-
Senior Writer, Producer, Creative Director
Burbank, CA
Nov 2012 - Present (12 years)
• Senior Writer: Provides writing and design for a full range of print/online/video communications, including IP-specific licensing/style guides, television sizzle reels/scripts, one-sheets, and additional marketing materials
• Executive Producer: Concept-to-final GEISHA-MANIA™ music video uploaded to YouTube; writes and produces television pitch sizzle reels
• Media Relations Liaison: Crafts press materials that generate radio and newspaper coverage
• Social Media Strategist: Creates content and strategies; increased client’s IP’s blog traffic 823% in Q1 2014, Twitter following 395% in Q3 2014 and 204% in Feb 2015; achieved top page ranking for clients on Google, Yahoo, and other search engines; developed IP branding across 50+ social media sites
-
Senior Writer, Editor, Original Content Creation
Feb 2006 - Nov 2012 (6 years 9 months)
• Senior Writer/Editor: Wrote and produced a full-range of entertainment content that catapulted Disney Insider traffic to 500K page views in Q3 2012; authored popular Disney Insider articles that were republished on external fan sites; secured Disney luminaries to contribute as guest bloggers
• Social Media Strategist: Developed, composed, managed, and implemented editorial Twitter calendar that quadrupled Disney Insider’s following in Q2 2012
• Project Management: Spearheaded editorial team’s SEO initiative that contributed to 45% increase in Disney.com site traffic; developed, interviewed, and wrote “Lunch with a Legend,” a unique series favored by Disney Fans and external sites; conceived, wrote, and managed photo/video shoot for new segment featuring Disney Fans
• Branding: Developed voice and tone for Disney.com Music Alert, Movie News, and Insider blogs; wrote and maintained brand style guides to support consistent messaging internally/externally
• Scriptwriting/Script Supervisor: Managed scripts at various Disney.com video shoots; wrote original scripts and treatments for Disney Visionaries, content dev team, and “Princess High”
• Process Optimization: Streamlined proofreading process to reduce editorial department turnaround time by 30%
-
Writer
Disney Mobile
Jun 2005 - Feb 2006 (8 months)
• Writer/Editor: Wrote and designed copy and scripts for PowerPoint presentations and sizzle reels used at annual company-wide executive conference in Orlando; crafted FAQs, marketing collateral, packaging copy, quick guides, style guides, taglines, user manuals, and web content
• Technical Documentation: Wrote and created UI wireframes
-
Freelance Writer & Event/Sponsorship Coordinator
Mike Young Productions/Taffy Entertainment
Mar 2004 - Aug 2005 (1 year 5 months)
• Writer: Produced web campaigns for the Emmy Award®-winning series "Pet Alien" and "ToddWorld;" crafted press and marketing materials for charity event
• Media Relations Liaison: Conceived and coordinated the highly successful “Color My ToddWorld Tour" charity event to increase IP awareness via community engagement; secured sponsorship from “People,” Chuck E. Cheese’s, Boston Market, Food for Less, Suparossa, and WTMX-FM
-
Creative Director, Writer, Editor
Freelance
Burbank, CA
Aug 2001 - Aug 2005 (4 years)
• Writer/Editor: Wrote and edited communications materials for various clients; developed bibles, one-sheets, and sizzle scripts for various intellectual properties
-
Creator/Co-Executive Producer
VH1
Santa Monica, CA
Feb 2003 - Jun 2004 (1 year 4 months)
• Creator, Writer, Co-Executive Producer: Pitched and secured funding from VH1 to create a pilot sizzle for "STAR CHI," a reality show hosted by comedian Jim J. Bullock
• Personnel Management: Managed talent and crew; supervised post-production
-
Assistant Creative Director
Paradigm Direct
Fort Lee, NJ
May 2000 - Dec 2000 (7 months)
• Assistant Creative Director/Writer: Lead writer and designer of “Survivor: Outback/E*Trade” campaigns; provided creative direction and writing for a full range of web marketing materials
• Personnel Management: Supervised workflow for a team of six graphic designers
