Summary
Creative, entrepreneur, and educator with over 16+ years of experience, 8 of those being in the agency world and 9 years of running two successful businesses that I founded in Detroit, MI.
I started my career in 2007 as a graphic designer and over 8 years worked my way up to an Associate Creative Director role in advertising, specializing in client presentation, creative direction, creative strategy, campaign concepting/development, web and app design, broadcast/web video, packaging design, and social/influencer marketing for clients ranging from local small businesses to large public companies such as Ford and Kimberly Clark.
In 2013, I founded TAIT Design Co. an award-winning product design studio. I built out a line of modern homewares and toy products over the course of the last 9 years. I raised over $200,000 through pitch competitions and the business now sells D2C as well as to 250+ stores around the world, selling to some of the most coveted museum stores in the country such as The Guggenheim & SFMOMA, and to large retailers like Restoration Hardware and West Elm.
In 2018 I started a second business called Laser Rays Detroit. It is a manufacturing and product design/ development/launch business that works with over 100 clients, ranging from independent designers to small business owners working in various fields such as various fields of design, engineering, and architecture.
In 2022 I was offered an Adjunct Professor position at University of Detroit Mercy, teaching a graduate level graphic design class to students in their architecture program. I crafted the curriculum to the specific needs of their practice and mentored them as they completed their graduate thesis submissions.
Both businesses are now managed by independent teams that I have developed.
Experience
Founder + Creative Director, TAIT Design Co.
May 2013 - Present
Website: https://www.taitdesignco.com/
Instagram: @taitdesignco
Independent product design studio I personally founded in 2013 specializing in home/office goods and toys. TAIT Design Co. products are made from 100% US-sourced materials and assembled by hand in Detroit.
I designed and produced a highly successful and award-winning product line, along with all packaging, photography, website, branding, strategy, and marketing. I built partnerships with 250+ retailers across the US including Restoration Hardware, CB2, and West Elm. Launched 10+ products. I am proud to have contributed several million dollars to the local manufacturing economy since the inception of the brand. TAIT Design Co. has been featured in Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, Apple News, Martha Stewart Living, Bloomberg Business, and many more. I co-raised $200,000 through the Detroit Demo Day pitch competition.
Founder
Founder + Creative Director, Laser Rays Detroit
Jul 2018 - Present
Website: https://laserraysdetroit.com/
Instagram: @laserraysdetroit
Manufacturing company specializing in custom products and design consulting that I personally founded in 2018. The goal of Laser Rays is to leverage the tools and expertise necessary to realize the product design visions of small business owners, designers, engineers, architects, hobbyists, and retail customers as well.
Taking my expertise in product development into consideration from running my first company, TAIT Design Co., I invested in laser cutters and cnc machines and have a small team that runs the day to day operations here. Laser Rays works with over 150 clients in Southeast Michigan and beyond. Our clients are the likes of Ford, Sachse Construction, Bon Bon Bon, City Bird, Fraser Tea, MarxModa, and many more! I led all creative direction of the brand identity, social media, advertising, and web development.
Graduate-Level Adjunct Professor, Detroit Mercy College of Liberal Arts & Education
Jan 2022 - Mar 2022
Graduate level course in graphic design I taught to students in the master's program at the School of Architecture and Community Development at University of Detroit Mercy. Topics ranged from the history of typography, typographic anatomy, grids, 2D illustration, wayfinding systems, as well as tutorials in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I tailored a custom curriculum to the student's needs and met with them on a weekly basis with specific assignments and mentored them as they gained knowledge, new skills, and confidence. The final outcome was their thesis book for graduation in the master's program.
Associate Creative Director, GTB
Sep 2014 - Sep 2015
ACD for the Ford Social Social technology team. I worked directly with clients, my CD, and led a team of designers and writers to concept and execute work that highlighted Ford's technological breakthroughs in unconventional ways. I advocated for partnerships with influencers and online
publications within the tech space to increase our reach to our respective target audience, aligning creative with our client's business strategy to increase adoption and advocacy for the Ford brand within the technology space.
Key client: Ford
Associate Creative Director, Organic
May 2013 - Sep 2014
ACD for the Pull Ups brand within the Kimberly Clark product family. I worked directly with clients to understand their brand's needs, develop creative strategy and craft work that solved those needs. I presented to clients and worked with my CD, and led a team of designers and writers. The creative
centered around the idea that every child is unique, and working with both digital and traditional teams created a campaign and digital experience called The Big Kid Academy. This included a complete redesign of the website that was dynamic to each parent, an app that improved the potty-training experience, drip emails to encourage and track progress, as well as traditional broadcast and digital OLA to push targeted users to the brand.
Key client: Kimberly-Clark
Senior Art Director, GTB
Apr 2010 - May 2013
Senior Art Director in the digital group for Ford. I designed key pages and design elements for a redesign of ford.com which were disseminated to other designers to work from. I was also the sole designer on a very small key team that created Ford Social, a website platform and initiative to increase the advocacy of the brand. This team eventually became one of the largest groups within Team Detroit and was the seed for much of the award-winning work that was to come in the social space for the brand.
