Summary
I am a User Experience Consultant who has been working professionally for over 15 years in the field of new media and emerging technologies. My forte is UX Strategy. My backbone is Information Architecture.
I am always open to discussing new contractual opportunities!
Experience
8/2009 – nowSelf (JLR Interactive)Los Angeles, CA
User Experience Lead Consultant
- Clients served: TBWA \ Chiat \ Day (NYC)
2/2008 – 7/2009HUGELos Angeles, CA
Experience Lead
- Clients served: ABC, Ascent Media, Dish, Disney, FX Networks, Kohler, and iVillage
- Provided a leadership role in key stages of research, product definition, and interaction design
- Led the "Discovery" by conducting competitive audits, content audits, user research, & stakeholder interiews
- Partnered with senior clients to determine business goals, feature requirements, project phasing, and success metrics
4/2006 – 2/2008SchematicLos Angeles, CA
Senior User Experience Designer
- Clients served: ABC, AOL, Oprah, South Park Studios, Target, Televisa, and Turner Networks
- Worked within a team-oriented environment, creating conceptual blueprints for cutting-edge, motion-oriented 2' and 10' interfaces.
- Defined functionality, content, navigation, and interaction models through motion tests, wireframes, site-maps, user flows, flowcharts, storyboards, and functional specifications
- Contributed to the development of content models, nomenclature and taxonomies
8/2005 – 3/2006 Zodeca (contract) Los Angeles, CA
Lead Designer/Information Architect
- Developed user interfaces for database-driven websites and portals.
- Created wireframes, mockups and design specifications that communicate the information and interaction design to the graphic designers.
- Provided expertise in the latest Web 2.0 technologies and current UI trends.
- Converted Photoshop compositions into fully optimized standards compliant XHTML and CSS layouts ready for seamless integration with ASP.net.
1/2005 – 6/2005 Genwax (contract) Los Angeles, CA
Information Architect
- Redesigned and developed the front-end for a product-driven and seasonally updated transactional website.
- Conducted usability tests using paper prototypes, evaluated the results, and provided recommendations for improvements.
- Created sitemaps, wireframes, flowcharts, and use case documentation.
- Led the creative staff by providing them with detailed design specifications.
- http://www.ehollywood.net/genwax/ (demo)
1/2004 – 7/2005 Passport Productions Los Angeles, CA
DVD and Web Producer
- Designed and developed a promotional website and blog for a major poker tournament that is nationally syndicated on broadcast television.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to produce interactive menus and non-linear content on DVD.
- http://www.ehollywood.net/upc/ (demo)
11/2002 – 4/2003 DHIMA Institute of the Arts Los Angeles, CA
Multimedia Instructor
- Taught a comprehensive web development course covering interaction, information design, usability, site architecture, optimization, branding, type, and color issues.
- Topics included: DHTML, HTML, CSS, Dreamweaver, Flash, and JavaScript.
- http://www.ehollywood.net/dhima (course syllabus)
2002 – 2003 New York State Center for School Safety New Paltz, New York
CD-ROM / Print / Web Designer
- Produced, designed and animated a cross-platform video-driven CD-ROM used to teach high school students how to deal with violent situations.
- Designed the 4-color CD packaging and booklet and created the accessible website to promote the CD-ROM.
- http://www.ehollywood.net/psu (demo)
1997 – 2002 Electronic Hollywood, Inc New York, New York
Creative Director
- Wrote a business plan that brought in a 500k angel investment to start a business that specialized in the production of web-based cartoons, games and interactive advertising.
- Pitched projects, spoke at conferences, and worked the press to promote the company in original ways.
- Directed and managed both an in-house and freelance staff on numerous interactive projects.
- Created nationally recognized industry firsts using rich-media technologies to convert old media branding into new media content.
- Wrote, produced, and directed the web-based episodic cartoon series turned animated feature film "CyberSlacker" produced entirely in Flash.
- CLIENTS INCLUDED: Artisan Entertainment, Campbell Soup, Ericsson, HBO, Kraft, Miller Brewing Co., Miramax, MTV, New Line Cinema, Partnership for Drug Free America, Samsung, SonicNet, Sony Music, Tommy Hilfiger, World Opponent Network.
- http://www.ehollywood.net/ (Electronic Hollywood's portfolio)
- http://www.ehollywood.net/cyberslacker/ (episodic cartoon)
1995 – 1996 Icon CMT New York, New York
Creative Director
- Produced and managed content integration, interface design, animation, and music for an on-line, web-based magazine (WORD.com). WORD received national recognition for design and cutting-edge programming.
- Also served as creative director of corporate website development.
- Hired and supervised a staff of 5-10 full-time and freelance designers, animators, and programmers on a project-to-project basis.
1994 – 1995 IBM White Plains, New York
Interface Designer
- Conceptualized and produced graphic user interfaces for prototypes of electronic services such as video conferencing and catalog shopping.
1993 – 2000 New York University’s ITP Program New York, New York
Multimedia Instructor
- Taught courses called "Electronic Publishing" and "Web-based Animation" for the Interactive Telecommunications Program at New York University.
- Lectured on the development process for creating low-bandwidth presentations, cartoons, and games using Macromedia Director and Flash for distribution on the Internet and in fixed-format media.
1993 Viacom new media New York, New York
Interface Designer
- Conceptualized and designed a video-on-demand prototype for a joint-venture (with AT&T) interactive television experiment in Castro Valley, CA.
- Produced and designed the overall look and feel of the interface for MTV's first CDROM prototype of the band Aerosmith by repurposing MTV rockumentary and music video footage into a non-linear structure.
1992 – 1993 emi records New York, New York
Interactive Producer
- Designed, animated, and programmed the first commercially released interactive press kit (IPK) for Billy Idol’s Cyberpunk CD digipack.
- This worldwide promo (on floppy disk) included sequenced samples, digitized video, hypertext, and animation.
Education
M.A. Interactive Telecommunications; 1990
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, Tisch School of the Arts.
B.A. Broadcast Communication Arts; 1988
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SAN FRANCISCO. Graduate Cum Laude.