Lauren Nicholson Email and Phone Number

Manage and direct a diverse range of projects, with a primary focus on brand identity. This includes overseeing various mediums such as interactive and web-based ads, websites, web applications, graphical user interfaces, multimedia displays, web and computer-based training applications, environmental multimedia installations, as well as traditional print materials including ads, brochures, booklets, flyers, and billboards. My role involves overseeing the creative direction and execution of these projects, ensuring they all contribute cohesively to the establishment and enhancement of brand identities for our clients.

Art Direct to manage project budgets ranging from $250,000 to $10M for Fortune 500 clientele, virtual event space design, and micro-site creation. Provide exceptional live show management and graphic support as well as produce custom, client-specific, branding, illustration styles and narrative visual pieces to maximize client and attendee satisfaction. Develop full life cycle of client projects including proposals, initial concepts/graphic/branding, and final delivery/install of compelling graphics/ messaging by collaborating with creative teams. Supervise & storyboard motion design development / delivery for show and video production by coordinating with motion graphics team. Create unique activations for event spaces, tailored to audience and client goals.

In my role as Art Director, I managed project budgets ranging from $250,000 to $10 million, predominantly serving Fortune 500 clients. My areas of specialization included overseeing live/virtual event space design and micro-site creation. Beyond financial oversight, I excelled in delivering exceptional live show management and providing critical graphic support. Additionally, I crafted custom illustration styles and narrative visual pieces tailored to meet each client’s unique needs, with the ultimate goal of enhancing client satisfaction. My responsibilities spanned the entire life cycle of client projects, from initial proposal development to the delivery of compelling graphics and messaging. Collaboration with our creative teams was pivotal to ensure that all design elements seamlessly aligned with our clients’ objectives. Furthermore, I supervised and storyboarded motion design development and delivery for both show and video production, ensuring a seamless execution through effective coordination with the motion graphics team.

I specialized in producing informative graphics that effectively conveyed statistics and program details, often translating them into visually compelling wall murals and poster displays. My role involved close collaboration with clients, enabling me to understand their specific needs and devise original illustrations that aligned seamlessly with the program’s focus and target audience interests. I took the initiative to develop engaging collateral, including brochures, flyers, wireframes, infographics, digital and print booklets, and digital slide displays, all designed to guide and motivate employees towards optimal performance. In addition, I contributed to accessibility efforts by creating 508-compliant forms, digital books, and event flyers, ensuring that digital materials were accessible to individuals with visual and hearing impairments. My responsibilities also encompassed crafting impactful presentations, e-blast images, and large-scale wall art displays, all aimed at optimizing campaign effectiveness. To ensure quality and adherence to specifications, I coordinated closely with vendors, overseeing the production and timely delivery of all design components.

Designed and delivered collateral for over 50 stores while adhering to specified budgets and meeting promotional deadlines. To ensure the relevance and impact of our designs, I conducted market analysis to evaluate current trends, which informed the creation of branded illustrations used across various graphic design elements, including design toolkits, wearables, packaging, and GIFs. In addition to my design responsibilities, I played a pivotal role as the Regional Hiring Lead, overseeing recruitment, training, and the professional development of Store Graphic Artists. I further contributed to enhancing the visual appeal of our stores by conducting on-site visits, evaluating design effectiveness, and providing constructive feedback to craft corrective action plans for design refresh initiatives, effectively coordinating the efforts of our artistic team.

Collaborated with Department Leads in seasonal store walks to create a collaborative display plan for short / long-term sales goals in line with business objectives. Designed and executed hand-painted chalk boards / graphic design pieces to engage employees for improved performance. Promoted weekly, monthly, and seasonal events to achieve sales goals by installing on-brand signage. Created a look & feel to support collateral for the regional North East Food Employee Empowerment Development (NEFEED) Convention. Acted as a Lead Designer and branded new regional programs by developing a logo / brand to represent the region at a company conference.