
SONORA T. JACKSON
ART DIRECTION | STRATEGY | BRANDING | DESIGN
Innovative and entrepreneurial design manager with career expertise in art direction, project management, creative dynamic visuals, innovative strategies, and brand management in corporate and nonprofit settings. Proven ability to develop effective multi-platform campaigns for online and print delivery. Imaginative, dedicated, flexible and passionate. Skilled at typography, composition and color theory, with an excellent eye for design and delivering quality results. Uniquely effective in communicating and collaborating across functions at all levels of leadership to translate and guide strategic direction through design while managing concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.


02 EXPERIENCE
08/17 TO PRESENT
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Design Manager
• Collaboratively develop the national visual identity and design fresh and creative branded elements
• Advise senior leadership in developing cohesive short- and long-range strategic plans, visuals, and products that align with business goals
• Lead design for internal growth strategy and communication campaigns
• Hire, manage and mentor design teams; control workflow and review completed projects to ensure quality and accuracy
• Manage a budget of $280K for internal program including: printing costs, agency and contractor fees
11/18 TO PRESENT
GO, GROW & BE
Committee Chair,
Marketing and Communications Board
• Oversee implementation of the communication strategy for the purposes of recruitment, program messaging, fundraising, awareness and branding
• Lead branding efforts, develop and maintain effective multi-platform brand packaging for all sub-brands; develop guidelines and tools that facilitate appropriate usage of brand
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight, produce and deliver promotional materials
• Create and oversee departmental budget
• Collaborate to establish and drive new and innovative ways to market and brand
initiatives, ensuring results translate across all media (e.g. interactive digital ads, social
media outlets, print, etc.)
10/12 TO 8/15
GRANT THORNTON LLP
National Creative Design Specialist
• Assisted in strategy and implementation of rebranded identity system firmwide
• Increased brand presence among colleges and universities; doubled web views for the recruiting homepage, and increased employee recruitment
• Created national external strategic campaign around firm’s CEO Growth Forum
• Developed enhanced logo library to drive brand consistency and improve efficiency
01/10 TO PRESENT
SAY SOMETHING DESIGNS
Freelance Art Director
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Provide strategy, cross-channel marketing design, and art direction to small businesses and non-profits
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Developed an elevated branding strategy that increased March of Dimes’ annual fundraising gala attendance to 650+ United States Senators, Representatives and guests, and 90 corporate sponsors; the event raised over $1M in donations
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Develop visual identities, brand systems, logos, print design, web graphics, interactive PDFs, promotional material, and signage
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Manage contracts, budgets, billing and payment collection for all projects
08/15 TO 8/17
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Senior Design Lead
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Executed, implemented and produced all print and digital media
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Created and presented storyboards, renderings and/or initial graphic designs, and communicate strategic execution of concepts to leadership
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Lead the creative development of industry diagnostics mobile application design increasing software adoption rate
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Provided brand/visual identity materials and training for vendors, freelancers and other groups within the firm’s Market, Clients and Industry Group
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Managed design workflow, process and resources against internal needs
10/05 to 10/12
GRANT THORNTON LLP
Regional Graphic Designer
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Prepared request-for-proposals, generated statements-of-work, and scheduled inter-group coordination for sales and marketing team
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Provided quality assurance of all creative deliverables
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Maintained and managed relationships with creative agencies, printers and other vendors
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Provided brand training to new employees as well as lead and developed brand training updates for staff

03 KNOWLEDGE
20%
PREMIERE
80%
PHOTOSHOP
100%
MS OFFICE SUITE
100%
INDESIGN
90%
ILLUSTRATOR
40%
HTML & CSS
40%
DREAMWEAVER
40%
AFTER EFFECTS