Summary
Peer-reviewed, award-winning design executive, and military veteran, with 20+ years hands-on design experience and 7+ years leading multidisciplinary teams and cross-functional talent — remote and on-site — delivering high-impact, user-centered solutions across private, public, nonprofit, and academia sectors. A collaborative leader — including interdepartmentally — with a deep sense of wonder, pushing boundaries, and an ability to form concepts quickly while integrating new technologies. Skilled at aligning creative strategy with business goals, mentoring staff, integrating human-centered design and genAI to augment processes, driving innovation, and scaling complex ecosystems that guide measurable impact. MORE…
Skills
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Expert with Adobe CC XD, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Acrobat Pro, Apple OS & iOS, and typography.•
Expert with collaborating across professions such as videography, photography, illustration, data science, social media, software engineering, influence, persuasion, and flexibility.•
Expert with team leadership, development, collaboration, and inspiration — remote, on-site, or hybrid.•
Expert with written and oral communications.•
Capable with Adobe AfterEffects, Express, Friefly, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Teams, Figma, Keynote, CMS, HTML5, CSS3, genAI, SEO, metadata, Windows OS, and PC.•
Familiar with Microsoft Excel, OneNote, OneDrive, Jira, Basecamp, Processing, and Java Script.Experience
Executive Creative Director
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Atlanta, GA 7/20 – 07/25
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Effectively managed 6 teams (45 FTEs & 15 CTRs) — remote and on-site — with $12 million budget communicating creative vision aligned with agency’s goals fostering collaboration, creativity, and team development.•
Utilizing proprietary project management software, ensured delivery of projects (95% early or on-time) meeting brand goals, clients’ standards, and audience needs, overseeing production of 4,000 high-quality, data-driven products annually, supporting a range of communications for ≈20 CDC offices with a 97% approval rating.•
Collaborated with senior executives to align business objectives with brand strategies, and with cross-functional teams to explore options for the strategizing of product delivery and workflows.•
Responsible for executive leadership in development, and implementation of creative vision and strategies aligned with brand vision while applying brand management, and formally presented — written and spoken — creative solutions, project updates, ensuring output met expectations.•
Supported new business processes by identifying effective solutions and guided staff with expertise in design principles, methods, and technologies while providing clear direction, translating complex topics, and developing visual information products.•
Stayed current with industry trends and tools, integrated new designNational Board President
AIGA | the professional association for design
New York, NY 7/24 – present
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In a remote capacity, assures corporation pursues mission, goals, and objectives while collaborating with 14 board directors to approve annual multi-million dollar budget, and guides meetings focused on strategic objectives.•
Advises and provides recommendations to 3 Co-Executive Directors for the management of staff members and complex business decisions.•
Formed committee to evaluate state of the organization with a goal to improve the image and standing of AIGA in the creative community.•
A full summary of responsibilities can be read at the AIGA Board of Directors web page.Board of Directors Board Member
AIGA | the professional association for design
New York, NY 7/20 – present
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A full summary of responsibilities can be read at the AIGA Board of Directors web page.Instructor (hybrid)
Georgia State University
Alanta, GA 8/23 – 12/23
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Performed teaching and teaching-related duties for interior and communication design graduate students on inclusive and retail space design course work, developed teaching materials, prepared & gave examinations, and graded design projects. Instruction in branding, typography, sr. portfolio, interactive, and UX/UI design.Creative Director
ecesarrivera.com
San Antonio, TX 2/15 – 7/20
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Served as senior visual communications expert, demonstrated mastery of software, tools, and technical skills developing effective communication products.•
Ensured clients’ strategic plans, missions, visions, and values were integrated in team’s goals, products, and services then managed, developed, planned, and delivered large-scale, complex campaigns.•
Applied knowledge of design principles, methods, research (qualitative & quantitative), and current and emerging technologies, and improved team capabilities on development of complex products.•
Developed priorities and strategies for effective communication across multidisciplinary teams and utilized management skills in appropriate problem-solving techniques, provided advice on work procedures, and assisted staff to identify evidence-based solutions.•
Conducted presentations—written and spoken—to clients on a variety of projects, retail to academia.Assistant Professor (face-to-face and online)
Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX 8/16 – 8/20
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Performed teaching and teaching-related duties of communication design courses, developed teaching materials, prepared & gave examinations, and graded design projects. Responsible for student recruitment, course development, and student engagement. Instruction in branding, interactive, UX/UI design, and motion graphics.Instructor
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 8/15 – 5/16
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Performed teaching and teaching-related duties of communication design courses, developed teaching materials, prepared & gave examinations, and graded design projects. Instruction in branding, typography, sr. portfolio, interactive, and UX/UI design.Adjunct Professor (online)
Austin Peay State University
Clarksville, TN 1/16 – 5/16
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Performing teaching and teaching-related duties of communication design web design online course, developed teaching materials, prepared assignments, and will be grading design projects. Instruction in interactive, and UX/UI design.Graduate Teaching Assistant
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 7/13 – 5/15
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Performed teaching and teaching-related duties of communication design courses, developed teaching materials, prepared & gave examinations, and graded design projects. Instruction in branding, logo design, typography, interactive, and UX/UI design.Chief Creative Officer
SioTeX Corporation
Austin, TX 2/14 – 2/15
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Co-founded and launched startup, served as sr visual communications lead, ensured delivery of highquality, data-driven assets for scientific and investment-based topics, raising $250K startup capital.•
Utilized qualitative and quantitative information improve team and design product effectiveness.•
Represented co-founders & CEO at meetings, providing written and spoken presentations, to convey company direction, presented technical info supporting and promoting science-based green product.•
Assessed media and public response then developed and implemented changes to visual design strategies to reflect improvements and technological innovations.•
Ensured mission, vision, values, and brand strategy were communicated and integrated into complex scientific concepts, and products while tracking progress on large-scale campaigns.•
Contributed to experimentation process and physical mechanisms to produce company product.Grad Student Designer
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 8/12 – 8/14
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Responsible for applying creativity in production of layouts, graphic designs, promotions for print and web, and maintain social media outlets.Graduate Instructional Assistant
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX 8/12 – 5/13
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Assisted faculty or other staff members in the university by performing teaching or teaching-related duties, such as, developing teaching materials, preparing & administering examinations and grading.Sr. Graphic Designer/Art Director
Chimaera Design
San Antonio, TX 1/04 – 5/14
Graphic Designer/Prodt. Artist contract labor
Blue Clover
San Antonio, TX 7/09 – 9/10
Graphic Designer/Art Director contract labor
Wickley Interactive
San Antonio, TX 7/08 – 11/08
Art Director
Market Vision Latino Marketing
San Antonio, TX 10/07 – 05/08
Graphic Designer/Pre-Press
Multicopy Printing Company, Inc.
San Antonio, TX 5/07 – 9/07
Graphic Design Intern
The Bradford Lawton Design Group
San Antonio, TX 6/06 – 5/07
Graphic Design Specialist Temp/Part-time
Zachry Construction Corporation
San Antonio, TX 7/05 – 12/05
U.S. Army *DD-214
available upon request
Education
MFA
-Communication DesignThesis: Do Good Work: Building a Collaborative Network for Graphic Designers & Nonprofit Organizations
Study Abroad: Japan & Germany
BFA
-Communication DesignStudy Abroad: Italy
