Karen Simmons

Experience

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  The Leonhardt Group / Leonhard:Fitch / Fitch

  Jan 1998 - Jan 2006

  Electronic Production Lead

  • Was the official right-hand to the production manager, helping to oversee, motivate, mentor, train and support a staff of up to nine production specialists. • Participated in interviewing prospective candidates for the production staff, and wrote performance reviews. • Provided production and project management of many large-scale, high-profile jobs, with considerable experience with Microsoft packaging and in-store merchandising (POP) campaigns, and many smaller Microsoft jobs. • Did layout and all production work on Loop, the Nordstrom employee quarterly newsletter (actually, it was a 32-page full-color, oversized magazine), as well as award-winning annual reports for Univar, Weyerhauser and Make A Wish. • Participated in color and proof reviews and attended press checks. Show less

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  Lionfish

  Mar 2006 - Jun 2011

  Electronic Production Manager

  • Production manager of a small, but growing, eastside marketing and communications firm. • Played a big role in developing client and internal approval processes, as well as developing the agency’s file management system and the internal design archive system. • Created internal marketing materials, including wall displays and web pages to highlight the agency work on it’s website. • Managed one intern that was on-boarded as a full-time employee, and mentored her. • Managed freelancers, both on and offsite. • Took part in developing the Mac-side IT management. • Created an organization system for reused and global assets owned by the agency. • While doing all of that, did production on nearly every piece of work that went through the agency from March 2006 to June 2011. In essence, when you work for a small firm, you wear a lot of hats. I’ve worn a lot of hats. Show less

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  Tether

  Jun 2011 - Sept 2014

  Production Manager

  • Managed, grew, and mentored a team of four production artists, as well as sourcing and hiring freelancers at an integrated design studio, specializing in product packaging design. • Represented the production team in manager meetings, weekly workload meetings, and monthly meetings with my staff. • Responsible for all studio print management, estimating and specifying print jobs, making recommendations for vendors, paper, techniques, sourcing vendors for swag and event-focused materials, and managed vendors and timelines. • Developed processes for studio best-practices, including developing the studio file management and naming system, file routing and approvals system and the production handoff system. • Developed a studio handbook to be distributed to all employees detailing resources available to them, processes and practices of working at Tether. • Maintained the studio’s paper swatch library and brought in vendors to educate designers on paper options, print techniques and how to specify paper. • Attended press checks and took junior designers along to train them. • Traveled to Chicago to and Michigan to meet with our partners at Gatorade and develop best practices policies with our Gatorade clients and their vendors. • Mentored young designers and production designers. • Also did plenty of my own hands-on production with a strong emphasis on product packaging — y’know, in my spare time. Show less

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  Karen Simmons, Production Artist

  Oct 2014 - Jan 2023

  Freelance Production Artist

  Clients and companies include Turnstyle, Razorfish, Brooks Running, Microsoft, and Markman Capital Insight.

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  Amazon

  Mar 2015 - May 2015

  Photo Editor/Production Designer

  Ensured the development and production of compelling web optimized images to highlight products and services promoted through Amazon Local US and UK. Sourced, optimized, edited, and color-corrected high-quality images. Designed and managed all UK Amazon Local web campaigns, email promotional campaigns, and internal graphic materials independently, Produced managed and handled print production for all merchant punch cards for US Amazon Local merchants. Managed and was administrator for the Digital Asset Management tool for Amazon Local US and UK, Designed marketing campaign graphics for new Amazon Destinations website. Show less

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  Tommy Bahama

  Sept 2015 - Jan 2017

  Production Designer

  Design and produce materials for a global fashion retailer. Select photography, design in-store signage and communications, national advertising, billboards, event and tradeshow materials, mailers, digital assets, product packaging, garment hangtags and internal communications, with attention to brand standards, timelines and budgets.

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  Imagine Color Service

  Mar 2017 - May 2017

  Freelance Account Manager

  Helping out at Imagine Color Service with some freelance project management. Scheduling, billing, and trafficking workflow in FileMaker Pro.

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  The Marketing Practice

  May 2017 - Nov 2022

  • Senior US Production Lead

    May 2017 - Nov 2022

  • Senior US Production Artist

    May 2017 - Jan 2022
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  Rescue | The Behavior Change Agency

  Jan 2023 - now

  Resposible for overseeing and creating artwork for print and digital media according to specifications, as well as managing and mentoring a team of Production Designers.

  • Production Design Studio Manager

    Mar 2024 - now

  • Senior Production Designer

    Mar 2023 - now

  • Production Designer

    Jan 2023 - Dec 2023