You see..

I love design. Really good design. I can create  engaging visual narratives with clean and vibrant design. I construct visual flow that insures your customer's time engaging with you through print or online is valued—value which reciprocates as trust to your brand. I take fonts, color and images to create a design experience for your brand.

I'm an established print and digital designer with 24 solid years work. I bring an experienced design eye, creative concepts and engagement to all my projects, digging deep into late night trench work, designing with take out at 1am.

And I love it. Let my passion be your asset.

Work Experience

2021-Present

Multimedia Design Manager
Governors State University

Print design/production: brochures, flyers, posters, style guides, infographics, social media collateral, and direct mail collateral

Brand identity definition such as logos, style sheets, and image templates

Multi site redesign: UI/UX consultation, content and image management, iteration build

Project management expertise with scheduled projects and priority rush projects with long-from publications to print collateral needed in quick turn around time

Management of graphic design team providing design consult and project management allocation

Vendor management providing  queries, direction, and print production instructions

2019-2021

Print and Digital Design
National Louis University 

Print design/production: brochures, sales sheet, style guides, infographics, and direct mail collateral

Brand identity services such as logos, style sheets and image templates

Multi site redesign: UI/UX consultation, content and image management, iteration build

Project management expertise with scheduled projects and priority rush projects with long-from publications to print collateral needed in quick turn around time

2018-2019

Print and Digital Design
Freelance 

Meridian International Group: Deerfield
Print design/production: brochures, sales sheet, style guides, infographics, and direct mail collateral

Brand identity services such as logos, style sheets and image templates

Multi site redesign: UI/UX consultation, template build, content and image management, iteration build

Dowden Landscape Design Group: Downers Grove
Brand identity: Logo and brand development

Print design/production: brochure, style guides, infographics, business cards and direct mail collateral

Site build: leading the UI/UX process, wireframe and ideation concepts, low to hi-fidelity prototypes, digital imaging, content management and photo retouching

2018

Graphic Designer/Webmaster
University of Illinois at Chicago

Print design/production: brochures, large dimension posters and direct mail collateral

Provide all digital imaging and design services for content development

Produce extensive microsites with quick turnaround timeline with continued maintenance and content support

Provide UI/UX and accessibility best practices for effective user engagement

Provide comprehensive content support and maintenance for the WordPress CMS

Provide extensive administrative duties in site management, user management and content production

Manage branding efforts on all online and print production

Project management duties with users, vendors and tech support

2014 - 2018

Online Visual Design Lead
Governors State University

Lead for digital marketing initiatives in the University Marketing and Communication Department (UMC)

Provide all digital imaging and design services for content development

Provide UI/UX and accessibility best practices for effective empathic user engagement

Produced extensive microsites with short turnaround timeline with continued maintenance support

Provide extensive administrative duties in site management, user management and content production

Developed and maintained analytics for the university site and other online collateral

Creation, maintenance, and administration social media with help from the UMC Media Relations author and authored the university Social Media policy

2011-2014

Director of Online Communication
Hawai’i Pacific University

Lead all digital marketing initiative in the University Marketing and Communication Department (UMC)

Three comprehensive redesigns of university site over 3 years utilizing best empathic UI/UX practices and brand design evangelization

Manage the implementation of user experience standards across the university Intranet, Extranet, and public Website

Provide content and graphics for the development of the university mobile app

Coordinate re-branding efforts across all online collateral—UI/UX, digital imaging and graphics

Creation, maintenance, and administration all of HPU’s official Social Media Hub

2006-2011

Online Design Lead/Digital Designer
Hawai’i Pacific University

Provide all digital imaging services for all online and digital content development

Provide site maintenance, CMS maintenance, guidance, production, coding and user management

Provide monthly CMS training sessions to new content managers and current content managers

Managed and mentored Web Services intern team

2000-2006

Senior Web Designer
Imagination Publishing

Lead design for web development: ideation, wireframe, PSD template to HTML/CSS/Flash production and deployment for 5 years for B to B, B to C custom integrated publishing

Provided monthly site management for B to B, B to C custom sites: maintaining site content, all digital imaging, banner advertising and archiving

Wireframe, design, produced and deployed client e-newsletters monthly

Provided leadership in company online strategy, technology/software updates and best practices

Provided professional results under tight deadlines with multiple projects

Oversaw and mentored web department staff

Gave professional sales presentations to potential clients and helped obtain online business 

1999-2000

Lead Web Designer
VoxCap.com

Provided monthly production updating site content, digital images, banner ad and actionscripting for Flash animations for D.C. based political web portal

Created original editorial illustrations for site articles

Produced print advertising and marketing material

1997-1999

Web Designer
Ganymede Corporation

Lead design for site development: provided thumbnails, PSD template to HTML production

Provided monthly production: updating client site content, images and archiving

Managed and organized job distribution between design team members  

Noteables

Awards

• Webby Worthy Award 2004, 9th Annual Webby Awards 
   Lowe’s For Pros website, Client: Lowe's 
• Grand Award 2002, APEX Awards
   Imagination Publishing website, Client: Imagination Publishing
• Silver Award 2004, Pearl Awards: Custom Publishing Council
   Freedom webzine, Client: National Underground Railroad Freedom
• Silver Award 2004, CenterPearl Awards: Custom Publishing Council
   For Pros website, , Client: Lowe's

Other:
Taught Online Design, Visiting Professor, Hawai’i Pacific University, 2007 -2008

Society of National Association Publications (SNAP) panel of judges participant
Online Competition Division for 2003, 2004 and  2005

Education

• International Academy of Design and Technology: Associate's Degree; 1999-
   Major: Computer Graphic Design 
Columbia College: BA in Liberal Arts- Double major of Marketing and Graphic Design
• Art Institute of Philadelphia: Major in Graphic Design
• School of the Art Institute of Chicago: Summer Programs
• Freelance Illustrator and Designer: 25 years

Antonio De Castro

An award winning graphic designer working in the industry for more than twenty two years