strategist
team leader
designer
A brand and creative strategist with over two decades of experience assessing and translating the needs of Fortune 500 stakeholders. A leader of multi-disciplinary teams who identifies and inspires their individual and collective talents. A change agent skilled at bringing visions to life in the face of seemingly impossible challenges for diverse cross-industry brands including Ally, CBRE, JLL, McDonald’s, SOM and United Airlines.
“It is hard to put a label on Mandy. She is so much more than a creative director. She is a strategist, a copywriter, a leader, a collaborator, a partner, a problem solver, and most importantly a customer advocate.”
Director, Experience Design
Manage and lead cross-functional design team for Ally, the nation’s first and largest digital bank:
analyzing journeys and identifying gaps in experiences for stakeholders ranging from existing customers and prospects to employee recruits.
partnering with leadership team to translate consumer insights and business objectives into compelling human-centered design with measurable results.
conceptualizing, testing and driving holistic strategic initiatives into multi-channel campaigns for executive stakeholders and agency partners.
enhancing brand and creating innovative, multi-channel messaging at a stakeholder-specific level.
Senior Director, Brand and Web Strategy
Define, craft and manage the brand voice and visual identity for Premier Inc., a healthcare technology company with $1.1 billion in revenue and 2,000+ employees:
developing and directing comprehensive brand and web strategies – content, ads, video, motion graphics and digital experiences – to deepen and enrich the member, customer and prospect experience.
collaborating with C-suite members and agency partners to ensure targeted information streams and contextual calls-to-action translated into measurable ROI and ROO.
leading multi-disciplinary team of designers, writers and photographers in the creation of innovative, campaigns to drive brand growth.
serving as the lynchpin between the creative and digital teams as well as traffic managers to ensure operational efficiency, high-quality output and alignment of brand standards.
working cross-functionally to implement and deploy SEO best practices, heat mapping, real-time optimization, integration of acquisitions and decommission of legacy websites.
managing vendor partners, freelancers, budget and technology integrations.
Design & Communication Strategist - Branded Environments
Conceptualize and enhance overall brand and design strategies for diverse clients such as The HON Company, Basyx, and Atlas Carpet Mills, Inc.:
overseeing the turnkey design, fabrication and installation of the World Trade Fair exhibit for NeoCon, the world’s leading platform for the commercial interior design industry.
developing the design concept, environmental graphics and communication design integration for NeoCon’s permanent showrooms in Chicago and New York.
advancing interdisciplinary collaboration with architects, fabricators and contractors to ensure design consistency and adherence to clients’ visual identities across all platforms.
Principal & Creative Director
Leveraging a unique combination of creativity and business acumen, I drove 705 Design’s creative and strategic vision as well as client procurement.
bringing in clients ranging from Fotune 500 including JLL and United Airlines to start ups spanning food & hospitality to boutique healthcare.
blending innovation with strategy, crafting impactful and insight-driven design and communication solutions
managing operations and mentoring designers from concept through production.
Senior Graphic Designer
Graphic Designer
Design and develop print and digital marketing campaigns, design systems and wayfinding for leased and managed properties, event design and branded environments.
working directly with executive team, brokers and property managers on creative aligned with their overall business strategy in five Chicagoland offices.
managing traffic and accounting for internal profit center and direction of junior designers.
Collaborate with art director and designers on the creation of both internal and external communications, advertising and tradeshow exhibits, while upholding strict corporate standards.
“I have worked with Mandy on many cross-stakeholder initiatives — everything from new ventures to an immersive branded environment and a flagship publication. Even with vague requests, Mandy always excels, delivering an inspired strategy and a meaningful brand story.”
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 1998-2002 / BFA - Graphic Design
Stanford University Graduate School of Business
Executive Leadership Program / August 2023
email: aktooth705@gmail.com
mobile: 847-809-2264