I would love to work together at Ideo, where I’m applying to work as a Design Research Operations Specialist. My experience in account/ project management roles at small agencies, has produced a desire to do things with excellence, always in service to broader strategic goals.

For the past three years

I’ve worked as a Project Manager at two different small creative agencies. There, I took on client forward responsibilities including writing brand strategy and client management, along with various production roles. At Gander, my first agency, I assisted the creative team by helping ground visual assets in strategic research, and helped clients make connections between a visual brand identity and their larger organizational and product goals.

At my next role at Walker Hucklesby Others, I found myself in a similar role where I was able to use many of the skills I had honed at Gander, while serving a wider and more diverse clientele. I also learned to balance more projects, often managing upwards of twelve projects at any given time, determining how to best prioritize competing goals. Over my time at these companies, I’ve worked with many brands, including the ones below.

On the operational side of things,

I created and maintained a structure for on-boarding and off-boarding clients, including drafting proposals, facilitating kickoff meetings, setting project budgets, and leading post-launch conversations. I also created an internal environment where designers could flourish and create exceptional work. Establishing employee wellness metrics including a quarterly review process and holding presentations for management consolidating research on best practices for new managers. 

With a background in Economics and Art History,

I found that I could be a bridge between narratives and numbers, between creative ideas and return on investment. I hold a bachelors in Economics from Covenant College, where I studied Art History extensively. My coursework ranged to include: History of Economic Thought, Global Modernisms, Urban History, Macroeconomics, and Art & Criticism. The undergraduate degree culminates in a Senior Integration Thesis, where I conducted a linear analysis using Stata, based on census data which tracked historical migration patterns of immigrants and minority groups in St. Louis, Missouri (where I was born and raised).

i’ve been obsessed with ideo

for many years, because the work is impeccable and shows thoughtful, meaningful research and execution. I first heard of IDEO when I was at Gander, where we worked with Ingrid and Albert, and often looked to them for advice as role models in the design space. As I continue to advance in my career, I would look to the IDEO case studies for ideas of how to approach different projects.

In my next season of work, I would love to find ways to develop my skills as a researcher and strategist, helping design teams meet their goals more holistically. I believe that this position at IDEO would be the ideal next step.

What Next?

Thanks so much for reading. Click the links below to learn more about my experience or to read my response to the prompt from the job description. You can also click on the social media links to catch me in other places, or get in touch here.