Erika Simonds
Overview
Graphic design, web design & illustration
10+ years and hundreds of successful client projects
Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop mastery
Web design (HTML and CSS proficiency) using Wordpress and Squarespace
Brand strategy & marketing communications
Brand design, expansion, and strategy for nonprofit and corporate clients
15 years’ experience writing professionally
Social media, website content management, and email marketing
Creative leadership for marketing teams, programs & projects
5+ years managing marketing teams, projects, and brand growth for clients
Educational program development, coordination, marketing, and instruction
Volunteer board member and committee roles for nonprofits and city government
Professional experience
Creative Specialist
(independent contractor)
Luminary & Quill
2015–present
Craft messaging strategy, brand assets, and marketing collateral for purpose-driven brands. Lead a streamlined creative process to actualize the client’s vision:
Graphic design and layout design for print and digital media
Web design, SEO, and management; email marketing; and social media management
Copywriting, copy editing, messaging strategy, and content creation
Brand creative (language and visual identity) and strategy consulting
Creative Specialist
(contract)
Aperio Philanthropy
Nov 2019–present
Lead brand design and marketing strategy to rapidly grow an industry-disrupting New York philanthropy startup to support over 100+ organizations in under five years:
Drive creative direction for the brand
Facilitate a peer-to-peer marketing strategy with brand collateral, copywriting, website management and SEO, content editing, and event promotion
Collaborate with dozens of nonprofit clients to design fundraising collateral
Marketing Coordinator
(staff + contract)
Greenstone Homes
Aug 2015–May 2020
Supported leading regional home builder through a brand refresh and expansion:
Brand language rewrite, website redesign, print collateral design, and digital launch
Marketing (strategy and coordination) and graphic design for websites, social media, email, digital and print ads, direct mail, community signage, and community events
Rewrite, redesign, and SEO for three auxiliary project websites
Independent Journalist
Multiple publications
Nov 2008–Mar 2019
Hundreds of news, editorial, lifestyle, and human interest stories published in magazines, alternative newspapers, and boutique news websites:
Two multi-year columnist positions and two website content management roles
Frequent publication of photography and illustration alongside articles
Bylines include: Pacific Northwest Inlander, OutThere Outdoors, Spokane CDA Living, The Spokesman-Review special sections, INHealth, Spokane Metro Magazine, Prime Magazine, and Q View Northwest.
Program Coordinator
Spark Central
Aug 2016–Sep 2018
Shaped strategy, marketing, and curriculum for more than 200 nonprofit educational programs focused on creativity and innovation:
Led a team of contract-based creative instructors and several hundred volunteers
Designed mission-driven logic model, then oversaw program operations including scheduling, training, teaching, and data collection to achieve projected outcomes
Created print, website, email, and social media communications for a reach of 7,500+ donors, patrons, and community members