Kara Church

EXPERIENCE

Vice President, Senior Art Director   San Francisco, CA
Wells Fargo. 2013 to present.    

Joined as a contractor and promoted rapidly based on strong design, operational, and team leadership performance. Currently supervising 45-plus people made up of visual designers, interaction designer, and content strategists at multiple locations nationwide. 

• Establish a clear digital experience and art direction for the overall sales experience and drive customer engagement
• Effectively manage risk, financial plans and improve delivery 
• Support the brand’s future vision and experience evolution efforts
• Strengthen partnerships and foster individual development for myself and team members

Senior Art Director    San Francisco, CA
Weldon Owen Publishing, Bonnier Corporation. 2005 to 2013    

Promoted in less than one year of working in the book publishing industry. Built, hired, and directed close knit teams for on-location and studio photoshoots while conceptualizing and designing more than a dozen projects a year.

• Collaborated with creative director, editorial department, marketing, and sales department to develop books and web site
• Worked with celebrity chefs and national brands to conceptualize, actualize, direct, and design namesake books, while maintaining unique identities and expressive personalities
• Improved quality of design department procedures and budget strategies
• Supervised and managed in-house and freelance designers 

Art Director     Santa Barbara, CA
Spa, Islands, Destination Wedding & Honeymoons, World Publications. 2003 to 2006    

Advanced quickly through positions as a result of initiating creative solutions, diligent follow through plans, and continuous search for new responsibilities.  

• Designed covers, features, and front of book pages for national and international, consumer magazines
• Executed redesign of multiple magazines while maintaining high quality design, monthly schedules and day-to-day operations of Art Department
• Resourced and directed a group of core photographers, stylist, and illustrators worldwide
• Conceived and strategized with editors on feature stories and the focus sections

Art Director    Santa Barbara, CA
Elite Wedding Collection, Beverly Clark Enterprises. 2005 to 2015    

• Art directed and designed for international, bi-annual magazine focusing on the luxury travel and wedding fields
• Leveraged resources and global collaborations to build and design a twice yearly, international publication
• Established long-lasting relationships with travel and wedding photographers, and fashion designers, as well as high-end resort properties from around the world. 
• Worked closely with the publisher, editor-in-chief and production director from concept through completion 

Art Director/Graphic Designer
Client-based. 2004 to 2015

• Lead creative projects from conception through production including web design, identity design, print publications, print collateral and advertising

SKILLS

• User-centered design
• Design thinking
• Design system creation and maintenance
• Experience platform redesign
• Customer research and insights
• Concept development and presentation
• Building a multidiscipline team

• Typography
• Color theory and strategy
• Prop and food styling
• Photoshoot inception, curation, and direction on location and studio setting
• Digital form design
• Designing for accessibility
   
• Corporate branding and design
• FinTech design
• Cookbook curation
• Travel and leisure design
• Magazine and book design

EDUCATION

University of Florida Gainesville, FL
Degree: B.S. in Journalism, with an emphasis on Publication Design and Photojournalism, and a minor in History