I offer people, brands and products unique creative solutions to connect with their audiences in meaningful ways.

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Design. Copy. Scripts. Video. Content. Experiences.

Creative Direction

I lead creative teams to generate strategic ideas that bring together superb design and copy. I make sure everything is taken into consideration and that all details are in place for pitching, production and delivery. I have a keen eye on design and lead and assess it bringing valuable recommendations to design teams. I love presenting big-picture concepts that can be implemented throughout different channels. I like to collaborate and ideate impactful concepts that help elevate a brand and bring it closer to its customers by humanizing it. 

Video STORYTELLING

 As an expert in video production, I offer ideation, scripting and production management from intake to delivery for live action, animation, motion graphics, and documentary videos. I have managed large crews, cross functional teams, client relationship, logistics and budgets. I am meticulous about storytelling through script, motion graphics, visual narratives, editing and sound design. I lead videos so they inform, inspire and entertain. 

coMMUNICATIONS

I advance brands and attract the right audiences to them through communication strategies that include, multichannel efforts, public relations & marketing collaborations, digital & social media, website & email, events and storytelling. I also lead internal communications to help bring together complex teams and provide support and direction. I achieve this by delivering clear communications in a unified platform, simplifying processes and promoting the organization’s vision and mission.

LEadership STYLE

Leading meaningful and creative communications that inspire, educate and entertain, excites me and energizes me with a sense of value, commitment and creative satisfaction. I have done this for various advertising agencies, for Award Winning In-House Creative Studio at State Farm Insurance; for academics and research communications at the University of Washington Institute of Translational Health Sciences, and currently, for Acrisure. I am also a freelance Video Creative Director.

I thrive to bring out the best in people and to be a source of inspiration to others. It fulfills me to see people I've helped succeed and grow in their creative careers. I believe in constructive feedback and using the right creative processes and workflows to make projects more efficient and cost-effective. No matter how small a project can be I treat it like royalty. When I present ideas to leadership, executives and clients I do it confidently and with charisma. I love my job. I care about my clients and always recommend the best creative solutions that fit their needs. I spend quality time building strong business relationships with clients to build trust. When something hasn't been done, I go ahead and do it. I am proactive with my projects and take initiative.

Decades: Retirement Planning

Whimsical creative approach for an unexciting topic

This video was used as a In-store digital signage to help educate customers, while waiting at the agent's office, on the retirement planning services State Farm agents offered. I led this concept from beginning to end. I wanted to do something different that would tell a story without words instead of just selling the agent's services; something that would entertain customers with or without sound. I heard in the office a group of graphic designers had come back from a stop-motion workshop and my first reaction was to use their new skills and collaborate to create a unique solution for my client.

Production Notes:

I had never done a stop motion video before and that made it more exciting for me to learn something new and pursue this creative challenge. Not only did I learn how to do this type of video, but also won two creative awards for it. Yeah!

First Place Winner: 

GOLD ADDY Award

silver Telly Award

Booth at La Raza Expo

designing a warm and inviting booth rooted in the latin cultures

This national effort led to a strong participation of State Farm at the National Council La Raza Expo. I led the creative direction of a 30 x 30 booth. Instead of developing State Farm red branded panels, I had illustrators develop a mural of panels depicting Hispanic cultural scenes within the branded guidelines. I hired a trio of musicians that would play classic Latin music to bring together more people to the booth. There was a children's play area with bilingual activities and other sections for families to gather around and get financial education or resources on civic engagement in Spanish, or just rest and have some fun in a place that felt like home. 

First Place Winner:

Silver ADDY Award 

2011 Unity Award Recipient

Edward murrow national radio award

In 2011, I was recipient of this honorable Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) award after launching Dilo en Espanol (Say it in Spanish) radio show in 2009. This award is given to journalists of color committed to promoting diversity in the newsroom. This was the first Spanish language radio show ever produced in Central Illinois. It was part of WJBC, Bloomington Radio and sponsored by State Farm Bank.

Production Notes:

In over two years, I interviewed hundreds of immigrants that would come to the show to share with me their personal stories of immigration from all over Latin America and into the small town of Bloomington-Normal. I also brought in guests, such as community members, business-owners and leaders that would share with me their personal journeys as a Spanish-speaking immigrant. I also covered international and national news, discussed relevant issues in the Hispanic community and developed an internship program with two local colleges. The radio show brought together a community in need to communicate in their native language and become more active in the community.

Acrisure + Steelers Stories

Changing the Hearts of Fans

When Acrisure bought the naming rights of the Steelers stadium in Pittsburg, I developed this video series to help tell the stories that connect both brands in a meaningful way. This is one of those stories that could help fans embrace the name change and get to know Acrisure through a more positive lens.

Production Notes:

Collaborating with PlayFish Media for a second time was again, a great experience. Their talents, humbleness and patience is unmatched. I can always count on them to help me tell a story that becomes as meaningful and personal to them as it is to me.

Heartfelt Client Success Stories

The power of conversion

I’ve always thought, if you want to convert your audiences fast, grow your numbers, etc., you better be genuine and truthful to them about what you do for them and above all, entertain them with high quality video storytelling that feels real and approachable. Here’s an example of how we show small business owners what Acrisure does for them through a client testimonial that is heartfelt and authentic, so conversion and growth in the small business lines happens oraganically through a well-produced client review.

