The Specs

EXPERIENCE

Owner, Art Director and Designer | MLAY DESIGN, North Chesterfield, VA — 1/19 to Present
• Provide creative direction, design and production for all projects from publications (magazines, newsletters, annual reports, brochures, rack cards, catalogs, etc.), to advertising, logos/branding materials, posters, signage, websites and web graphics, t-shirts and other marketing/promotional collateral

• Create associated materials such as editorial content, illustrations, photography, maps, infographics and other graphic elements

• Create advertising (including client contact, concept, design, client proofs and approvals) and preparation of final files for printing

• Write and edit print and online content, advertising copy and press releases

Creative Director | Richmond Navigator Media/Advertising Concepts, Inc., Midlothian, VA — 7/16 to 1/19
• Managed the design and production of four bi-monthly magazines — West End's Best, RiverCity Magazine, Chesterfield Living and Hanover Lifestyle — as the primary designer

• Initiated the redesign of the company's four magazines from folios to body text specifications to page design structure to the redesign of logotypes

• Responsible for the design and production of four direct mail advertisement- and coupon-based broadsheet shopper publications

• Managed and produced the majority of advertising, including client contact, concept, design, client proofs and approvals, and preparation for printing

• Responsible for all file preparation for printing output and digital usage; responsible for reviewing and approving all pre-press proofs

• Supervised freelance designers and photographers

• Oversaw spreadsheets tracking advertising sales, ad sizes, prices, placement and client instructions

Senior Designer / Writer | Oneboat Publishing, Manteo, NC — 2/12 to 2/16
• Expanded readership and increased ad sales for OuterBanksThisWeek.com Magazine through creation of eyecatching cover designs for a highly competitive, tourism-driven market

• Developed typography specs and overall design styles and standards; developed advertising specs

• Crafted feature article layouts; designed advertising in multiple formats; created maps and other infographics

• Provided concept and design for sales support materials; provided concept, design and photography for contract creative projects

• Oversaw design, production and client/vendor liaison for In The Park, a National Park Service visitor guide

• Collaborated with writers and editor; conducted photo shoots in support of editorial content, company marketing and client advertising

• Provided concept and design for wireframes/renderings for responsive websites; designed website interfaces using in-house proprietary CMS; created online ads, banners, headers and graphics, Facebook business packages

• Wrote magazine articles and advertorials, sales copy and content for multiple company websites, client advertising, client websites and visitor guides; provided editing back-up; wrote popular weekly blog for company e-newsletter and used CMS to incorporate photos, videos and links

• Supervised and trained design interns

Owner, Art Director and Designer | Michael Lay Design Co. , Manteo, NC — 9/01 to 2/16
• Designed publications (newsletters, brochures, rack cards, catalogs, etc.), logos/branding, posters, signage, t-shirts, websites, illustrations, photography, maps and other graphic elements

• Prepared all projects for press and handled all print vendor liaison, including printing specifications, RFQs and proof approvals

• Wrote and edited publication content, advertising copy and press releases

Publications Manager/Art Director | American Social Health Association, Research Triangle Park, NC — 9/99 to 7/01
• Revitalized and dramatically improved the quality and branding of revenue-generating health education publications, catalogs, conference graphics, presentation materials, and marketing and corporate materials

• Created families of demographically-based publications in collaboration with an editor, marketing partners and executive management

• Managed production process from concept to delivery, determining most cost-effective methods while maintaining quality; negotiated quantities, prices, schedules; determined specifications and prepared RFQs

National Health Information Award - Patient Education - Merit
Awarded by Health Information Resource Center for health education materials created as Publications Manager/Art Director for American Social Health Association in Research Triangle Park, NC

Annual Reports, Award of Excellence
Awarded by National School Public Relations Association for Wake County Public Schools (Raleigh, NC) annual report

Best Newsletter
Awarded by Vacation Rental Managers Association for design of a newsletter for Pirate's Cove, a residential boating community in Manteo, NC

Apex Award for Publication Excellence - Most improved tabloid/newspaper
Awarded by Communications Concepts for redesign of RU News, the faculty/staff newspaper for Radford University

Best Designed and Effective Website
Awarded by Publishers' Marketing Association for design of website for Maritime Kids' Quest Press

EDUCATION
• B.A., Communications Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
• Editorial assistant (full time), Virginia Tech University News Bureau
• Editor, Campus Quarterly Magazine ; Member, Student Media Board

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