résumé

Empathy • Positivity • Ideation • Input • Woo

I am a versatile artist, storyteller, and self-taught graphic designer with experience across higher education, non-profit, and government-adjacent sectors. With expertise in designing both print and digital media, crafting content for diverse platforms and audiences, and managing social media presence, I bring a creative and strategic approach to every project. I am known for being a collaborative, friendly, and dedicated team player, and I prioritize building meaningful relationships and fostering a strong sense of community.

At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to inclusive excellence, with accessibility being a core focus in all that I do.

education

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

May 2016 – Apr. 2017

Completed 21 hours in the Urban-Multicultural Elementary Education master’s program

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Aug. 2010 – May 2016

BA in English Literature

Minor in Elementary Education

Gatlinburg-Pittman High School

Aug. 2006 – May 2010

High School Diploma

work experience

Freelance Artist

2014 – Present

  • Create original artwork in digital, pen and ink, collage, acrylic, and botanical illustration mediums

  • Design custom graphics for apparel, stickers, stationery, large-format prints, and murals, tailoring style to client needs

  • Collaborate with clients to develop unique visual concepts, delivering high-quality, engaging results

  • Manage all aspects of freelance projects, including design, production, and client communication

Creative Content Manager

Feb. 2020 – Present

College of Education, Health & Human Sciences • University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Design + Visual Communication

  • Create print and digital materials, enhancing visual identity across multiple platforms

  • Design and contribute to Accolades magazine (print & digital), producing visually compelling editorial content

  • Manage digital signage for four college buildings, improving internal communications and engagement

  • Develop alumni and donor collateral, supporting targeted outreach

Brand Management

  • Oversee college-wide brand adherence, ensuring consistent messaging and visual standards

  • Lead faculty and staff brand trainings, strengthening overall brand cohesion

Social Media + Digital Marketing

  • Manage CEHHS social media accounts, growing Instagram to 11K+ followers—one of the largest among UT colleges

  • Support marketing campaigns with design, email content, and social media strategy, increasing reach and engagement

  • Develop and distribute targeted emails to faculty, students, alumni, and stakeholders

Writing + Editing

  • Write and edit feature stories and news releases for CEHHS website, Accolades, and UT’s Torchbearer

Event + Stakeholder Engagement

  • Plan and execute events for students, faculty, and staff, ensuring smooth operations and high participation

Adjunct Lecturer / Lab Instructor

Aug. 2022 – Dec. 2023

Tombras School of Advertising & Public Relations • University of Tennessee, Knoxville

  • Advise Advertising Design 310 students on planning and executing graphic design projects, fostering creativity and professional skills

  • Provide hands-on guidance during in-class “work days,” supporting students through design challenges and technical hurdles

  • Assist students in mastering Adobe Creative Suite to complete assignments effectively

  • Evaluate assignments and quizzes, delivering constructive feedback to enhance learning and skill development

Technical Writer

Sept. 2019 – Jan. 2020

Banda Group International

Technical Writing & Editing

  • Edit CIH staff memorandums into polished final documents for clients, including the U.S. Department of Labor

  • Provide technical editing support on various documents, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and client compliance

  • Prepare and submit invoices, supporting smooth client billing processes

Digital & Presentation Design

  • Create monthly video slideshows highlighting company events, news, and awards

  • Redesign slideshow presentations for company safety training, improving visual clarity and engagement

  • Assist with Microsoft SharePoint site administration, keeping content current and accessible

Administrative Support & Project Coordination

  • Perform administrative duties including ordering supplies, completing expense reports, filing, and managing phone communications

  • Support Program Manager with ad hoc initiatives, ensuring timely completion of projects and client deliverables

Community Engagement Coordinator

Aug. 2017 – Aug. 2019

Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont / AmeriCorps VISTA

Program Development & Education

  • Lead initiatives to alleviate poverty in underserved urban schools through resource creation and experiential education training

  • Design lesson plans and educational resources aligned with Tennessee state standards

  • Promote experiential education benefits for urban communities, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes

  • Recruit and facilitate professional development workshops for educators nationwide

Marketing & Communications

  • Manage statewide communications, creating marketing emails and promotional materials for educators, administrators, and stakeholders

  • Collaborate on GSMIT rebranding to position the organization as a leading resource for local educators

