Hi, my name is Kaitlin and I’m auditioning for the role of Design Wizard at your company!
My motto is “Live to inspire”, which comes from 15-year-old me deciding that what brings me the most joy is making a difference in the lives and stories of others. That perspective has carried into everything I do, whether it’s building a brand, writing a poem, running a D&D campaign, talking to someone about life, or random acts of kindness.
Everything comes back to storytelling.
We are always participating in or creating a story. And when we really absorb what it means to do such a thing, every action, word, choice, and motivation becomes more significant. It’s why I’ve always been drawn to writing and design, too. We use our superpowers to make the stories of ourselves and others into something the world can connect with. It’s a privilege and worth pursuing the best uses of these powers, which brings me to why I’m here.
In the last few years, I’ve made it my mission to chase what inspires me and what makes me most able to inspire others, more than ever. I started doing live music photography, wrote and designed a poetry book, leaned into my love of D&D, and began thinking about a career where I could connect more of these types of things as often as possible. Working for Wizards of the Coast would be that incredible opportunity, fusing my professional skill set with my love of D&D and storytelling.
The first character I ever made for D&D was a Water Genasi Wizard named Zekuli. She was more like me than I realized. Even the stats have some relevance if you take a look. Through playing that role, I was introduced to a therapeutic form of storytelling that I want to be a part of and share with others for the rest of my life.
It’s time to take on a life-changing main quest and level up into the Wizard I really want to be in this world.
Thank you for taking the time to read. Please feel free to scroll and click around to learn more about me! And if you would like to contact me directly, please email kaitlin@kaitlinandesign.com and I will respond promptly!
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Senior Brand & Creative Strategist - Dish Network (CX Journeys)
October 2021 to PresentStrategic creation of design systems and copy for our brands
Develop new customer journeys with CX best practices
Determine brand and customer pain points in existing customer journeys to transform into positive touchpoints
Design new experiences using VoC and competitive research tools
Direct design teams on projects to improve CX
Develop internal brands for our team and partners
Collaborate with the team to create educational internal resources
Redesign frequently used assets and streamline workflows
Designer/Brand Specialist/Photographer - Kaitlin Andesign
August 2013 to PresentDesign original apparel, art prints, accessories, etc.
Create custom art pieces by request
Maintain website and social channels
Market offerings with the utilization of social media
Provide brand development and design services
Photograph products, events, and portraits
Freelance Photo Editor - Angi
June 2021 - February 2022Source photography for website articles
Edit photography to fit site specifications, contrast standards, and brand guidelines
Collaborate with writers and project managers to improve/maintain SEO
Graphic Designer - Dish Network (CX Operations)
January 2019 to October 2021Conceptualize and design packaging and instructions
Streamline business processes with content redesign
Develop brand strategy for various lines of business
Survey customers and use results to enhance UX
Collaborate to redesign support websites
Artist & Representative - Zox
February 2011 - June 2021Promote the Zox brand through social media
Design concepts for products
Provide feedback through virtual critiques to other artists
Discuss ideas for brand improvement
Engage with new members to the VIP program
Market original designs via social media and grassroots initiatives
Marketing Content Specialist - IMM eSign
February 2018 to December 2018Design and write marketing content
Manage social media channels
Collaborate on brand and marketing development
Strategize and execute website design, UX, and SEO
Brand Specialist - Triglow
July 2017 to February 2018Design packaging and marketing content
Develop and execute print catalog
Coordinate website design and development
Re-brand and update assets
Develop a new brand guide
Graphic Designer/Photographer - Boathouse Sports
March 2015 to July 2017Design digital and print advertisements
Create social media content and copy
Streamline internal processes
Shoot and edit photos of products and events
Design and mock-up clothing and accessories
Brand, design, and launch new retail line
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Adobe Creative Suite
- Photoshop
- InDesign
- Illustrator
- Lightroom
- Premiere
- XD
Sketch
Figma
Invision
Microsoft Office
Google Workspace
- Spreads
- Slides
- Docs
- Sites
Photography
Print Design
UX Design
Copywriting
Packaging Design
Brand Strategy
Creative Direction
Photo Retouching
Social Media
Journey MappingGoogle UX Design Professional Certificate (currently enrolled)
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Shoutout Colorado Feature
ShoutoutColorado.com, 2022Zox Featured Artist
Zox, 2018Literary Magazine Cover Design Winner
Drexel University, 2015 -
Colleen Skells
Communications Manager at OracleI was Kaitlin's direct supervisor at DISH from 2018-2021. Kaitlin was my graphic designer, focusing on the creation of support materials to help DISH customers get the most out of their service.
