Sara Mcdaniel Email & Phone Number

Mountain View, California, United States

RESPONSIBILITIES: • Assist Google's Photo Lead in managing projects and workflows; developing a plan-of-action for ~100 jobs a year, scoping against current workload and team resources.• Built and implemented official, defined reporting tools & metrics for the first time in Photo Studio's history.• Key player during the implementation of a project-management tool for Google's Devices & Services group. I influenced Photo Studio to become the first team to implement the system -- recognizing it as a much-needed tool for tracking 800+ deliverables a year and increasing project transparency among stakeholders. • Advocate for consistent, small process improvements by regularly analyzing workplace data: recognizing what works, and identifying future problems / common blockers before they arise.• Monitor daily operations of in-house photo, retouching, and 3D teams, working closely with producers and cross-functional stakeholders to stay on track with production and reviews.• Was asked by the Head of Creative to educate other teams about implementing a project-management system and building scalable, repeatable workflows. With them, I continue to define & develop new operational strategies that allow teams to better coordinate at all levels.• Adapted existing processes as the studio grew, to match a much-busier scope -- from five product launches a year to 25. Because of these workflow improvements, the studio was able to scale up and take on more work while building a reputation for proven processes and consistent high quality.• Cultivate relationships with partners, wider Google teams, and external agencies to align on expectations.• Support studio creatives by building best-practices, project templates, and standardized processes. These clear guidelines mean that all team members know what to expect, things are organized, uncertainty about next steps is kept to a minimum, and the creatives can do what they do best -- create.

Mountain View, California

I'm an experienced, published writer with a Bachelors from the top journalism school in the country. My work has appeared in newspapers across the U.S. I'm also a multidisciplinary senior graphic designer with more than a decade of experience at publications. Together, these skills make me a one-stop shop for clients who need someone to create an annual report, mailer, or marketing materials. My attention to detail and vast production experience mean I can guide a client's project from the early brainstorming stage to the final stages of printing.Specialties: Annual Reviews, Corporate Identities, Print Advertising, Direct Mail Campaigns, Letterpress Weddings / Personal Stationery, Marketing and Branding, Packaging Design

Durham, North Carolina

• Set creative strategy, execution, and rollout of 40-50 projects a year, including a magazine, books, digital media, ad campaigns, events, and unique project launches including collaborations with the NCAA College World Series and Major League Baseball. • Lead daily operations of in-house design & production team. Source, hire, and art-direct a diverse group of freelance designers, illustrators, and photographers.• Serve as design & production leader on cross-functional teams that include marketing, editorial, and sales. Primary point of contact for all workflow and deadlines.• Maintain strict standards from start to finish to ensure well-crafted design: creating best-practices and style guides, setting efficient workflow, reporting on progress, and conducting reviews after project is complete.• Cultivate stakeholder relationships with printers, USPS, and distributors around the country to ensure specs and deadlines are met.• Developed and monitored annual budget of over $1 million. Responsible for cost-forecasting, gathering bids, contracts, purchasing, and tracking distribution. • Key player during the merger of Baseball America and TEN: The Enthusiast Network. Facilitated the transition by building a clear plan with the Director of Operations at the parent company, despite our organizations having very different cultures and sizes. Because of my previous process improvements, BA was able to scale up quickly and integrate into a much larger media company. • Responsible for teaching top management at new parent company about book publishing, an area in which they had no previous experience. With them, I defined & developed new strategy.• Reduced production costs by an average of 43% annually for four years through contract re-negotiations and applying product expertise to maintain high-quality design at lower costs. • Increased deadlines met by 38% since starting, and book deadlines by 200% in first year alone.

Raleigh, North Carolina

• Was recruited to the company by the Assistant Design Editor.• Met with editors and photographers to plan projects.• Responsible for art direction and execution of two weekly sections and an entertainment tabloid. • Participated in the conceptualization and development of projects with a rotating staff of writers and editors, and collaborated with photographers in the studio to execute the work.• Sourced or commissioned materials including photos, illustrations and multimedia for projects while on daily deadline.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

• Was recruited to the company by the Design Director.• Led five-person department during a yearlong period without a department head, including managing production workflow and employee schedules.• Created and chaired a committee to set communication strategies and standard operating procedures in design departments company-wide.• Acted as a liaison between management and the department.

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Albuquerque, New Mexico

• Generated story ideas and wrote investigative news stories, human-interest features and reviews. • Interviewed politicians, community leaders, and experts in various local industries for relevant news articles.• Assisted in design and production of the state’s largest newsweekly, in addition to writing a weekly column on the media.