochures and other printed materials for exhibitions, educational programs and events at the museum

  • Was promoted within the first few months due to work ethic, learning agility, high quality standards and design aesthetic

 

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Owner/Graphic Designer, 1999–present

Yellow Heron Design

Freelance design services and consultation for clients worldwide.

  • Industries served include NGOs, book publishers, product manufacturers and musical artists

  • Clients include Thomson Reuters, Pearson Education Asia, Black Lawrence Press, Azusa Pacific University

 

Leadership Qualities

  • Empowers team members
  • Provides mentorship
  • Communicates effectively
  • Leads with authenticity / emotional intelligence
  • Envisions possibilities
  • Strategic / critical thinking
  • Responsible / dependable
  • Empathetic
  • Current with industry trends
  • Passionate about continuous improvement at all levels

 

Skills

  • Flexible / adaptable
  • Agile learner
  • Motivated, driven to succeed
  • Collaborative problem-solver
  • Detail-oriented, project management
  • Organization, time management
  • Branding, advertising, marketing
  • Visual, graphic, and digital design
  • Extensive global travel

 

Software

  • Adobe InDesign (LinkedIn Skills Assessment Badge: Top 5%)
  • Adobe Illustrator (LinkedIn Skills Assessment Badge: Top 5%)
  • Adobe Photoshop (LinkedIn Skills Assessment Badge: Top 15%)
  • Adobe XD, Figma, Sketch
  • WordPress, HTML / CSS
  • Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Communication / collaboration apps

 

Education / Certifications

Greenville University
September 1996–June 1997
Greenville, IL
Major: Music Theory & Composition

George Fox University
September 1994–May 1996
Newberg, OR
Major: Piano Performance

Google Professional UX Design Certificate:
Currently enrolled

LinkedIn Learning:

  • UX Foundations
  • UX Design
  • Design Thinking
  • Storytelling for Designers
  • Critical Thinking

 

Email: pammyg [at] mac.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pamgolafshar

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