Packaging Designer & Studio Partner for CPG Food & Beverage Brands at Matt and Mel's

I run Matt & Mel’s, a design and illustration studio focused on helping CPG brands win at shelf. We partner with brand, creative, and shopper marketing teams to develop packaging, illustration, and in-store visuals that persuade buyers and perform in real retail environments like Target, Costco, Walmart, and Kroger. We take on a limited number of projects and stay closely involved, which allows us to bring structure, clarity, and strong creative direction from early concepts through production. Our strength is combining clear strategic thinking with strong execution. We show the thinking, make clear recommendations, and deliver work that is detailed, production-ready, and built to hold up in the real world. Core capabilities: Food and beverage packaging, custom illustration and ingredient artwork, POS and in-store visualizations, brand identity, and trend research.

Graphic Design Manager at Lindt & Sprungli USA

In this role I managed the creative output of a team of in-house designers, freelance staff, and outside agencies, through a variety of high profile Brand & Customer Marketing initiatives. On the Brand side this included design refreshes and new product launches for key franchises as well as seasonal designs for key retail partners. We also collaborated with Customer Marketing to develop client presentations, POS displays, trade show graphics, and other highly conceptual in-store visualizations for Lindt's largest clients (Target, Costco, Kroger, Meijer, etc.). Additionally, we partnered with internal Lindt clients to execute digital initiatives across web and social media, trade show graphics, bi-annual magazines, signage and environmental graphics for Lindt's corporate campus, and a variety of other marketing collateral that supported key franchises.

Director of Product Development at Astor Chocolate / Le Belge Chocolatier

Guided innovative packaging design and managed projects for first entry into TARGET under the Astor brand; directed full retail line development for Astor and Le Belge; engineered packaging structures (folding cartons, rigid, thermoformed, film flowpacks, SUPs, injected molded plastic, acrylic POS displays, molded tins). Partnered with VP Marketing/Product Development and Sales to establish overarching development strategy for four divisions; provided creative leadership, vision and production oversight; collaborated with production leads, project managers, sourcing, and graphics teams to execute concepts.

Packaging Engineer / Packaging Designer at Astor Chocolate / Le Belge Chocolatier

Engineered innovative primary and secondary packaging for multiple brands; packaging range included folding cartons, rigid structures, thermoformed packaging, flowpacks and SUPs, injected molded containers, acrylic POS displays, and molded tins; contributed to development strategies and cross-functional execution.

Freelance Graphic Designer at Pelican Seven Studios

Developed overarching creative strategy in partnership with clients; designed and delivered solutions for brand identities and print/digital collateral; managed external creatives and contractors (print designers, web developers, copywriters, printers); contributed to re-branding initiatives such as Lighthouse (drug rehab facility) and broader branding projects for small businesses.

Director of Product Development at Astor Chocolate

Guided innovative packaging design and managed projects for first entry into TARGET under the Astor brand in 2014. Directed the design and development of a full retail line of premium bars and gifting solutions for the Le Belge brand. Engineered innovative primary and secondary packaging structures; partnered with marketing and sales to set development strategy across divisions.