  • Design campaigns and collateral for programming and fundraising initiatives

  • Proofread and ensure quality control of team-produced documents

Event Planning & Facilitation

  • Plan, secure funding for, and execute educational workshops and events

  • Coordinate and facilitate the "Nature Explorers Summer Camp" at Lonsdale Elementary School, engaging students in hands-on learning experiences

Community & Stakeholder Engagement

  • Build long-term partnerships with local stakeholders to advance program goals

Intern Teacher

Jul. 2016 – Apr. 2017

3rd Grade • Lonsdale Elementary School

Oct. 2016 – Dec. 2017

Kindergarten • Dogwood Elementary School

  • Design and facilitate culturally relevant, differentiated lessons and activities for students from diverse backgrounds and varying achievement levels

  • Develop leadership, team-building, and conflict resolution skills while working with mentor teacher and other members of the teaching team

Sales Associate

May 2014 – Dec. 2014

Janie & Jack Outlet

  • Greet customers in a friendly manner and answer any questions

  • Process customer transactions

  • Handle returns and exchanges

  • Open and organize backroom inventory

  • Restock merchandise and organize new merchandise

  • Received exemplary reviews for customer service and personability from customers through company's online survey

Sales Associate

May 2011 – Dec. 2011

TJ Maxx

  • Greet customers in a friendly manner and answer any questions

  • Process customer transactions

  • Handle returns and exchanges

  • Open and organize backroom inventory

  • Restock merchandise and organize new merchandise

  • Sold highest number of TJX credit cards at that location during employment

Volunteer Work

Book Buddy

Jun. 2015 – Jul. 2015

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley

Read with rising 6th grade students in an effort to alleviate summer reading loss

Staff Volunteer

May 2014 – Dec. 2014

Boys & Girls Club of the Smoky Mountains

Assist with programming facilitation, behavioral management, and activity coordination

accomplishments & awards

Baby Smokey Plush

Designed Baby Smokey plush to be sold in the UT Volshop, in partnership with and benefiting the Rocky Top Institute of Retail | Spring 2024

Volunteer Orange Book

Designed the Volunteer Orange Book in collaboration with the CEHHS Office of Access & Engagement | Fall 2023

The Volunteer Orange Book serves as a resource guide for UT students, faculty, and staff that provides information about the greater Knoxville area, on-campus resources, small, locally-owned businesses and restaurants, community DEI resources, and more; Modeled after The Negro Motorist Green Book (1936-1966), published by Victor Hugo Green, with an emphasis on resources for historically underrepresented populations.

Presenter @ Communicon 2023

"Pause Before Posting: Making Your Social Media Accessible for All" | Fall 2023

Social media is the easiest and most public way to share information with our different audiences, and because UT is a land-grant institution, it’s crucial that our posts reach as many people as possible. This session allowed attendees to gain information and resources to help integrate accessibility practices into their social media posts and engage inclusively with diverse audiences.

CommuniCon is UT’s annual conference for campus communicators.

Exceptional Non-Exempt Staff Service Award

Awarded to a non-exempt staff member in the College of Education, Health & Human Sciences who has performed their job duties exceptionally well and who has contributed to the college community in ways that are beyond their position description; this person exemplifies the Volunteer spirit. | 2022

Presenter @ TN Stem Innovation Summit 2019

Facilitated an activity with K-12 educators that they could use in their with their students to hone observation skills while connecting with the natural world, effectively utilizing their schoolyard as a “learning laboratory” | May 2019

Tremont Virtual Reality Project Script

Wrote script for Oak Ridge Associated Universities’ VR project documenting historical and instructional locations around Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont’s campus and the surrounding natural area in the national park | Jan. 2019

University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Guest Lecturer • Fall 2021 – Present

Present “Branding & Design Basics in Canva” every Fall/Spring semester for MKTG 475 (Visual Marketing) in the Haslam College of Business, where I teach visual marketing students how to use Canva to its highest potential in conjunction with other programs, like the Adobe Creative Suite and Procreate, to create or reinforce a strong brand identity

Search Committee Chair • Summer/Fall 2022

Exempt staff-level search in CEHHS

Agent for Change • June 2022

Completed the CEHHS Equity, Inclusion & Justice Summer Institute, a 7-day, immersive learning institute that provides participants with a unique interactive learning experience centered on analyzing the operations of difference, power, and privilege in higher education

Search Committee Chair • Spring 2021

Director-level search in CEHHS

Member • 2020 – 2021

CEHHS A&E Faculty & Staff Advisory Board

Member • Spring – Fall 2020

CEHHS Diversity Action Planning Committee

professional service