About me

Creative Art Director | Licensed Consumer Products | Toys, Stationery & Arts + Crafts

Creative Art Director with 15+ years of experience leading global product design, licensed brand development, and cross-functional creative teams within the toy, stationery, arts & crafts, and consumer products industries. Proven success translating iconic entertainment and fashion brands into high-performing retail products for mass-market distribution worldwide.

Expert in licensed product development, private label branding, trend-driven product strategy, packaging, and international team leadership. Recognized for blending strong creative vision with commercial awareness to deliver products that drive retail engagement, strengthen brand identity, and support sales growth.

•  Licensed Product Development
• Art Direction & Brand Strategy
• Global Team Leadership
• Packaging & Product Design
• Trend Forecasting & Market Research
• Retail Product Development
• Private Label Brand Creation
• Style Guide Development
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Consumer Products & Toy Industry
• Stationery & Fashion Accessories
• Creative Operations Management

 April 2014 – Present

• Direct and manage international creative teams across China, Dubai, Hong Kong, and the United States, overseeing large-scale product development initiatives from concept through production.
• Lead the design, refresh, and expansion of hundreds of licensed consumer products for global retail distribution.
• Manage creative execution for major entertainment and lifestyle brands including Barbie, Disney Princess, Marvel, LOL Surprise!, Paw Patrol, Mickey Mouse, and additional globally recognized properties.
• Oversee the development and maintenance of style guides for more than 25 private label brands spanning stationery, toys, gifts, arts & crafts, and tabletop categories.
• Partner with product development, merchandising, and sales teams to align creative direction with market trends and retailer expectations.
• Communicate creative strategies, design feedback, and project priorities through remote and in-person collaboration with international stakeholders.
• Drive innovation through trend analysis, packaging refreshes, and product line expansion initiatives.

 August 2011 – April 2014

• Managed and mentored design teams focused on back-to-school and fashion stationery categories for mass-market retail accounts.
• Evaluated team performance, identified development opportunities, and implemented workflow improvements to increase creative efficiency.
• Collaborated cross-functionally with sourcing, merchandising, and production teams to ensure accurate execution of product specifications and design requirements.
• Led trend forecasting initiatives by monitoring fashion, social media, and retail trends to support successful product launches.
• Developed licensed and fashion-driven product collections featuring brands including Hello Kitty and Ducati.
• Adapted premium fashion aesthetics into commercially viable products for large-scale retail manufacturing.

 August 2008 – August 2010

• Designed licensed consumer products utilizing major entertainment and educational brands including Discovery Channel and Fisher-Price.
• Created physical product models and presentation samples for customer reviews, sales meetings, and retailer presentations.
• Supported product development through concept ideation, packaging design, and prototype refinement.

 January 2004 – April 2008

• Designed stationery, gift, and activity products using licensed entertainment and lifestyle brands including Crayola, Nickelodeon, NASCAR, and licensed artists.
• Produced retail planograms and merchandising materials to support national sales initiatives.
• Created handcrafted product mockups and presentation materials for buyer meetings and sales presentations.
• Collaborated with sales and product teams to develop trend-focused designs aligned with retailer needs.

2002 BSBA - Advertising Art Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio