Hi, I'm Rhonda Negard, a passionate communication professional with a focus on visual, digital, and interpersonal communication. I bring years of experience in teaching, web design, and front-end development. I love creating compelling narratives through branding and digital media that truly engage audiences. In addition to my professional work, I've had the pleasure of mentoring students and veterans, guiding them through career readiness and strategic communication. Whether redesigning websites, developing digital strategies, or speaking at workshops, I aim to bridge design and technology to deliver impactful communication solutions.

Rhonda Negard

Hi, I'm Rhonda Negard, a passionate communication professional with a focus on visual, digital, and interpersonal communication. I bring years of experience in teaching, web design, and front-end development. I love creating compelling narratives through branding and digital media that truly engage audiences. In addition to my professional work, I've had the pleasure of mentoring students and veterans, guiding them through career readiness and strategic communication. Whether redesigning websites, developing digital strategies, or speaking at workshops, I aim to bridge design and technology to deliver impactful communication solutions.

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Rhonda Negard, a passionate communication professional with a focus on visual, digital, and interpersonal communication. I bring years of experience in teaching, web design, and front-end development. I love creating compelling narratives through branding and digital media that truly engage audiences.

In addition to my professional work, I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring students and veterans, guiding them through career readiness and strategic communication. Whether redesigning websites, developing digital strategies, or speaking at workshops, I aim to bridge design and technology to deliver impactful communication solutions.

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Experience Level

Expert
Expert

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Web designer & developer at Fat Dog Creatives
January 30, 2003 - Present
• Clients: Any Baby Can SA, Aprhodite Divine Confections, BTY Creative, Credit Human, IEC-Thermo, Ivan the Gorilla, Over the Top Cake Supplies, Texas Apartment Association, WordCamp Seattle, Oregon Tradeswomen, Talk Strategy • Client industries: construction and development, education, financial services, baking suppliers, government (national, state, local, and international), insurance, startups. • Provide comprehensive design and strategic solutions for organizations undergoing mergers, acquisitions, and rebrands • Develop website structures with custom fields and post types to improve user experience • Create and maintain websites with interactive elements like membership portals, digital courses, and lead generation systems • Optimize websites for responsiveness across multiple devices • Train clients on content management systems and website updates
Adjunct Instructor at Art Institute
January 14, 2020 - August 23, 2023
• Designed and taught courses in layout design, collateral design, and graphic symbolism, integrating communication strategies, branding, and audience engagement. • Focused on career readiness, guiding students in crafting professional portfolios, résumés, and job search materials that clearly communicate their skills and value. • Developed industry-aligned curriculum, ensuring students gained relevant experience in visual storytelling, persuasion, and strategic communication. • Mentored students, particularly veterans and military families, as they transitioned into creative and communication-related careers.
Substitute Instructor at UX/UI Boot Camp
August 3, 2020 - August 3, 2021
• Led courses on user experience (UX) research, audience analysis, and prototyping, emphasizing how design and communication intersect. • Instructed students on effective messaging strategies for digital platforms, ensuring usability and clarity in digital communication. • Guided students through hands-on projects, reinforcing the importance of user-centered communication design.
Website UX/UI Designer & Front-End Developer at greater:SATX (formerly San antonio Economic Development Foundation)
March 1, 2022 - April 17, 2024
• Redesigned and rebuilt website to align with new brand guidelines and enhance user experience. • Developed wireframes, visual design assets, and multi-platform design solutions, while ensuring site security and regular maintaince and updates. • Collaborated with stakeholders to ideate and prototype new products.
Presentation Designer, Website UX/UI Designer & Front-End Developer (contractor) at Creative Circle
May 31, 2018 - July 31, 2025
• Collaborated on various projects, ensuring high-quality design and development standards for miscellaneous clients. • Designed and developed websites, presentations, print materials, and more.
Adjunct Faculty at Art Institute, San Antonio, TX
August 31, 2023 - August 1, 2025
Designed and taught courses in layout design, collateral design, and graphic symbolism, integrating communication strategies, branding, and audience engagement. Focused on career readiness, guiding students in crafting professional portfolios, résumés, and job search materials. Developed industry-aligned curriculum promoting experience in visual storytelling, persuasion, and strategic communication. Mentored students, particularly veterans and military families, transitioning into creative careers.
Substitute Instructor at UX/UI Boot Camp, San Antonio, TX
August 31, 2021 - August 1, 2025
Led courses on user experience research, audience analysis, and prototyping, emphasizing the intersection of design and communication. Instructed digital messaging strategies focused on usability and clarity. Guided students through hands-on projects to reinforce user-centered communication design.
Website UX/UI Designer & Front-End Developer at Greater:SATX (formerly San Antonio Economic Development Foundation)
April 30, 2024 - August 1, 2025
Redesigned and rebuilt website aligning with new brand guidelines and improved user experience. Developed wireframes, visual design assets, and multi-platform design solutions while ensuring site security, regular maintenance, and updates. Collaborated with stakeholders to ideate and prototype new products.
Misc. Design & Development (Contractor) at Creative Circle
February 1, 2021 - Present
Collaborated on various design and development projects, maintaining high-quality standards. Designed and developed websites, presentations, print materials, and other creative assets for clients.
Adjunct Faculty at Art Institute, San Antonio, TX
August 31, 2023 - August 1, 2025
Designed and taught courses in layout design, collateral design, and graphic symbolism, integrating communication strategies, branding, and audience engagement. Focused on career readiness by guiding students in crafting professional portfolios, résumés, and job search materials. Developed industry-aligned curriculum to ensure relevant experience in visual storytelling, persuasion, and strategic communication. Mentored students, particularly veterans and military families, transitioning into creative and communication-related careers.
Substitute Instructor at UX/UI Boot Camp, San Antonio, TX
August 31, 2021 - August 1, 2025
Led courses on user experience research, audience analysis, and prototyping, emphasizing the intersection of design and communication. Instructed students on effective messaging strategies for digital platforms, ensuring usability and clarity in digital communication. Guided students through hands-on projects reinforcing user-centered communication design.
Website UX/UI Designer & Front-End Developer at Greater:SATX (formerly San Antonio Economic Development Foundation)
April 30, 2024 - August 1, 2025
Redesigned and rebuilt the website aligning with new brand guidelines and enhancing user experience. Developed wireframes, visual design assets, and multi-platform design solutions while ensuring site security and regular maintenance. Collaborated with stakeholders to ideate and prototype new products.
Misc. Design & Development (Contractor) at Creative Circle
February 1, 2021 - Present
Collaborated on various projects ensuring high-quality design and development for miscellaneous clients. Designed and developed websites, presentations, print materials, and more.

