i am ashley.

Well, hey there.

Hopefully, this provides a good introduction to who I am and what I do. I look forward to getting to know you as well, so make sure to stop by and talk to me.

who am i?

Hello! I am Ashley, writer, designer, musician, and human extraordinaire. I do what I do to solve problems of all sorts. I love the challenging ones most of all.

I'm very particular about the pens I use. I still start most projects on paper. I do a lot of planning.

I moved a lot when I was growing up. I realized people are different everywhere, and if you want to be successful, you have to communicate with them in a way they understand. This was the foundation for my understanding of the importance of knowing your audience.

how did i get here?

When I was just a tot, I realized the power of advertising. It told people what to look like, what to wear, what to drink and eat and play with in order to be cool. And people actually listened!

When I was in sixth grade, my math teacher had us do a project to practice budgeting. We picked a job, and based on the average salary in our area, we picked a place to live, a car, how to feed ourselves... Somehow (I wish I remembered) I chose Creative Director. The salary was fine, but I was most excited about the job description. By the end of that project, I was hooked.

In community college, I took my first graphic design class. We watched Helvetica. I went home and watched it again. I still rewatch it. Apparently other students didn't share my enthusiasm for the film, but that, to me, was a good sign.

So finally, I get to Eastern Washington University where I got into the thick of it. Typography, layouts, colors... It was like the universe opened up at my fingertips. I finished my BFA in June of 2016 after a challenging and invigorating year completing a thesis project.

I've been at ZZoom Media for the last year building their graphic design department. In three months, I was as busy as they thought I would have been at the end of the year. We hired a junior designer just ten months after I joined the team. More on this in my .

acknowledgements

My parents are my biggest role models. My dad is witty, charismatic, and could sell ice to an Eskimo. He passed away September 1, 2018, but his spirit is with me daily. My mom is a powerhouse, a lioness, and the strongest person I've ever met. Both of them are ridiculously intelligent. And engineers. I wouldn't be here today without their genes and their support.

My friends and professors at Eastern Washington University provided encouragement, advice, and patience as I grew into an upgraded version of myself.

My wonderful clients present me with fun challenges, let me have a good amount of creative freedom, and keep me on my toes. I wouldn't be a designer without them.

skills

  • communicating with clients
  • communicating with team members
  • networking
  • writing proposals and scope of work documents
  • maintaining and meeting deadlines
  • managing work flow
  • delegating tasks & projects
  • facing challenges
  • communicating with vendors to choose material best suited for a project, keeping in mind the client’s budget (includes paper & label stock, shiny/matte/metallic, apparel, embroidery/screenprint/digital print)
  • communicating with vendors on a client’s behalf to ensure projects are executed as intended
  • problem solving and finding creative or unconventional solutions
  • directing team members in order to solve problems more effectively
  • working with a wide variety of clients on several projects simultaneously
  • using a project management system to track time, tasks, and deadlines
  • receiving and acting appropriately on criticism
  • creating daily streams of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter content for multiple diverse brands
  • web design & development
  • InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, some After Effects
  • HTML &am; CSS (that's how I built this site!)
  • Wordpress, Wix, and SquareSpace
  • hosting (specifically GoDaddy and Media Temple)
  • G-Suite

values

  • curiosity
  • exploration
  • bravery
  • positivity
  • humility
  • determination
  • creativity
  • patience

beliefs

  • learning is a process
  • growth stops at death
  • people crave connection
  • design = power
  • an engaged inner child is the key to success

goals

  • grow grow grow
  • leave the world better than it was when I arrived
  • be an encouragement
  • help people help people

experience

  • logos
  • branding
  • brand development
  • brand management
  • business cards
  • posters
  • fliers
  • rack cards
  • mailers
  • bottle labels (sticker)
  • can labels (sticker, screenprint, shrinkwrap)
  • apparel
  • menus (food and beverage)
  • catalogs
  • banners
  • bus wrap
  • greeting cards
  • ads
  • social media graphics
  • event campaign collateral
  • web design & development

work

  • digital bedazzler
    ZZoom Media // Vancouver, WA
    October 2017 to present
    • birthed & managed the graphic design department
    • managed ongoing relationships with 30+ clients
    • managed projects from conception to delivery, including initial client meetings, brainstorming, production, and delivery
    • communicated with print vendors to ensure excellence in finished products
    • created logos, brand guidelines, business cards, posters, labels, handouts, banners, coasters, apparel, websites, and pretty much anything else a client could ask for, including a bus wrap
    • worked on several projects from different clients simultaneously
    • created daily Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter content for 75-100 clients
  • graphic design intern
    Eastern Washington University // Cheney, WA
    October 2015 to September 2016
    • interacted with clients in a number of departments to produce printed and digital materials to meet the needs of the client while still maintaining Eastern Washington University’s brand consistency
    • managed deadlines for multiple clients simultaneously
    • worked closely with a project manager to understand client needs and determine best course of action
    • assisted in art direction of studio photography

education