Key client: Ford
Designer, Organic
Oct 2009 - Jun 2010
Designer for jeep.com, chrysler.com, and ubykotex.com. Developed an award-winning site for the Dodge Charger. Assisted with pitch work for the agency.
Key clients: Kimberly Clark, Chrysler
Designer, Media Genesis
Oct 2007 - Oct 2009
Key clients: DSO, Rock Financial, Chrysler
Education
Eastern Michigan University
Bachelors of Fine Art
Major: Graphic Design
Minor: Photography
2002 - 2007
Skills
Creative Direction
Creative Strategy
Client Presentation
Campaign Conception & Development
Brainstorm Facilitation
Team Leadership
Brand Identity
Entrepreneurship
Graphic Design
Product Design
Mobile Design
Web Design
Broadcast / Digital Video
Social / Influencer Marketing
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom
Keynote
Google Suite
CNC + Physical Prototyping
Honors & Awards
Top 50 best designed products
AIGA, 2013
Turbo Flyer | TAIT Design Co.
Work featured in books:
Encyclopedia of Materials, TAIT Design Co. Turbo Flyer Packaging - Lawrence King Publishing, 2015
Eco-Packaging, TAIT Design Co. Sling-Slang YOYO Packaging - Images Publishing Books, 2016
Work featured in publications:
Midwest Living
Real Simple
Martha Stewart Living
Drew Barrymore Magazine
Apple News
Entrepreneur
Apartment Therapy
PRINT
HOW
Communication Arts
Design Sponge
Design Milk
The Dieline
Bloomberg Business
Designboom
The Dieline
Selectism
Uncrate
Lovely Package
GIZMODO
AFAR
HGTV
Better Homes & Gardens
House Beautiful
Gear Patrol
The Design Blog
Cool Material
The Coolector
CRAIN'S
The Detroit News
Click on Detroit
Design Annual Award Winner
TAIT Design Co. Perpetual Calendar, Communication Arts
May 2016
International Design Award
TAIT Design Co. Precision Mobile, HOW International Design Awards
May 2016
1st Place, Packaging Design
TAIT Design Co. Sling-Slang YOYO, The Dieline Awards
May 2015
2nd Place, Packaging Design
TAIT Design Co. Precision Mobile, The Dieline Awards
May 2016
3rd Place, Packaging Design
Turbo Flyer® Pattern Series, The Dieline Awards
May 2016
Site of the Day
Dodge Charger, FWA
Nov 2010
Agency: Organic
Outstanding Website
Dodge Charger, IAB
Nov 2010
Agency: Organic
Creative, entrepreneur, and educator with over 16+ years of experience, 8 of those being in the agency world and 9 years of running two successful businesses that I founded in Detroit, MI.
I started my career in 2007 as a graphic designer and over 8 years worked my way up to an Associate Creative Director role in advertising, specializing in client presentation, creative direction, creative strategy, campaign concepting/development, web and app design, broadcast/web video, packaging design, and social/influencer marketing for clients ranging from local small businesses to large public companies such as Ford and Kimberly Clark.
In 2013, I founded TAIT Design Co. an award-winning product design studio. I built out a line of modern homewares and toy products over the course of the last 9 years. I raised over $200,000 through pitch competitions and the business now sells D2C as well as to 250+ stores around the world, selling to some of the most coveted museum stores in the country such as The Guggenheim & SFMOMA, and to large retailers like Restoration Hardware and West Elm.
In 2018 I started a second business called Laser Rays Detroit. It is a manufacturing and product design/ development/launch business that works with over 100 clients, ranging from independent designers to small business owners working in various fields such as various fields of design, engineering, and architecture.
In 2022 I was offered an Adjunct Professor position at University of Detroit Mercy, teaching a graduate level graphic design class to students in their architecture program. I crafted the curriculum to the specific needs of their practice and mentored them as they completed their graduate thesis submissions.
Both businesses are now managed by independent teams that I have developed.
Experience
Founder + Creative Director, TAIT Design Co.
May 2013 - Present
Website: https://www.taitdesignco.com/
Instagram: @taitdesignco
Independent product design studio I personally founded in 2013 specializing in home/office goods and toys. TAIT Design Co. products are made from 100% US-sourced materials and assembled by hand in Detroit.
I designed and produced a highly successful and award-winning product line, along with all packaging, photography, website, branding, strategy, and marketing. I built partnerships with 250+ retailers across the US including Restoration Hardware, CB2, and West Elm. Launched 10+ products. I am proud to have contributed several million dollars to the local manufacturing economy since the inception of the brand. TAIT Design Co. has been featured in Apartment Therapy, Real Simple, Apple News, Martha Stewart Living, Bloomberg Business, and many more. I co-raised $200,000 through the Detroit Demo Day pitch competition.
Founder
Founder + Creative Director, Laser Rays Detroit
Jul 2018 - Present
Website: https://laserraysdetroit.com/
Instagram: @laserraysdetroit
Manufacturing company specializing in custom products and design consulting that I personally founded in 2018. The goal of Laser Rays is to leverage the tools and expertise necessary to realize the product design visions of small business owners, designers, engineers, architects, hobbyists, and retail customers as well.
