About

Nearly three decades of design & production.

Hello, I'm  a graphic designer, digital content producer, and strategist with nearly three decades of experience at the forefront of visual communication, mobile technology, and digital media. My career is defined by creative range, technical depth, and an instinct for emerging platforms.

Summa cum laude, New World School of the Arts University of Florida
Melissa L. Lawson
1997The early web 2002Mobile content 2007Independent strategy 2014Apps and UX 2018Now

Five eras, each one entered while the industry was still being built.

1997
–2002
The early web
Art Director & Web Manager

Back when having a website was a forward-thinking

My professional story begins in the earliest days of the commercial web. In the late 1990s, I served as Art Director and Web Manager for Beautyjungle, an early competitor to Sephora whose website earned a #4 ranking on Fortune Magazine's Best e-tailer Website Design list in 2000. During that same era I designed the first-ever website for the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and developed B2B digital properties for Miller Lite as designer/coder and HTML manager. For Edelman Public Relations I designed several sites and micro-sites for Ortho/Bayer pharmaceuticals and pet products. Other notable Chicago companies I enjoyed working for were Lifeserv and Gorilla Polymedia. I had the good fortune to work with creative visionaries as well as the hard workers the city is known for. During this time, I began doing voiceovers for local and regional ads.

2000

#4, Best e-tailer Website Design
Fortune Magazine — Beautyjungle

Clients and projects

Beautyjungle Chicago Mercantile Exchange Miller Lite Ortho/Bayer
2002
–2007
Mobile content
Content Strategy & Production, Infospace

The early days of having phones worth creating content for

From there, I moved into the nascent world of mobile content in Los Angeles. At Infospace from 2002 to 2007, I managed content production teams serving an exciting roster of clients. I participated in R&D for Samsung's mobile content division and designed internal software that adapted media for multiple handsets. I continued to have great luck working with exceptional people. I continued voiceover work including a campaign for Chevy and OnStar.

Clients

Universal Music MTV SonyBMG Universal Pictures Warner Brothers Studios MLB NCAA T-Mobile AT&T / Cingular Samsung
2007
–2014
Independent strategy
Mobile Content Director & Digital Strategist

Seven years consulting for mobile content and digital public relations

I followed that chapter with a seven-year freelance run as a Mobile Content Director and Digital Strategist, consulting for JupiterMedia (now part of Getty Images), Universal Music, and Warner Bros. Studios, while also working with Chicago agencies designing websites and public relations outreach for food companies including one of the first-ever Pinterest social media campaigns for McCormick Spices in 2013. My voiceover work also moved into the digital landscape of product videos for the internet.

Clients

JupiterMedia/GettyImages Universal Music Warner Bros. Studios McCormick Spices
2014
–2018
Apps and UX
Designer & UX Lead, mobileforming

Leading design on the Hilton Hotels app

In 2014, I joined mobileforming, LLC as Designer and UX Lead for the Hilton Hotels app. I learned about Material Design and adapted some beautiful designs of the Apple App to be native to Google phones. I also served as the liaison between design and development teams streamlining the communication process , contributed to the company's internal brand strategy, and conducted UX research for Experian. Unrelated to my work with mobileforming, I also did voice over work for Experian digital ad campaigns and FreeCreditScore.com product videos. I began producing product videos for Mekorma software managing the writing, hiring, illustration, recording, and editing as well as contributing my own voice to a few of the videos.

2018

Silver, Best Mobile App Design
Best Mobile App Awards — Hilton Hotels app

Clients and projects

Hilton Hotels Experian Clover

2018 — now

Independent, and developing a branding process  for therapists and other independent professionals.

Since 2018, I've worked as an independent creative. For PWR New Media I designed email marketing campaigns, digital press releases, infographics, microsites, and landing pages for brands including Oreo, YUM! Foods, Build-a-Bear, and McCormick Spices, alongside ongoing design work for the American Lung Association.

Through my own studio, I she now work  as a Digital Content Producer and Strategist with clients in healthcare, mental health, and nonprofit sectors, including the American Society of Anesthesiologists (with Ammit Creative), Evolve Youth Services, and independent wellness professionals.

Current sectors

Healthcare
Mental health
Nonprofit
Independent professionals

Working range

Fine arts training, hands-on digital experience.

I am a creative partner who shows up with both big-picture thinking and a willingness to get into the weeds, and genuinely enjoy both.

Adobe Creative Suite HTML CSS UX research Audio editing Voice work Brand strategy Content production Email marketing Podcast production

Work together

Bring me something early.

Most projects start with a short email describing where you are and where you'd like to go. I reply within two business days.

Message me See my work
Branding and identity systems
Websites, UX, and content strategy & production
Audio, video, and podcast production
Therapists' Brand Lab, $5 a month