PROFILE

Strategic design leader with a sharp eye for storytelling and brand clarity. I turn complex ideas into compelling campaigns that drive impact across B2C, B2B, SaaS, and digital products. Known for aligning cross-functional teams, elevating brand standards, and delivering creative that connects.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION - FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA)

Washington, DC /USA

OCT. 2006 – September 2025

Branding and Visualization Program Manager/Program Management Analyst

Led strategic communications, branding, and visual storytelling across multiple FAA lines of business, including the Air Traffic Organization (ATO), NextGen, and Communications. Directed multimillion-dollar contracts, managed cross-functional teams, and shaped executive messaging for internal and external audiences.

FAA Branding & Messaging Initiative – ATO-Management Services

Creative Direction/Design: Lead strategy andexecution of branding, internal communications, and data visualization initiatives supporting the ATO’s Management Services and Customer Experience programs. Improved clarity and engagement across groups, increased stakeholder engagement by 25%. Designed and manage SharePoint site for internal news and information. Use Adobe Express for sharing and templating the brand with access to logos, fonts, and brand colors to create cohesive branded content.
Design/Data Visualization: Direct creative development of data-driven materials, in using Adobe’s CC, Figma, Invision for briefings, reports, apps, and interactive content, translating complex policies into clear, actionable narratives. Enhanced customer engagement by independently executing complex assignments, leveraging comprehensive knowledge of customer strategy, employee engagement, and organizational health programs, resulting in a 20% increase in employee satisfaction.
Project Management/Collaboration: Identifycommunication needs and produce informational materials for new initiatives and programs. Used Airtable to track projects and campaigns, enhancing program visibility by 40%. Use Huddle to house and perform version control for all files and digital assets. Use FigJam to collaborate.
Storytelling: Create and distribute leadership messages, articles and strategic messaging for leadership, stakeholders and customers, achieving a 25% reduction in project turnaround time. Use GovDeliver to distribute branded email campaigns for different audiences and stakeholders. Track and share readership metrics, open rates to help improve internal communications.

Messaging and Art Direction: NextGenOffice - Collaboration and Messaging Office - Outreach Division

Management: Acted as Division manager, branch manager, project manager, or team leader for large projects/programs, providing strategic planning, vision communication, task assignments, performance monitoring, and evaluation, leading to a 30% improvement in team performance.
Project Management: Managed multiple contracts,aligning their goals for mutual benefit, leading to a 20% increase in contract efficiency. Developed and reviewed project schedules and key milestones to ensure on-time and on-budget delivery, achieving a 95% project completion rate. Used Huddle and Trello to track and collaborate projects that streamlined productivity and awareness.
Stakeholder Engagement & Team Leadership: Fostered relationships with industry and interagency partners to improve collaboration and coordination, resulting in a 25% increase in stakeholder engagement.
Design/Data Visualization: Direct creative development of data-driven materials, in using Illustrator, Tableau and Illustrator, and Power BI for briefings, sentiment analysis reports, and interactive content. Create infographics for a variety of products and presentations including annual reports, fact sheets and info-briefs. Utilized fact-finding skills to create reports, articles, newsletters, training materials, brochures, and speeches, effectively conveying complex information within NextGen, resulting in a 50% increase in information dissemination. Produced and oversaw production of short form videos for YouTube, and social media using Adobe Premiere and Capcut.

Diversity Messaging and Design: ATO Strategy & Performance – ATO Diversity

Strategic Communications: Served as a diversity communicator, focusing on outreach and advocacy, leading to a 20% increase in diversity program participation. Created diversity strategic plan for workforce development.
Art Direction/Design: Produced a variety of print and digital materials using Adobe CC to support diversity initiatives, resulting in a 30% increase in diversity visibility.
Project Management: Acted as a Contracting Officer’s Technical Representative (COTR) for multiple contracts, ensuring mutually beneficial goals, leading to a 15% improvement in contract compliance. Created and reviewed project schedules and milestones to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery, achieving a 90% project success rate. Recommended actions and expenditures for standard delivery orders, task orders, and non-standard practices for contractors and sub-contractors, resulting in a 100% on time payment.

Design/Storytelling: ATO Communications

Art Direction/Design: Led design and branding strategy, driving creative execution across internal campaigns and outreach platforms using Adobe’s CC. Managed visual design for the ATO intranet, optimizing user engagement and consistency. Created and developed illustration, digital art and videos for a wide range of collateral, including print, web, digital signage, and motion-graphics.
Project Management: Supervised graphic design teams to ensure cohesive branding across initiatives. Used Adobe Express fo sharing and templating the brand with access to logos, fonts, and colors to create cohesive content. Managed multiple contracts, aligning theirgoals for mutual benefit, leading to a 20% increase in contract efficiency.
Visual Communications/Data Visualization: Designed visually compelling presentations and executive briefings, that drove
stakeholder alignment and accelerated decision-making.

NORTHROP GRUMMAN

Reston, Virginia /USA
January 1997 – Oct. 2007

ArtDirector/Designer

Led award-winning art direction and design initiatives for federal clients, driving branding, UX architecture, and strategic visual communications that informed senior leadership and supported digital transformation.

Creative Direction/Art Direction/Design: Directed creative development for federal website redesigns, including branding and UX architecture, information design and interactive elements for all audiences. Delivered briefings and recommendations to senior leadership on digital transformation projects. Managed and inspired a design team to become a leading provider of award-winning information design, resulting in a 50% increase in client satisfaction.
Visual Communications/Data Visualization: Designed visually compelling presentations and executive briefings, that drove stakeholder alignment and accelerated decision-making. Produced reports, dashboards, and data visuals to support strategic planning across federal agencies.
Project Management/Team Lead: Conducted weekly creative brainstorming sessions and collaborated closely with clients to shape and critique information design and project vision, leading to a 40% improvement in project outcomes. Developed project schedules and delivered briefings and presentations, achieving a 95% on-time project delivery rate.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Bachelor of Fine Arts-Illustration - Syracuse University, College of Visual and Performing Arts, Syracuse, New York, 1996.
Executive Leadership Program - Graduate School USA, Center for Leadership and Management, Washington, D.C., 2012.

GALLUP, INC. "CliftonStrengths"

Positivity - I'm generous with praise, quick to smile and always on the lookout for the positive in the situation.
Woo - Winning Others Over. I embrace the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to enjoy working with me. Strangers are rarely intimidating.
Strategic - I'm able to sort through the clutter and find the best route. It is not a skill that can be taught.
Achiever - Helps explain my drive. Describes a constant need for attainment. I feel as if each day starts at zero—by the day's end, I must achieve something tangible to feel good about myself.
Communication - I like to explain, to describe, to host, to speak in public, and to write. This is my communication theme at work.
Includer - "Stretch the circle wider." This is the philosophy around which I orient my life. I want to include people and make them feel part of the group.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

ENTJ - Extraversion, Intuition, Thinking, Judgment

Frank, decisive, assume leadership readily. Quickly see illogical and inefficient procedures and policies, develop and implement comprehensive systems to solve organizational problems. Enjoy long-term planning and goal setting. Usually well informed, well read, enjoy expanding their knowledge and passing it on to others. Forceful in presenting their ideas.

The Experimental Layout Lab of Jen Simmons