About

Lead the team. Stay in the file.

I am Melanie. I have spent sixteen years inside multi-brand creative teams, mostly in apparel and high-volume e-commerce, where the file has to be right and the team has to keep moving.

Most of my career I have been the person leading designers and production artists, reviewing the work, and pushing for stronger answers as a group. I am also still hands-on. I open Illustrator every week, and I am happy to. Production design and apparel work are still part of how I think.

Get in touch Open the resume

Experience

Years inside production-heavy creative teams. Higher education, athletics, corporate, and apparel.

Recent

Generative AI specialization from Purdue, 2025. Always picking up new tools.

Experience

Roles that connect creative
standards to operations.

Sixteen years across higher education, athletics, corporate, and apparel production.

Oct 2020 · Present

Graphics Automation Workflow Consultant

Ram Group, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Built graphics automation systems that convert web order data into accurate, print-ready production files at scale
Designed and maintained Adobe automation workflows: scripts, actions, and data merges that absorb manual production work
Trained internal teams on new tools, automation processes, and best practices
Held visual and production consistency across automated outputs, including color, sizing, and layout alignment
Apparel production knowledge from large-format sublimation of individual panels through cut and sew
Construction familiarity across raglan sleeve variations, set-in sleeves, and other cut and panel types
Blender modeling, UV mapping, rendering, and web assets, with Illustrator-to-Blender workflow connections

Jul 2020 · Oct 2020

Senior Graphic Artist, Strategic Response Team

Spencer and Company, Dallas, Texas

Partnered with senior stakeholders to translate positioning, messaging, and data into clear, persuasive visual narratives
Balanced speed and quality under tight deadlines, adapting layouts and concepts quickly based on feedback
Designed RFP and web-based proposal experiences that visually framed strategy and recommendations for corporate clients

Sep 2010 · Jul 2020

Art Director, Art Department Manager

Advanced-Online, Coppell, Texas

Led creative and production art teams for multiple e-commerce brands, guiding concept development through final production
Directly managed and supported a team of 20+ designers, production artists, and creative support staff across specialized divisions: print and stationery, logos and design, web graphics and promotions, web images, manufacturing production art, and digitizing
Apparel design for college, championship, corporate, Greek, and sports teams across multi-brand programs
Day-to-day workflow management, quality control, training, deadline coordination, and performance accountability
Worked daily with team leads on priorities, rush orders, lead times, production concerns, and quality expectations
Cross-functional partnership with the President, Operations, Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, Print, Embroidery, Programming, and Manufacturing
Developed and enforced brand guidelines across campaigns, apparel programs, and digital assets
Managed pre-press across silkscreen, UV inkjet, sublimation, engraving, embroidery, deboss, decals, and specialty finishes
Strong background in production-ready artwork, screen print setup, embroidery preparation, sublimation, web graphics, logo cleanup, digitizing coordination, and files built for manufacturing accuracy
Recruited, trained, and coached designers and production artists, with standards, checklists, and feedback systems that raised overall output
Built Adobe automation tools and repeatable systems that freed the team for creative problem solving

How I work

A few things you can count on.

More about the day-to-day than a leadership philosophy.

Lead

Lead the work and back the team.

I review, mentor, listen, and help the group land on a stronger answer together. That part of the job matters to me.

Hands-on

Still in the file.

I do not just direct the work. I am happy doing production design and apparel work alongside the team when that is what is needed.

Adapt

New tools are not a problem.

Anything I have not used yet, I can pick up. I have made a habit of learning on the job and I read the docs.

Improve

Fix what is broken. Leave what is working.

I like finding better ways to do things, and I do not rebuild a process that is already serving the team well.

Education

Creative, technical,
and AI learning.

Foundational training in art and tech, continuing into AI specialization.

Post-Graduate

Generative AI Specialization

Purdue University, 2025. Coursework in LLM applications, AI model architecture, AI literacy, and Python programming.

Bachelors

Arts and Technology

University of Texas at Dallas, 2010. Concentration in 3D modeling and animation and web graphics, with a broad foundation in traditional art, photography, and entry-level programming.

Associate

Fine Arts

Tarrant County College, 2007. Core curriculum prior to a four-year university. Phi Theta Kappa honor society, founding member of the campus Alpha Phi Omega chapter, and active in service work across student life.