Resume
Education
M.S. Themed Experience | 2022
University of Central Florida
B.S. Botany & Plant Pathology
Michigan State University | 2000
Work Experience
Creative Design Intern
Universal Creative • Orlando, FL | 2022
Work with the park-wide themed finishes team to design and document scenic finishes for the construction of new theme park. Work with art directors to develop and document scenic paint techniques and colors based on concept renderings both in-shop and in the on-site sample yard. Select paint colors for interior and exterior projects based on concept renderings. Color concept renderings to reflect design intent of art directors and IP holders.
Owner
Puttin’ On The Glitz • Perrysburg, OH | 2008-2016
Uniquely Inviting • Davenport, FL | 2020-Present
Design custom invitations, tags, labels and bridal stationery for customers worldwide. Design logos, advertising media, and signage for various businesses. Handle all in-house marketing including digital catalogs, print and web ads, e-mail newsletters, signage, and more using Adobe Creative Suite. Design and maintain WordPress-based websites and blogs. Handle all social media accounts.
Figure Finish Technical Trainer
Universal Studios • Orlando, FL | 2018-2021
Redesigned the on-boarding program and coordinate the training for new hires. Conduct on-going skills and safety training sessions for current team of about 50 artists and technicians. Compile documentation to write and edit Standard Operating Procedures for Universal Studios attractions and animatronic figures, including new attractions. Work with coordinators to update preventative maintenance documents and color call-outs. Serve as department safety representative to maintain and improve safe, OSHA-approved work conditions in the department and on job sites.
Figure Finish Artist
Universal Studios • Orlando, FL | 2016-2018
Creation, preventative maintenance and repair of hard and soft animatronic skins, props and show sets. Coodinated projects to restore the Flight of the Hippogriff nest and Dr. Doom’s Fearfall themed show action doors at Islands of Adventure. Partner with other departments to efficiently complete projects. Work both in the shop and out in the field. Assist with on-the-job training of new team members and current team members on new procedures. Fill-in lead position as needed to assign work, troubleshoot problems, prepare pass-down reports and support team members. Served as department safety representative to maintain and improve safe, OSHA-approved work conditions in the department and on job sites.
Makeup Artist
Universal Studios • Orlando, FL | 2016, 2001-2003
Apply special effects makeup with airbrush and traditional brushes to a huge variety of costumed characters for the annual Halloween Horror Nights event. Easily transitioned to makeup locations that were not my home area to fill-in when staffing was low. Applied makeup for haunted houses and scare zones including Castle Vampyre, Ghost Town, Krampus, A Chance in Hell, American Horror Story, Exorcist, Walking Dead, and more. Performed all makeup and prosthetic touch-ups for 2016’s icon character, Chance.
Makeup Artist
Toledo Ballet • Orlando, FL | 2015-2016
Design and apply all character makeup and maintain wigs for productions and photo shoots for “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Rite of Spring”, and “The Wizard of Oz”. Airbrush and traditional brush and sponge application.
Marketing Director
Toledo Pride • Toledo, OH | 2010-2016
Volunteered as the marketing director for the Toledo Pride Festival from its inception in 2010. Designed and produced all marketing materials, advertisements, posters, merchandise and a WordPress-based website. Handled all social media accounts. Grew the festival from a first year attendance of about 2,000 to a 2016 attendance of over 25,000.
Figure Finish Artist
LifeFormations • Bowling Green, OH | 2009
Finish high-quality silicone animatronic figures using a wide variety of techniques including working on armatures, hair punching, airbrush and standard painting techniques, and costume design, selection and distressing for attractions worldwide. Skilled in painting latex, silicone and fiberglass. Supply sourcing, selection and ordering. Assist with company project scheduling and management.
Advertising Design Director
Toledo Free Press • Toledo, OH | 2008-2010
Design ads, page layouts, and eye-catching cover illustrations using Adobe Creative Suite for weekly newspaper. Design in-house marketing materials. Work closely with both sales and editorial staff. Design proposals for prospective advertisers and prototypes of new publications. Major clients include auto dealers, grocery stores, home furnishing and appliance stores, entertainment venues and more. Supervise summer design interns.
Graphic Designer
Century Marketing • Bowling Green, OH | 2007-2008
Design and format vector and raster images for a wide variety of custom promotional products. Exceptional skills with Adobe CS3 for PC and Mac. Prepare designs for digital offset, flexographic, and thermographic printing processes. Effortlessly handle a high volume of daily projects.
Prepress Graphic Designer
Toledo Blade • Toledo, OH | 2006-2007
Design and layout advertisements for a wide variety of clients. Graphic and logo design. Image retouching. Major account experience includes large auto dealers, real estate agencies, and home decor. Adobe Creative Suite for both PC and Mac platforms. Excellent adaptation to high-volume, deadline-oriented design projects.
Figure Finish Artist
KX International • Apopka, FL | 2006
Employ a wide variety of techniques for finishing silicone and fiberglass animatronic figures for attractions worldwide, including Rainforest Cafe and Great Wolf Lodge. Fur, feather and hair work. Airbrush and hand painting. Costume design, creation, selection, and distressing. Sculpting of new hands and feet for gorilla animatronics. Vacuforming.
Character Head Painter/Working Foreman
Walt Disney World • Lake Buena Vista, FL | 2004-2005
Responsible for maintenance and repair of character costume pieces while maintaining Disney’s strict standards of character integrity. Train new artists in proper techniques and procedures. Spearheaded effort to streamline shop processes, increase efficiency, and update all reference and documentation materials. Develop and instruct airbrush training classes for Creative Costuming and Cosmetology. Provide on-site support for Disney On Ice at Lakeland, FL training facility.
Gardener/Topiary Specialist
Walt Disney World • Lake Buena Vista, FL | 2000-2004
Responsible for creating and maintaining topiaries for the Walt Disney World Resort throughout all steps of the process. Concept art for horticultural displays and revisions to steel rebar frames. Selection of plant material. Layout of designs and colors. Planting and daily maintenance of plant material. Experimental trials with different materials and techniques. Partnered with Walt Disney Imagineering and Walt Disney Feature Animation to improve the character integrity of the topiaries. Compiled a massive documentation library of references, frame information, and historical references of the topiary collection, which numbered nearly 200 individual figures.
Airbrush Artist
Kaman’s Art Shoppes • Sandusky, OH | 1997-1999
Airbrush a huge variety of daily merchandise with designs from cartoon to photo-realistic styles at Cedar Point amusement park. Painting on fabric, aluminum, leather, and more. Train new airbrush artists.