CONTACT

NicoleGarciaDesigns.com
nicolegarciadesigns@gmail.com
224.330.0511

EDUCATION

Columbia College Chicago
BFA in Graphic Design

SUPER SKILLS

Creative Strategy, Collaborative Team Player, Strategic Creative Thinker, Storyteller, Communicator, Problem Solver, Detail Oriented, Proactive, Organization, Multi-tasker, Cross-functional Collaboration, Vendor Management, and Project Management.

PROFESSIONAL

Print, Digital, Branding, Brand Identity, Packaging, Advertising, Marketing, Social Media, Web Design, Animation / GIF, Stop Motion, Food/Prop Styling, Photography, Art Direction, Photo Art Direction, Concepting, Integrated Marketing Campaigns, Campaign Concepting, Retail Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Omnichannel Marketing, Visual Storytelling, Consumer Marketing, E-commerce, POS Design 

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Adobe Creative Cloud (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, Lightroom), Figma, PowerPoint, Google Slides, Microsoft Office, Canva, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HTML, Shopify, Wordpress, Weebly, and SquareSpace, Wrike, Asana, Smartsheet, Lytho, Slack, Teams.

General Mills | Blue Buffalo

Wilton, CT
July 2025 - August 2026

Senior Art Director
Remote

• Lead the creative development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns across digital, print, retail, shopper marketing, social media, e-commerce, and packaging for Blue Buffalo’s portfolio of pet food brands ensuring all creative aligns with brand standards, consumer insights, and marketing objectives. 

• Designed and produced creative assets in Figma for web, e-commerce, retailer, and digital marketing channels while optimizing creative workflows, implementing scalable production processes, and improving efficiency, consistency, and speed across cross-functional teams. 

• Partnered cross-functionally with Brand Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Consumer Insights, Sales, Packaging, Regulatory to translate business objectives into strategic creative solutions. 

• Created campaign toolkits, retail assets, POS materials, presentations, sales collateral, digital advertising, email marketing, web content, and social media creative supporting national product launches. 

• Managed multiple high-priority initiatives simultaneously in a fast-paced CPG environment while maintaining creative excellence across all consumer touchpoints while balancing feedback, production requirements, timelines, and business priorities. 

Ace Hardware

Oak Brook, IL
June 2024 - January 2025

Senior Graphic Designer
Contract - Remote

• Designed integrated marketing campaigns supporting the Ace Rewards program across print, digital, direct mail, social media, and promotional channels. 

• Modernized the visual identity of the Ace Rewards program through strategic design updates that enhanced customer engagement and strengthened brand consistency. 

• Developed a comprehensive digital brand style guide in Figma to improve creative consistency and streamline collaboration across marketing teams. 

• Concepted and executed creative solutions for omnichannel marketing campaigns, promotional materials, and innovation initiatives supporting customer acquisition and retention. 

• Leveraged AI-powered creative tools to develop strategic social media content that increased engagement for Loud Mouth Barbeque. 

The Shade Store

Port Chester, NY
Feb 2024 - May 2024

Senior Graphic Designer
Contract - Remote

• Created and designed 2024 product catalog.

• Created and updated marketing materials and presentations for sales and consumer use.

• Managed workload and multiple projects simultaneously, taking them from concept to execution while meeting deadlines.

SRW Agency

Chicago, IL
October 2021 - September 2023

Senior Art Director

• Led creative concepting, art direction, and designs for integrated marketing campaigns across CPG brands, partnering with cross-functional teams to develop consumer-focused creative that translate marketing objectives into visually compelling creative material, ensuring they aligned with the brand identity and strategy to increase brand awareness and supported business growth. 

• Developed creative for multi-channel 360 campaigns, ensuring visually engaging designs spanning digital advertising, social media, print collateral, retail marketing, and experiential campaigns. 

• Directed photoshoots, food styling, and visual storytelling for advertising campaigns while collaborating closely with photographers, clients, and production partners.

• Presented campaign concepts, strategic rationale, and creative recommendations directly to clients through presentations, storyboards, and new business pitches. 

• Provided on-set photo art direction, food/prop styling, and sourced props to stay within the client’s budget without sacrificing quality. 

• Managed multiple client accounts simultaneously, delivering high-quality creative under aggressive deadlines. 

• Stayed up-to-date and explored new techniques and industry trends to enhance and push creative. 

Hofseth North America + Wixter Seafood

Rosemont, IL
September 2019 - February 2021

Creative Manager

• Led and mentored a multidisciplinary creative team, providing strategic direction and creative oversight across branding, packaging, digital marketing, retail, photography, and advertising initiatives for Hofseth North America, Wixter Market, and Wixter Seafood. 

• Spearheaded the development of the Wixter Seafood brand identity, packaging system, and website, supporting the successful launch of a national product portfolio spanning more than 27 SKUs. 

• Directed the creation of integrated marketing assets including packaging, point-of-sale materials, retail displays, presentations, social media, advertising, and sales collateral to strengthen brand awareness and drive consumer engagement. 

• Planned, art directed, and managed product photography from concept through post-production, ensuring visual consistency across all customer touchpoints. 

• Collaborated with executive leadership, vendors, agencies, and cross-functional partners to deliver strategic creative solutions while managing budgets, production schedules, and project timelines. 

• Improved operational efficiency by implementing creative workflows, project management processes, and review systems that increased accuracy, accelerated production timelines, and reduced costs. 

US Foods

Rosemont, IL
June 2018 - September 2019

Production/Graphic Designer
Contract

• Collaborated on the rebranding of CHEF’STORE by developing print and digital marketing materials that modernized the customer experience across retail locations. 

• Produced integrated marketing assets including catalogs, direct mail, signage, event materials, trade shows, billboards, digital advertising, and promotional collateral supporting national campaigns. 

• Developed all print and digital assets for Fall Scoop magazine. 

• Managed a high volume of projects with exceptional speed and accuracy while maintaining brand consistency across multiple platforms. 

MSRF, Inc.

Chicago, IL
May 2016 - July 2016

Packaging / Graphic Designer
Contract

• Developed concepts and created dielines, designs, and print-ready artwork for seasonal specialty food packaging that resonated with customers while communicating important product attributes.

• Created physical and digital product mock-ups in client meetings and presentations.

High Sierra

(a subsidiary of Samsonite)

Vernon Hills, IL
June 2015 - May 2016

Graphic Design Intern

• Worked alongside the Creative Director and Art Director in designing and updating various print collateral pieces for product packaging, hang tags, sell sheets, catalogs, and trade show graphics.

• Spearheaded designs for giveaways on social media to promote brand awareness.

• Actively researched industry trends to bring new ideas and applications to designs.

Chicago Twenty Something

Chicago, IL
September 2013 - May 2016

Lead Graphic Designer

• Developed and managed all digital design needs and maintained 20+ event websites.

• Created logos, flyers, brochures, business cards, digital advertisements, and websites to promote and market events effectively.