Kate O'Connell Email & Phone Number

San Francisco, Ca, Us

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Chicago, Illinois, Us

Founder and operating partner of Persist, a progressive agency, striving to create bold, thoughtful, change-driven marketing and interactive experiences for non-profits, social justice & activist organizations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Responsible for team management, executive decision-making, talent acquisition, sales, and creative direction, product management, and marketing strategy. Our clients include ACLU, Toyota CSR, M4BL, Transparency International, People for the American Way, and Media Matters.

Responsible for a talented team of designers, engineers, and product managers producing high-impact, flawlessly executed political and socially progressive sites, brand campaigns, and social activations, as well as a suite of award-winning in-house digital products designed for users in the non-profit space. Leading a team of designers and engineers, my responsibilities start with immersive creative direction on 360º campaigns from the pitch to completion starting with in-depth concepting, and project planning: estimating hours and capacity on client proposals. Leading every aspect of both design and development, managing my team’s output in both rapid response and long-term project deliverables with a high level of precision and quality. I am responsible for client communications, managing expectations vs allocations, and problem-solving any roadblocks within my team’s project flow. I held a critical role in our Senior Leadership Team, and I am passionately involved in establishing and upholding the values, operations, and DE&I for the overall company. An active member of the Labor Management Committee that oversees the work of our unionized employees. I am also responsible for meeting monthly sales goals for my department, and overseeing the administrative and procedural facets of my team. I am innovative in streamlining my team's productivity and researching industry tools best for the job as tech advances; hiring of new full-time staff, vendors, and freelancers; and maintaining healthy relationships and addressing any grievances in a compassionate and progressive way within my team. Clients include MeToo. Movement, Marianne Williamson for President, Movement for Black Lives, Chris Murphy for Congress, Teamsters, Giffords, and Ocean Conservancy, to name a few.

Los Angeles, California, Us

Associate Creative Director, Digital responsible for managing and producing comprehensive, high-quality global digital campaigns and web experiences for top entertainment clients. Concept and pitch development of multi-platform global promotional campaigns, interactive sites, and social/viral activations, as well as print and AV concepts for major motion pictures and network TV shows. Performed a critical role in client pitches and presentations, from concept to creative pitch copy-writing, incorporating research and trend-watching to stay on the cutting edge of our industry. Engaged with high-profile clients such as Netflix, Apple, Universal, Warner Bros., History Channel, Bleaker Street, and Annapurna.

Encino, Ca, Us

Senior Interactive Art Director and Product Designer, responsible for comprehensive, high-quality global 360º entertainment campaigns. My responsibilities include concept and pitch development of multi-platform promotional campaigns, interactive websites and native mobile apps, and social/viral activations for major motion pictures and network TV shows. Tasked with precision art direction, design and development coordination on extensive global campaigns, leading client communications, providing team feedback, and creative problem solving on campaign shifts. Responsible for energetic team-leading and internal communication-building to ensure successful execution within timeline and budget. Performed a critical role in client pitches and presentations, from concept to creative pitch copy-writing, incorporating research and trend-watching to stay on the cutting edge of our industry. As a manager, I worked closely with my team on maintaining healthy internal relationships, strength-building, and creative mentorship. Major studio clients included Warner Bros., Disney, Marvel, Fox, Sony Pictures, Lionsgate, HBO, AMC, FX Networks and ABC.

New York, Ny, Us

Interactive Art Director responsible for comprehensive, high-quality ideation, design and development coordination on interactive, commercial, and social programs. Driving a team of designers, copywriters, video and photo production staff, while working closing with developers, towards creating shopper-facing interactive engagements using gamification, custom video and photo content, blogger, and social content tie-ins. Responsible for deadlines, providing design approvals, and maintaining a high quality of work, as well as the acquisition of new talent. Accountable for leading creative brainstorms, presenting ideas for internal and client-facing pitches, and collaborating with the new business team as a creative sales lead for acquiring new clients. Global clients included Unilever, Kraft, Johnson & Johnson, Marvel, Nestle, Purina, Mattel, Columbia Sportswear, Sam’s Club, and Walmart.

Los Angeles, Ca, Us

Interactive Art Director responsible for comprehensive, top-quality concepting, design and development on high-visibility social, interactive, and commercial programs across multi-national stages. Managed a team of designers, copywriters, directors, and worked closing with developers and client relations, creating successful initiatives with high-level digital interaction. Responsible for deadlines, approvals, and quality of work within my team as well as the acquisition of new talent. Accountable for internal and client pitches, meetings, and new business creative decks. Global clients included Samsung, Lenovo USA, Brazil, UAE and China, Grand Marnier, LA Fitness, and Qantas Airlines.

New York, Ny, Us

Art Director responsible for project deadlines, approval of all graphics, the conception of new projects, hiring of new full-time designers and outsourced artists, as well as answering for my team’s productivity and quality of work. Tasked with maintaining ongoing professional relationships with our vendors and elite music producers. Daily work included creating album artwork for 50+ individual albums and 30+ playlist key art graphics, along with new sub-company branding. Produced comprehensive UX, wireframes and interactive design and HTML/CSS work on native and web apps and websites, such as MTV’s hypemusic.com, our Extreme Music iPad app, and desktop app, a custom online radio widget. Designed and maintained our social media branding with updated YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter assets. Designed and coded promotional emailers. Produced comprehensive UX, wireframes, and interactive design for ExtremeMusic.com. Design and project management on print and promotional materials including custom apparel, bags, custom USBs and hard drives with creative packaging elements, lighters, badges, guitar picks, event posters, mailers, and invitations. Conception and design of a wide variety of promotional materials for an MTV collaboration, including custom guitars, buttons, show posters, gig invitations, and PR packs.

Santa Monica, Ca, Us

Packaging design including structure, dielines, logo development, line-look graphics, product placement for final production for brands including Disney Fairies, Nickelodeon’s Club Penguin, Taylor Swift, Fancy Nancy, Neopets, Girl Gourmet, Style Six and Spa Factory / Art Direction on photoshoots with models, product and packaging, Photoshop editing and touchups of photos for final production / Design, including graphics, prop layout, product placement, print production and installation for multiple brands in the Los Angeles and Hong Kong retail showrooms / Overseeing a team of Junior Designers, responsible for their deadlines and quality of work

Chatsworth, Ca, Us

Project Management and design of 28,000 square foot retail showrooms in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, including conception, floor plans, color schemes, graphics, product placement and flow, print production, and execution for all brands under MGA & Little Tikes / Project Management and design of all POP displays, in-store marketing, exclusive and bundle packaging, and retail advertising / Packaging design including form, graphics, and product placement for Bratz Dolls and Consumer Products from concept to completion / Hands-on work with construction and product placement for final production / Close work with engineering team to create inventive packages ideal in cost, size and structure / Overseeing a team of Junior Designers, responsible for their deadlines and quality of work