In her tenure under my leadership, Kaitlin redesigned our print materials, creating consistency, reducing redundancy and vastly improving the look of the content. Kaitlin was also instrumental in the redesign of DISH's support website, leading the creative direction of the project from inception to execution. Before I departed DISH, Kaitlin was asked to lead the brand strategy for our new wireless acquisitions based on the great work she did for our pay-TV line of business.
Kaitlin is a hardworking and dedicated professional with a keen eye for detail. She's a visionary and strategic thinker who can execute large-scale projects that drive results. Along with having a great work ethic, Kaitlin is an amazing team player who supports her team at work and in life. I couldn't have asked for a better employee in my tenure at DISH.
I highly recommend Kaitlin's candidacy for any role focused on creative direction, design, and/or brand/content strategy (or any similar vocations). Please contact me if you'd like to chat further about Kaitlin's qualifications.
Jackie Mercer Allibone
Director of Marketing & Engagement at Sidelined USAKaitlin and I worked together for about 2-3 years at a sports apparel company in Philadelphia. From the moment she came on board our team she made a significant impact on the work being done and the culture of our department.
When Kaitlin has a vision she runs with it. She raises the bar. She displays her ideas in an organized and well-thought process and makes everyone feel a part of the creation. Then, the execution of the project happens and she brings it to life. She is a self-motivated, passionate, and resourceful person. She's a team player, gives 110% in everything she does, and truly cares for the people she works with. Any team, supervisor, coworker, and company would be extremely lucky to have Kaitlin work for them and with them.
The work Kaitlin is able to produce and create seems immeasurable to me and I feel incredibly fortunate to have learned so much from her. Being in a supervisory role in my department I got to see Kaitlin grow and watch her flourish with every task she took on. I have no doubt that Kaitlin is and always will be extremely valuable to any organization she chooses to be a part of.
Ashleigh Angles
Product Manager at DishI’ve never met a more dedicated and passionate person than Kaitlin. I have had the pleasure of working with her on many projects at her time with Dish. She is highly organized, detailed, meticulous, and results-driven. I have also seen her efforts in multiple freelance projects she’s taken on. She takes the upmost care and pride in all her endeavors. She works at a level of professionalism I have not seen from most. Kaitlin has an extremely bright future ahead of her and will be an asset to any organization.
Contact Ashleigh
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As a kid in north-central Maryland, I always had the desire to learn and push my boundaries. I was drawn to seeing new places and exploring new ways to express the ideas in my head. Before I even knew the words to explain what I was making, I created zines with collages of magazine cutouts and drawings, I wrote short stories with little doodles, and I designed graphics for hypothetical brands and products. As I entered grade school, I started to formalize all of these interests and study them more intensely.
Art and music have made me who I am. In those early grade school years, I took as many fine arts, writing, and design classes as I could while also being involved in orchestra, percussion, and marching band. The overlap in mediums has translated to my approach as I’ve gone through life and become a professional creative. Visuals and words can have rhythm, layouts can have a cadence, posters can feel like poetry, and white space is like a rest within a measure of music… everything is connected!
