Courtney Hellam Email and Phone Number

I bring over 20 years of experience in creating creative design solutions that not only meet design briefs but are also technically sound. I specialize and excel at fast-paced production, visual story telling, and creative design.

As a Designer I am responsible for creating designs that adhere to client brand guidelines and approved campaign requirements. Creating production ready print and digital files to be used across multiple channels. Taking conceptual work and rolling it out across platforms and making internal and client revisions through to final upload.

As the Senior Managing Designer I was responsible for the designing, art directing, and managing provincial and nationwide projects that require advanced project management skills related to time management and working with freelance editors, designers, and illustrators from concepts through prototype iterations to approved complete design and final production-ready files, approved final product pages, certified print and/or digital files. Hiring, training, and mentoring junior team members and freelancers on design processes, technical requirements, and brand guidelines. Hiring illustrators and artists to commission original art and art directed the illustration process. In conjunction with stakeholders, estimate design costs; provide revised estimates as developmental requirements evolve. Contribute to the development of UI (User Interfaces) and UX (User Experiences) initiatives. Work collaboratively with publishing, marketing, sales, project management, and other design personnel as needed to establish projects’ initial design direction and to review ongoing design work to ensure it delivers desired visual/functional differentiation. Provided sound advice to senior executives with a solution-oriented approach, successfully contributing to and influencing creative decisions.

As the Managing Designer, I was responsible for and was the main contact person for all design deliverables (print and digital) associated with any project(s) assigned by the Design Director. Estimating design costs for projects and ensuring projects remain on budget and schedule. Provide art direction for work created by other in-house or freelance designer(s). Suggest and implement changes in process or workflow as needed to ensure optimal product development/production. Work with Design Director, and other key stakeholders, to prioritize work within the Design Department.

As Senior Graphic Designer, I was responsible for the conceptualization and design of Higher-Ed and 
K-12 interior & cover, print, and digital design deliverables. Ensuring the time-effective delivery of market-targeted, technically executed, creative solutions from concept to final files, ready for use by printer, programmer, or web developer. Managing and mentoring junior in-house designers and freelancers. As well as developing style guidelines and templates for various products.

As a Compositor/Prepress specialist I was responsible for creating and modifying interior book templates for best practices and creating clean files for the composition process. Contributing to and establishing technical requirements and software guidelines to be used by all internal staff, freelancers, and vendors. Formatting/typesetting simple to complex interior book files to follow the approved design. Preparing cover and interior files for print using preflighting software and Enfocus Pitstop with Adobe Acrobat.

As a Designer, Compositor (typesetter), and Prepress specialist I was responsible for designing cover and interior book pages. Creating the necessary templates for designs moving into composition/typesetting. Typeset simple to complex titles. Create all of the necessary artwork/maps/technical art that was required for the book. Prepare files for printing and run film when required.