About Theresa

Emotional selling with strategic intent

Social scientists have identified thousands of values that all humans crave. When a brand successfully identifies which one it can give its target market, marketing magic can happen. But it takes an expert creative director to understand the value and the brand and express the overlap in a way that will resonate with the consumer. After years of working with high-consideration products like higher education, travel and healthcare, I’ve proven my ability to translate emotion in a way that causes consumer action and meets business goals and expectations.

Creative leadership with an account service mentality

The two most important qualities in a creative leader are skill and collaboration. When you fully understand your client’s goals, and you can skillfully use a creative execution to meet them, you have lightning in a bottle. I’ve been told that I’m that rare breed of creative who is client-focused in a way that most others are not. That’s because I get that there are business motivations behind our work. Identifying them, internalizing and solving for them makes work that is not only beautiful, but also effective.

Fresh thinking

I have more than 30-years of experience in creative concepting and tactical execution. That’s a solid foundation for fresh thinking. I’ve been exposed to a lot—things that worked and things that didn’t. It allows me to see beyond the simple approaches or shortest throws and discover/create hybrids of the thousands of idea-sparks I hold in my head on any given day.

Intensely focused on problem solving

I love to create beautiful expressions of messaging. But beauty is only relevant if it solves a specific business goal. I approach all projects with a thorough understanding of the problem we’re asking the creative to solve.

Dedicated and passionate

When you immerse yourself in a project, it becomes part of you. I’ve had the privilege of using my creativity to shine a light on social issues. And I became a believer. Willing to scale a building. This happens to me a lot. (Becoming passionate about projects, not acting like Spiderman.) Part of who I am enables me to deeply feel the passion of a brand. When I connect fully, my creative communicates the essence of the organization.

Rapeled the Milwaukee Hilton to raise $$$$ and awareness for Shatterproof - to end the stigma and frequency of addiction

While this photo of me on the side of a building makes it seem that I’m a dare-devil-thrill-seeker, I was frightened beyond belief as I participated in an awareness-raising campaign for Shatterproof. Shatterproof works to end drug addiction and it’s one of many non-profits that I have helped creatively.

Overview

WORK HISTORY

Art director and creative director at Milwaukee ad agencies. Most recently, 24 years at BVK.

Sampling of clients: CITGO, Samsung, Miller Brewing, Cruisers Yachts, many healthcare networks and hospitals, including Moffitt Cancer Center, Higher Education clients such as St Cloud State University, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, financial clients - Robert W. Baird, and more.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Arts - Drake University, 1985

Scuola Lorenzo di Medici - Firenze, Italia - 1983 - art and culture studies

SKILLS

Campaign concepting

Design and layout of social, digital, print, OOH

Video and broadcast production

Project management of tactics

Supervision of art directors and other creative team members

Budgeting

KOLBE SCORE - 4 5 7 4

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Adobe Creative Suite - InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop

Microsoft Office - Word, Excel, Powerpoint

VOLUNTEER

St Sebastian Church - chaired annual Holiday luncheon and fundraiser 4+ years

St Sebastian Cabaret - Directed the company, set design, and onstage performances

Wauwatosa East Red Raider Touchdown Club - President - to raise funds and community spirit for the football teams.

Participated in many United Way efforts to connect with the individual organizations that benefit the Milwaukee community.