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Mike Woolson

mike@jumbobrain.com • www.jumbobrain.com

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I’m a full-spectrum communicator with extensive experience as a project manager, writer, editor, graphic designer, cartoonist and photographer. With expertise in each, I excel at combining them for creative and effective communication in any form.

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Experience:

August 2021 – present

Communications and Marketing Director  

Aurora School, Oakland CA

Develop and execute marketing strategy, social media, and website for K-8 independent school

  • Write, photograph and edit weekly parent newsletter

  • Design, write and maintain website

  • Write and edit communications to staff, families, Board of Directors and other partners

  • Design collateral for school events and marketing

  • Work with Head of School and Admissions Director to develop and review marketing strategies

  • Plan and manage advertising

  • Engage contractors as needed for videography, school photography, and collateral creation

  • Create and implement plans to increase community engagement through events, outreach, social media and advertising

  • Devise strategies to help meet DEI goals

  • Offer classroom instruction on marketing, cartooning and yearbook creation 

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Oct 2018 – August 2021

Marketing and Communications Director  

Oakland First Fridays and the KONO Community Benefit District, Oakland CA

Manage messaging, social media, web site, documentation and more for 

community arts festival and nonprofit neighborhood CBD

  • Create and maintain websites and newsletters for both agencies

  • Grow social media audience substantially through engaging daily posts

  • Secured grants to fund performance and interactive activities through 2020

  • Helped establish and promote family zone and live performances at the event

  • Create messaging and manage media interactions

  • Drafted and maintain organization’s first long-term Strategic Plan

  • Design and execute branding and collateral for ongoing projects

  • Recruit and supervise interns and volunteers to assist with event production, social media, photography and videography

  • Establish and maintain relationships with sponsors, donors and performers 

  • Managed press contacts and drove messaging during a PR crisis following violence
    unrelated to the event 

 

November 1992 – present

Communications Consultant

Provide on-demand services in communication design and execution

  • Write, edit and design press releases, presentations, infographics, cartoons and more for Bowen & Bowen, the largest company in Belize (2014-2018)

  • Create infographics, memes, illustrations and comic strips

  • Write, design and implement visual presentations and instructional materials in PowerPoint, Keynote and HTML 

  • Design publications, web sites, and collateral

  • Develop and implement logos and brand identities

  • Created three ongoing cartoon features for corporate clients

  • Shoot, publish and show event and fine art photography for artists and organizations as well as my own work, also published in multiple books and magazines

  • Supervised redesign of Taiwan’s leading English-language newspaper (1993-94)

  • Taiwan correspondent for Asia Magazine and KLM Airlines (1993-94)

 

January 1999 – October 2013

Creative Director                                          

ZOOM Marketing Corporation, Palo Alto CA

Art and ideas department for small strategic marketing firm focused on the tech sector

  • Designed and created infographics, presentations, cartoons, illustrations, taglines, logos, findings presentations and visual stories in a wide range of styles for clients including Dell, Microsoft, VMware, TiVo and dozens of startups

  • Singlehandedly crafted and implemented innovative brand identity in all permutations including web site, presentations and pitches, social media, newsletters, cartoons, printed collateral, signage and all manner of miscellaneous shwag

  • Created Great Moments in Marketingwebcomic, which appeared online and in two printed collections to generate buzz and establish thought leadership for ZOOM

  • Created, wrote and maintained website, newsletter and social media 

  • Shot and edited video and photos for client success stories and company events

 

July 1994 – December 1998

Project Manager, Writer and UI Designer 

HMG, Emeryville, California

Multitasker at boutique developer of interactive educational media applications

  • Designed characters and backgrounds, wrote and executed animations, and resolved aesthetic and technical issues for two award-winning K-5 reading programs

  • Wrote script, designed interface and supervised production of program used to train and certify field service engineers worldwide in new product installation and maintenance, then wrote scripts for three follow-on projects

  • Project manager, writer and UI designer on numerous projects for clients including Microsoft, IBM, Intuit, Silver Burdett Ginn and Duty-Free Stores

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SKILLS:

Writing, editing, marketing, messaging, illustration, graphic and information design, project management, photography, image manipulation, wry observations

 

Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Office, Final Cut Pro, Hootsuite, Mailchimp, Wix, Squarespace, more

 

EDUCATION:

Master of Science in Journalism
E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, Ohio University
Graduate Associate on full scholarship. Concentration in Visual Communication

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Bachelor of Arts
University of Michigan

Major: English Language and Literature

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COMMUNITY:

Five Ton Crane

Contributing artist for Oakland co-op with works shown at Burning Man, the Smithsonian Institution, the Oakland Museum of California and other venues

 

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence

Member of storied LGBTQ+ fundraising and activism group

 

Education for Change Public Schools

Designed and taught ten-week cartooning courses to elementary students in East Oakland public charter schools

 

Burning Man, The Crucible &c.

Volunteer documentary photographer for artists, performers, installations and events 

 

Samples and portfolio at www.jumbobrain.com • Professional references on request

 

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