In high school, I started my own brand and created art for other brands as well. I designed and sold t-shirts and bracelets to students, handing out order forms I also designed myself to collect payments for pre-orders. Beyond that, I started my collaboration with the company, ZOX. To this day, the bracelets I designed for them are some of the most coveted by collectors, even 10+ years later. I became a featured artist and brand representative, inducting new members into their VIP/artist groups and teaching people about the company.
After high school, I moved to Philadelphia and attended Drexel University. I will always credit that city with making one of the largest impacts on my life and perspective. I moved there without knowing anyone, dove into the hardest coursework of my life, and knocked down walls that led me to incredible opportunities. Throughout my studies, I acquired a very wide basis of skills and knowledge across many different mediums. I graduated with a B.S. in Graphic Design and studied photography and fine art as minors.
While at Drexel, I interned at Boathouse Sports. The experience was so positive that it secured part-time work for the duration of my college career and then a job post-graduation. I worked there for a few years designing apparel, marketing, social media posts, email campaigns, event booths, and concept products. I was also able to coordinate photoshoots with myself as the photographer and then as the creative director on occasion too.
After Boathouse, I had two short but significant roles. The first was as a Brand Specialist for the lighting company, Triglow. I was their first and only in-house creative, leading their rebrand, website development, catalog design, packaging design, and Amazon creative. I collaborated with a contract creative team to execute each facet, leading the overall direction and aiming to stand out from their direct industry competitors. It was received with high praise from our business partners and employees alike.
The second role I had after Boathouse was as a Marketing Content Specialist for IMM eSign. My role was focused on designing and executing our email and social media content, and improving our web presence. I created a cadence for posts across our various platforms using Sprout Social, determined what hashtags gave us more engagement, responded to comments, and translated the findings across our website, emails, and other marketing. Aside from that, a colleague and I were responsible for updating and upkeeping our asset library, website, and brand guidelines through a rebrand and beyond.
All of this experience led to a big decision to move to Denver and work with Dish Network. The position I started in, as a designer under the Customer Experience Operations team, was a culmination of everything from the previous years. I worked on packaging, UX, marketing materials, welcome/instructional guides, support content online and in print, and more, from day one. In my time on that team, I streamlined our processes and material costs down to a fourth of the original cost, making room for higher quality design and production. I also mentored teammates and led them in executing design updates to our materials and designing new innovations for our business. I eventually made a move to the Customer Experience Journeys team, in an effort to fuse my desire for bigger-picture CX and strategy and my skills as a creative. In this role now, I collaborate with brand owners to improve or create new touchpoints that achieve a higher standard for customers while also meeting business objectives, lead the creative direction of these touchpoints, and work with executives and vendors to align expectations from all sides.
Last, but not least, my own work outside of all the day jobs. For many years now, I’ve worked on my own to collaborate with brands and creators that I love, while also making products and executing creative projects for myself, all under the moniker of Kaitlin Andesign. A few of my favorite projects involved creating brands for artists, entrepreneurs, and YouTubers, consulting them on their presence and shaping it into more of what they want. That process has often led to creating merchandise as well, which is another great passion of mine that I have more than a decade of experience with now. Aside from brand design and development, I’ve also been hired as a photographer for headshots, product photos, and events. For my own brand, I’ve created an original zine, apparel, accessories, stickers, art prints, and even written and designed my own books. It’s the perfect place to put my creative curiosity and constantly develop new connections and skill sets to eventually offer others.
As I approach a novel’s length, I realize that this isn’t remotely everything, but it touches upon the main chapters at the very least. I’ve been lucky enough to have many opportunities throughout the years, in combination with a perspective of curiosity and eagerness to do anything I can to learn and create more. All of it has made me the self-starting, challenge-accepting, bigger-thinking, make-life-better-for-everyone, person that I am today.
My greatest wish in life is to have an immensely positive impact. Building a skill set that allows me to help people tell their stories and achieve their dreams is the greatest way I’ve found to do just that. I want to do this for as long as humanly possible!
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