Experience
Plan B · Chicago, IL · Contract
- Senior creative partner at Plan B, an agency built around challenger and niche brands — from McLaren Automotive to Unilock hardscaping — trusted to lead brand and campaign work personally, not just direct it.
- Built brand systems and campaigns for companies at a turning point: F.E. Moran, a mechanical contractor expanding into new markets; Livelle, a luxury senior living community building a brand from nothing; Thunderer & Americus, two tire companies entering B2C marketing for the first time; and Charter Next Generation, a material science company launching its first employer brand.
- All four grew into larger contracts — more deliverables, bigger budgets, longer terms — with each now live in market.
Independent · Chicago, IL · Freelance & Fractional
- Created full-scale new business pitch campaigns for Florida Power & Light and Home Instead at FCB Chicago — both resulted in agency wins.
- Led development of a Series C funding presentation for a global renewable energy company. Secured desired capital.
- Created end-of-year fundraising campaign for Education Through Music Colorado, exceeding donation projections by 260%.
- Naming, packaging language, and brand ID for first-to-market nicotine innovation products targeting 2026–2027 launch.
Leo Burnett · Chicago, IL
- Led all creative for Copenhagen / U.S. Smokeless Tobacco — Altria's second-most-important portfolio brand behind Marlboro, over $1B in annual revenue. New brand campaign meaningfully improved brand equity tracking scores, generating over $1M in incremental agency fee scope.
- Sole creative lead over a six-person team (three writers, three ADs) — owning copy, art, and design end to end.
- Designed and launched a giving platform connecting Copenhagen to servicepeople and veteran charities — increased web traffic and click-through rate 25%.
- Led launches of Copenhagen Fine Cut Wintergreen and Weyman's Reserve Black, resulting in 2% share growth.
- Created first-ever brand campaign and logo redesign for PF Holdings, a $2.4B green energy company — including social campaign and Nasdaq ticker reveal. Campaign manifesto now used in employee onboarding.
- Presented brand strategy monthly to USST's President and CMO, and bi-annually to Altria's CMO and leadership team.
Leo Burnett · Chicago, IL
- Day-to-day creative lead on two Altria brands, team of ten. New brand campaign raised equity scores 8% across the two-brand portfolio within the first year. Annual planning event drove nearly 200% ROI.
- Spearheaded new product launches resulting in measurable market share growth for Skoal Cool Spearmint.
- Led creative for IQOS's U.S. market launch — retail stores, website development, and ongoing product education and support.
- Developed "Back to the Classics," an integrated campaign concept for three Diageo spirits brands — pairing classic cocktails with curated Spotify playlists, with in-store executions designed as bottle neck hangers that doubled as mini amps.
Leo Burnett · Robinson & Maites · Y&R · Chicago, IL
- Wrote brand campaigns for Samsung, Jameson (a $1.1M win), Harley-Davidson, and Black & Mild — including the brand voice that made Black & Mild category leader. Freelance work included Hotels.com, FedEx, and Verizon.
Kendall College · Loyola University · Roosevelt University · Story Studio Chicago
- Taught composition, creative writing, and literature across four Chicago institutions.
- Helped build an English department from scratch — designing curriculum that taught students to think rigorously about language, argument, craft, and what it means to be human.