• Scriptwriting: Wrote a variety of telemarketing sales scripts
• Process Optimization: Implemented new procedures for enhanced production flow
-
Writer, Editor
Toysrus.com
Paramus, NJ
Jan 1999 - Apr 2000 (1 year 3 months)
• Writer/Editor: Crafted online product descriptions, catalog copy, and style guides; strategized web campaigns and various marketing promotions
-
Creative Director, Writer
Metrocomm
New York, NY
Jan 1998 - Jan 1999 (1 year)
• Creative Director/Writer: Managed creative process and executed entire range of marketing, press, and web content; played key role in establishing brand identity
• Project Management: From contracts to vendors, oversaw all aspects of Telecom Business '98 trade show participation, culminating in winning “Best Product Demo” in show
• Producer: Wrote script and supervised production of award-winning sizzle reel
• Media Relations: Secured press coverage in various trade B2B trade publications
-
Creative Director, Writer
Fame
Edgewater, NJ
Sep 1995 - Jan 1998 (2 years 4 months)
• Provided creative direction, project management, writing, and editing for advertising, bios, catalogs, intellectual property/product development, licensing, marketing collateral, pitches, press materials, tradeshows, treatments, and web content
• Created, developed, and licensed original intellectual properties; secured coverage in numerous trade publications including "The Licensing Report," "The Licensing Letter," "Gifts & Stationery Business," and "Gifts & Decorative Accessories"
• Received "1st Place Booth Design" for Treasures by Loren - Fashion Accessories Expo, Aug '94, Javits Center, NYC
• Coached clients and managed media relations, netting coverage via network/cable television, consumer/trade publications, and New York-metropolitan area newspapers within three months of start date
-
Creative Director, Designer - GLAMOURPUSS Division
Windsor-Grammercy
New York, NY
Sep 1993 - Jun 1995 (1 year 9 months)
• Creative director and designer of GLAMOURPUSS costume jewelry line
• Designed collection prototypes, provided drawings, and acted as liaison with manufacturing facility in Taiwan to insure production quality
• Crafted copy for advertising, line sheets, marketing collateral, nomenclature, and press materials to introduce and establish the brand
• Coordinated wholesale tradeshows, including booth design, contracts, outsourcing vendors, and hiring/supervising freelancers
• Established sales force and showrooms in eight cities nationwide within first quarter
-
Creative Director, Designer, Owner
Barbara Vay Inc.
Edgewater, NJ
Jun 1988 - Jun 1993 (5 years)
• Creative director, designer, and owner of Barbara Vay Inc., a costume jewelry and accessories manufacturing firm
• Established showrooms/reps in 12+ cities nationwide leading to 85% sales increase
• Supervised full-time employees and managed bookkeeping/budgets, contracts, customer service, marketing, production, retail operations, sales, tradeshows, and vendor relationships
• Crafted copy and designed all marketing collateral, packaging, and press materials
• Managed media relations with national publications, fashion designers, newspapers, and television
• MAGAZINE CREDITS: "Vogue," "Vanity Fair," "Harper's Bazaar," "Cosmopolitan," "Town & Country," "Women's Wear Daily," "Accessories," "Fashion Galleria," "Modern Salon," and Chapter 17 of Jeff Seglin's "America's Newest Breed of Entrepreneurs"
• NEWSPAPER CREDITS: "The Daily News," "The Village Voice," "Goldcoast," "The Bergen Record," and "The Jersey Journal"
• DAYTIME TELEVISION CREDITS: "Guiding Light," "As the World Turns," "All My Children," "One Life to Live," "Loving," "Ryan's Hope," WABC's "New York Style," and WPIX's "Best Talk in Town"
• RUNWAY SHOW CREDITS: Randolph Duke, Koos van den Akker, Carolina Herrara, Mary McFadden, Bill Blass, and Geoffrey Beene
• CLIENTS: Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Henri Bendel, Cache, Accessory Place, Vogue, The Icing, independent boutiques, and smaller national chains
• OTHER CREDITS: Designed installation at NYC nightclub AREA