Michelle Thomas Email & Phone Number

HALO is the global leader in branded merchandise, uniform programs, and recognition and incentive solutions.Oversees all operations and traffic within the creative department which includes tracking all designers’ workloads, ensuring that all projects run smoothly, and that we are meeting or exceeding our sales teams’ expectations. • Works closely with Creative Leadership to ensure the Creative Team is being utilized effectively. This includes getting the right Designer(s) set-up for each project, understanding personalities and talents, and appropriately distributing workload.• Partners with Account Teams to forecast, define project scopes and appropriate timelines• Reads all incoming requests and takes a holistic view of all projects to forecast and see interdependencies. Determines optimal approach to ensure the right Designer(s) are assigned and deadlines are met.• Works with the Account Team members to clarify any unclear topics or missing details, understand the overall scope and expectations, and resolve issues.• Communicates priorities to the Creative Team regarding workflow and deadlines.• Top-level project status monitoring to ensure deadlines are being met• Manages freelancers: keep them busy as needed, continue searching for the right person/fit.• Provides monthly reporting and analysis of the workload, hours allocated, areas of concern and more.

2U, Inc. is a global leader in education technology, partners with over 75 non-profit colleges and universities to build, deliver, and support more than 500 digital educational offerings, including undergraduate and graduate degrees, professional certificates, boot camps, and short courses.• Managed the development of project schedules through a forecast, capacity planning and scheduling perspective. • Managed allocated workload for a team of designers, copywriters, and production artists, planning resources and tracking the status of each project through completion.• Acted as a liaison between the creative team and internal stakeholders to ensure creative requests and creative briefs are complete so work can commence.• Monitored copy, design and production to ensure project deliverables are on creative track and schedule

Golden, Colorado, United States

Boston Market Corporation operates more than 350 restaurants nationwide and is one of the country’s largest catering service providers.• Responsible for all aspects of the marketing department’s print production and print vendor management. • Works cross-functionally between internal customers, designers and vendors managing the production of national restaurant promotional materials. • Print buyer for all major marketing programs. Materials include POP signage, displays, posters, and branded merchandise. • Reduce print and production costs through effective order management, substrate comparison and run efficiency. • Led RFP process for new print and fulfillment vendor; managed selection process, resulting in 25% reduction in print and fulfillment expenses annually.• Works closely with creative team to prioritize assignments, create and manage project schedules as well as ensure technical specs are accurate and meet print vendor expectations. • Traffics campaign marketing materials between internal departments and vendors.• Manages the internal proofing process of all promotional materials for stakeholder review. • Manages and releases print, kitting and delivery instructions to vendors for the fulfillment and distribution of POP materials taking into consideration multiple location profiles and price tiers, for all national promotions, local campaigns and test markets.• Serves as primary contact to print vendors and maintains relationships with key suppliers ensuring high quality standards and on-time delivery of all national promotion materials.• Performs press checks and color proof approvals as necessary.• Solicits print bids, selects vendors based on price and scheduling.• Manages and submits estimates for internal review. Processes and routes vendor invoices.

Louisville, Colorado

Sounds True is an independent multimedia publishing company that embraces the world's major spiritual traditions through creating books, music, instructional DVDs and online courses and events.• Manage and oversee the production of online courses and online events.• Managed the development of course marketing websites, online course materials and email.• Create and maintain master marketing schedule from product kick-off to delivery.• Monitor copy, art and development teams to ensure project deliverables are on track.• Manage and coach production coordinator by defining priorities and monitoring work quality. • Map project workflow requirements for implementation by development team.• Facilitate project strategy meetings for creative and marketing teams.• Schedule and coordinate deliverables for contract writers, transcribers and course support.• Work closely with development team to deliver project requirements and schedule.

Active Interest Media publishes leading consumer enthusiast magazines, including Log Home Living, Old House Journal, Timber Home Living, New Old House and Arts & Crafts Homes.• Managed production workflow of print and digital publications (more than 50 issues per year).• Coordinated with ad traffickers and graphic designers to confirm materials met publication specifications.• Worked with editorial, art and sales teams to develop book imposition and decided advertising placement. Achieved most cost effective book configuration, collaborating with art departments on layout.• Tracked art and production department progress to achieve scheduled issue delivery.• Collaborated with circulation department to deliver issue specifications (size, weight and ad percentage).• Designed and preflighted ad materials for three print publications and related interactive iPad editions. • Primary contact for the printer; produced print orders with required specifications for publication.• Reviewed printer proofs to determine revisions required or when magazines were ready for print.• Lead contact for technical and design questions for print and digital advertising materials.• Tracked issue progress to financial goal to help determine additional selling time needed.• Adjusted daily team priorities to ensure multiple publications shipped on time to meet newsstand dates.• Assisted in scheduling, creating and updating production schedules for newsstand publications.• Scheduled publication of non-interactive digital editions (i.e. Zinio, Google, Nook and Kindle editions).• Worked with specialty printers on pricing costs for advertiser projects.

CEB is the world’s leading member-based advisory company, delivering insights, publications, and advice that lead their members to transformative outcomes.• Oversaw the daily workload and time management of an 8-person internal design team producing business-to-business publications.• Proofed all materials created by the team to ensure accuracy in content and technical specifications.• Managed internal and external customer relationships as the liaison between customers and designers.• Coached design concepts, production specifications, conflict management and peer team efforts.