Extraordinary Stories

Branded content that inspires

There’s no better way to get to know a brand than through its own employees. This video series leverages Acrisure’s tagline, An Extraordinary Advantage, to showcase Acrisure’s extraordinary people, doing extraordinary things and help enable brand affinity.

ITHS Gene & Cell Therapy Lab

When research becomes hope for cancer patients

I led the development of this well-awaited story of ITHS Gene & Cell Therapy Lab and its partnership with Precigen to test a promising treatment for ovarian cancer. I launched it strategically as a communications campaign in September, which is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. As the first documentary-style video ever produced at ITHS, I felt really proud and compelled to be part of this work and help communicate to the world that there is hope on the way for advanced ovarian cancer patients.

Production Notes:

A big thank you to PlayFish Media in Seattle that helped me make this video a possibility. Their positive approach, patience and flexibility is unparalleled.

Cornerstone of Hope

helping children overcome grief through a summer camp of joy

I led many stories for video publication on good neighbors.com. This State Farm platform showcased customer stories and community partnership stories that touched on important social matters. I also led many video projects for pro-bono clients to help them tell their stories in compelling ways. Cornerstone of Hope is a documentary style video which has always been at the core of who I am and what I love to do. For me, storytelling is a special instrument that I can use to make a difference, help people or inspire others to take action and together make this a better world.

Production Notes:

For this video project I was charged with creating a video that would carry a dramatic tone, since the story was about children that were mourning the loss of a family member. These children would go to a summer camp that was funded, in part, by State Farm and there, they would try to find healing. However, pursuing a dramatic tone in this context was too easy; it was expected. I proposed something different; an uplifting story. I led this video from ideation to production with a team of around 10 people. I led all the interviews, shooting style, shot list, editing, music design; along with managing the logistics of locations, resources, research, timelines and client presentations.

Dr. Stewart & The Choice Bus

A good teacher can change your life forever

This video was supposed to be about the Choice Bus program and how it helped kids stay in school, but as I discovered more information about the backstory of the founder, Dr. Stewart, I changed the creative direction of it. The video was going to be released during Teacher's Appreciation Week as the main State Farm story. State Farm helped fund the Choice Bus program. As I went through the creative discovery process and interviews I found out the founder had an extraordinary life. A teacher had changed his life for good when he was a child. The backstory to this point was painful and difficult to share in such a short video. I had to make creative decisions, use editing techniques and music to keep the story uplifting and still convey the key messages around appreciating teachers and education and how this can change your life forever, just as it happened to Dr. Stewart.

Production Notes:

I led ideation, shooting, locations, scripting, interviews, editing and managed production. I loved this story and how it unraveled with such power. Meeting and interviewing Dr. Stewart was an extraordinary experience I will never forget.

Learning & Leading Program

turning high-risk students into our future leaders

I led the creation of this video to support awareness and fundraising for the Learning & Leading program. This was an internal initiative at State Farm Headquarters supported by leadership to help high-risk high school students in the Bloomington-Normal community to get a summer job at State Farm and experience what it is to work in a corporation. They learned new skills and received a variety of training to help them stay engaged and motivated to finish school and graduate. A lot of people didn’t know about this great State Farm community outreach program and this video helped educate on the importance of supporting this program through acquiring more donors and resources.

Production Notes:

I personally loved working on this project because of my commitment to help in the community, especially serving as a mentor to inspire youth to stay in school and go to college. I became part of the Board of Directors and experienced the transformation these kids went through from beginning of the summer to the end when they graduated.  

Refreshing a brand & telling a new story

I was hired at the University of Washington’s Institute of Translational Science to help them refresh their brand, create a unified voice, look and feel and tell their story of new discoveries and advancements in science to the research community and the world. The first thing I noticed was that the brand looked lifeless and uninviting. I began introducing images that were impactful, illustrations that were colorful, yet elegant and photography that was compelling. The digital content now pushed narratives about people and their experiences, instead of factual reports on science progress or accomplishments. This combination of efforts brought life back to the brand, making it look real, reachable and successful.

Connecting with the Hispanic market through cultural insights.

The creative idea behind every marketing asset was to connect with Latinos through cultural idiosyncrasies that mattered to them, like music, food, dancing, family values and situations that show the Latino spirit. By connecting the brand with these Latino insights, it made the brand appealing to this audience, hence the slogan, State Farm is for me or State Farm es Para Mi. 

Later on I led the adaptation of this Hispanic creative campaign into the general market creative campaign called "I'm There" or "Ahi Estoy" for a seamless transition and unified brand message. 

Production Notes:

This booth was also part of the State Farm es Para Mi campaign.

Using social to engage with the brand.

Leading Creativity for Print Ads

Writing copy

Ideating copy and leading other writers and designers to find their words fulfills me. I like to write meaningful copy that makes people connect with their emotions, either through dramatic or funny reactions. I like to develop copy based on truthful insights people can identify with. 

Rethinking marketing tactics to gain more momentum.

Next I developed a mailer teaser and email campaign to bring loan officers to the main opening event, available also online, where my marketing team and I explained how the program in detail. This event included leadership and was mandatory. After getting the attention of hundreds of loan officers, and helping them see the value of this program, I led the development of webinars to train them on how to use the program for social media. I led the creation of customizable websites, banners, marketing materials, a new sweepstakes landing page, a public-facing social media video to attract more leads, promo materials, a training video, and a CRM campaign for acquired new leads. In just one month after the relaunch, leads increased four times the amount the original campaign had gained in a period of four months.