Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Highlights
Exhibitions & Fellowships
Timeline
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Abraham Garcia Flores

Charleston,SC

Summary

As a visionary and seasoned design director with over a decade of experience, I specialize in creating meaningful brands and multimedia experiences through strategic storytelling, precise aesthetics, and robust systems.


I excel at looking for answers where others have not thought to look, utilizing interdisciplinary thinking to uncover underlying connections and devise innovative solutions. My collaborative approach allows me to work effectively with experts from various fields to tackle complex problems.

Overview

13
13
years of professional experience

Work History

Design and Strategy Director, Partner

Workhorse Collective
01.2014 - Current
  • Elevated Workhorse from an independent practice to an influential digital marketing and social media agency.
  • Designed innovative media and creative strategies to drive rapid growth for new and emerging brands.
  • Created original and innovative campaigns that leveraged user-generated content and influencer partnerships, dramatically increasing brand visibility and engagement.
  • Developed cohesive visual strategies across print, digital, and social media platforms to engage consumers at every touchpoint throughout their purchasing journey.
  • Directed and executed branding and digital design for high-profile film festivals including the Environmental Film Festival, Investigative Film Festival, and DC/DOX.
  • Built and launched multimedia websites for notable organizations like the Anti-Defamation League, The Truman Center, and Giffords.
  • Evaluated competitive landscapes to inform strategic decisions regarding mergers.
  • Conducted market research to identify emerging trends, utilizing data-driven insights to inform future strategy direction.
  • Streamlined internal processes for improved efficiency through thorough analysis of existing workflows.
  • Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.
  • Managed designers, writers, and developers, ensuring timely completion of projects while maintaining high-quality standards.
  • Mentored junior designers, fostering an environment of continuous learning and professional development.
  • Established and maintained strong relationships with clients by delivering exceptional design work on schedule and within budget constraints.

Adjunct Profesor

George Mason University
05.2016 - 01.2017
  • Blended theory and practice in courses on responsive design, user-centered methods, and practical coding skills.
  • Conducted workshops, guiding students through HTML, CSS, JavaScript, version control, and iterative design processes.
  • Students were asked to read and respond to a series of historical and contemporary design essays, books, and articles in order to connect design theory to real-world application.
  • Projects emphasized the understanding of design concepts and web standards by practical application.
  • Built relationships with students, mentoring on personal, professional and academic goals while providing coaching on effective study habits.
  • Graded quizzes, tests, homework, and projects to provide students with timely academic progress information and feedback.
  • Strengthened critical thinking skills in students through the incorporation of problem-based learning activities.

Designer and Frontend Developer

Bloompop
04.2013 - 04.2014
  • Launched the 'Etsy for Florists' alongside a former Rosetta Stone marketing leader
  • Designed flexible brand systems enabling agile, integrated multimedia product design and marketing campaigns.
  • Developed and maintained comprehensive library of design assets for easy access and reuse.
  • Established user-friendly design system to increase user experience and satisfaction.
  • Leveraged industry knowledge and emerging trends to build innovative messaging and bring design concepts to fruition.
  • Teamed on user-centric design strategy in translation of UX and business requirements into coded solutions.
  • Assisted in the development of reusable code libraries, streamlining the coding process and increasing productivity within the team.
  • Researched emerging web technologies and trends for possible incorporation into sites.
  • Performed user experience quality assurance testing to identify and remedy shortcomings.
  • Conducted thorough user research, identifying key pain points and opportunities for improvement.
  • Created detailed wireframes and prototypes to guide development team in building high-quality applications.
  • Enhanced user experience by designing intuitive navigation and visually engaging interfaces.
  • Developed responsive designs to ensure optimal performance on various devices and platforms.
  • Collaborated with the the founders to create a cohesive, user-centric product vision.

Designer and Frontend Developer

Genius (Rap Genius)
08.2012 - 12.2012
  • Collaborated with engineering, design, and editorial teams at Rap Genius to shape brand architecture, enabling expansion into new genres
  • Designed original branded merchandise that boosted community engagement in a high-visibility environment.
  • Participated in design review meetings to brainstorm new UX developments through collaborative thinking.
  • Presented design concepts to executive leadership, effectively communicating rationale behind decisions and advocating for user-centric approaches.
  • Conducted thorough user research, identifying key pain points and opportunities for improvement.

Design Intern

Crispin (CP+B)
05.2011 - 08.2011
  • Provided art direction and design for clients like Microsoft, American Express, Best Buy, and Domino's Pizza.
  • Was in charge of early stage ideation, development, and final execution of concepts.
  • Art directed and designed UI and motion for the Domino's Pizza Tracker and The Jello Jiggle It App.
  • Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure cohesive visual storytelling.

Education

Master of Arts - Graphic Design

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Baltimore, MD
05.2012

Certificate in Public Health -

The University of Texas Health Science Center
Austin, TX
01.2006

Bachelor of Science (BS), Human Biology -

The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
01.2006

Skills

Creative Direction & Design:

  • Art Direction
  • Branding
  • Creative Direction
  • Motion Design
  • Storyboarding
  • UI/UX Design
  • User Research
  • UX Research
  • Web Design

Strategy and Management:

  • Agile Methodology
  • Human-Centered Design
  • Brand Strategy
  • Studio and Gallery Management
  • Product Management
  • Team Leadership

Technical & Operational Skills:

  • Adobe Suite
  • Comfy UI
  • CLI and Git
  • HTML/CSS/JavaScript
  • Nodejs
  • Optimal Workshop
  • Stable Diffusion Web UI
  • WordPress (PHP)

Highlights

  • Design, Writing and Research Featured in “Type on Screen” by design legend Ellen Lupton: Graduate work, MICA GDMFA 2012.
  • AIGA50 Award: Branding and design for Double Exposure:Investigative Film Festival.
  • Core77 Design Award: Exhibition design for “Up from the People: Protest and Change in DC” at the MLK Library in DC. Team: Studio Joseph, Openbox, and Blue Cadet.
  • Core77 Design Award: Design for “Status Update,” a social marketing campaign for the Baltimore City Health Department.

Exhibitions & Fellowships

  • Redux Contemporary Art Center, Studio Artist Exhibition, 2019-01-01, 2020-12-31, Charleston, SC, Showcased motion graphics, risograph posters, and zines for the annual artist exhibition. Final pieces were sold at the annual studio artist gala.
  • Center for Design Practice, Design Fellowship, 2011-08-01, 2011-12-01, Boulder, CO, Executed a social marketing campaign for the Baltimore City Health Department, overseeing art direction, web design, and digital marketing. I was the lead designer on a panel at Johns Hopkins University, where I presented case studies and spoke about my work in public health and design.

Timeline

Adjunct Profesor

George Mason University
05.2016 - 01.2017

Design and Strategy Director, Partner

Workhorse Collective
01.2014 - Current

Designer and Frontend Developer

Bloompop
04.2013 - 04.2014

Designer and Frontend Developer

Genius (Rap Genius)
08.2012 - 12.2012

Design Intern

Crispin (CP+B)
05.2011 - 08.2011

Master of Arts - Graphic Design

Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)

Certificate in Public Health -

The University of Texas Health Science Center

Bachelor of Science (BS), Human Biology -

The University of Texas at Austin
Abraham Garcia Flores