Taking my expertise in product development into consideration from running my first company, TAIT Design Co., I invested in laser cutters and cnc machines and have a small team that runs the day to day operations here. Laser Rays works with over 150 clients in Southeast Michigan and beyond. Our clients are the likes of Ford, Sachse Construction, Bon Bon Bon, City Bird, Fraser Tea, MarxModa, and many more! I led all creative direction of the brand identity, social media, advertising, and web development.
Graduate-Level Adjunct Professor, Detroit Mercy College of Liberal Arts & Education
Jan 2022 - Mar 2022
Graduate level course in graphic design I taught to students in the master's program at the School of Architecture and Community Development at University of Detroit Mercy. Topics ranged from the history of typography, typographic anatomy, grids, 2D illustration, wayfinding systems, as well as tutorials in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. I tailored a custom curriculum to the student's needs and met with them on a weekly basis with specific assignments and mentored them as they gained knowledge, new skills, and confidence. The final outcome was their thesis book for graduation in the master's program.
Associate Creative Director, GTB
Sep 2014 - Sep 2015
ACD for the Ford Social Social technology team. I worked directly with clients, my CD, and led a team of designers and writers to concept and execute work that highlighted Ford's technological breakthroughs in unconventional ways. I advocated for partnerships with influencers and online
publications within the tech space to increase our reach to our respective target audience, aligning creative with our client's business strategy to increase adoption and advocacy for the Ford brand within the technology space.
Key client: Ford
Associate Creative Director, Organic
May 2013 - Sep 2014
ACD for the Pull Ups brand within the Kimberly Clark product family. I worked directly with clients to understand their brand's needs, develop creative strategy and craft work that solved those needs. I presented to clients and worked with my CD, and led a team of designers and writers. The creative
centered around the idea that every child is unique, and working with both digital and traditional teams created a campaign and digital experience called The Big Kid Academy. This included a complete redesign of the website that was dynamic to each parent, an app that improved the potty-training experience, drip emails to encourage and track progress, as well as traditional broadcast and digital OLA to push targeted users to the brand.
Key client: Kimberly-Clark
Senior Art Director, GTB
Apr 2010 - May 2013
Senior Art Director in the digital group for Ford. I designed key pages and design elements for a redesign of ford.com which were disseminated to other designers to work from. I was also the sole designer on a very small key team that created Ford Social, a website platform and initiative to increase the advocacy of the brand. This team eventually became one of the largest groups within Team Detroit and was the seed for much of the award-winning work that was to come in the social space for the brand.
Key client: Ford
Designer, Organic
Oct 2009 - Jun 2010
Designer for jeep.com, chrysler.com, and ubykotex.com. Developed an award-winning site for the Dodge Charger. Assisted with pitch work for the agency.
Key clients: Kimberly Clark, Chrysler
Designer, Media Genesis
Oct 2007 - Oct 2009
Key clients: DSO, Rock Financial, Chrysler
Education
Eastern Michigan University
Bachelors of Fine Art
Major: Graphic Design
Minor: Photography
2002 - 2007
Skills
Creative Direction
Creative Strategy
Client Presentation
Campaign Conception & Development
Brainstorm Facilitation
Team Leadership
Brand Identity
Entrepreneurship
Graphic Design
Product Design
Mobile Design
Web Design
Broadcast / Digital Video
Social / Influencer Marketing
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Lightroom
Keynote
Google Suite
CNC + Physical Prototyping
Honors & Awards
Top 50 best designed products
AIGA, 2013
Turbo Flyer | TAIT Design Co.
Work featured in books:
Encyclopedia of Materials, TAIT Design Co. Turbo Flyer Packaging - Lawrence King Publishing, 2015
Eco-Packaging, TAIT Design Co. Sling-Slang YOYO Packaging - Images Publishing Books, 2016
Work featured in publications:
Midwest Living
Real Simple
Martha Stewart Living
Drew Barrymore Magazine
Apple News
Entrepreneur
Apartment Therapy
HOW
Communication Arts
Design Sponge
Design Milk
The Dieline
Bloomberg Business
Designboom
The Dieline
Selectism
Uncrate
Lovely Package
GIZMODO
AFAR
HGTV
Better Homes & Gardens
House Beautiful
Gear Patrol
The Design Blog
Cool Material
The Coolector
CRAIN'S
The Detroit News
Click on Detroit
Design Annual Award Winner
TAIT Design Co. Perpetual Calendar, Communication Arts
May 2016
International Design Award
TAIT Design Co. Precision Mobile, HOW International Design Awards
May 2016
1st Place, Packaging Design
TAIT Design Co. Sling-Slang YOYO, The Dieline Awards
May 2015
2nd Place, Packaging Design
TAIT Design Co. Precision Mobile, The Dieline Awards
May 2016
3rd Place, Packaging Design
Turbo Flyer® Pattern Series, The Dieline Awards
May 2016
Site of the Day
Dodge Charger, FWA
Nov 2010
Agency: Organic
Outstanding Website
Dodge Charger, IAB
Nov 2010
Agency: Organic