Education

Master of Arts, Communications at University of the Incarnate Word
January 11, 2010 - December 9, 2011
Graduated With Distinction (Summa cum laude)
Master of Arts in Communication at University of the Incarnate Word
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2017
Bachelor of Arts in Communication at Sam Houston State University
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2014

Qualifications

HERMES Creative Awards
January 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023
Platinum winner: Overall web design
HERMES Creative Awards
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
Platinum winner: Overall web design
Beaver Builder Featured Projects
April 1, 2021 - August 1, 2025
Websites: Shannon Communications Group, Oakmont Homes, Disabled Outdoorsmen
Interactive Design Foundation – Member
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
StoryBrand Essentials – Donald Miller
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Marketing Made Simple – Donald Miller
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Digital Course Academy – Amy Porterfield
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Introduction to User Experience Principles & Processes – Mark Newman
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Interaction Design: Design Patterns as Building Blocks – Diane Cronenwett
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization – Turi McKinley
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Interactive Design Foundation – Member
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
StoryBrand Essentials – Donald Miller
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Marketing Made Simple – Donald Miller
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Digital Course Academy – Amy Porterfield
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Introduction to User Experience Principles & Processes – Mark Newman
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Interaction Design: Design Patterns as Building Blocks – Diane Cronenwett
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025
Learning Design Thinking: Lead Change in Your Organization – Turi McKinley
January 11, 2030 - August 1, 2025

Industry Experience

Real Estate & Construction, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization, Professional Services, Wholesale & Distribution, Other, Education, Government, Consumer Goods
    uniE621 Oakmont Homes, OakmontHomesTX.com
    Inspiration from giants like Zillow and Redfin for ease of use--they make it stupid simple for people to find what they want. Oakmont’s challenge: a system that could handle a variety of home models, features, communities, photo galleries, and status updates. We designed a structure using custom post types and custom fields so that each piece of data could live in its own tidy little home but also talk to the others when needed. Floor plans are linked to multiple communities Communities list which floor plans are available Move-in-ready homes show the model, neighborhood, photos, and status Everything is filterable, sortable, and easy to update One update flows through the system. Front-End Design That Doesn’t Get in the Way: Clean, crisp, and easy on the eyes. We focused on creating a layout that makes sense to real people, not just developers. Obvious, tappable buttons. Smart filters. Floor plan previews. Image galleries that don’t take five years to load. Mobile-friendly because that’s where the world lives now. Dynamic Displays That Save Time and Sanity. Because of how we set up the data relationships, Oakmont can now: Add a new community and automatically see related floor plans populate Update a single floor plan and watch those changes cascade site-wide Toggle a home’s status (Available, Sold, etc.) with one click, and it updates everywhere Let users filter results by what matters to them—price, square footage, availability, location, you name it This isn’t just about bells and whistles. It’s about building a system that makes future updates easy.
    paper San Antonio Pets Alive! (SAPA!)

    A smarter, more strategic website for San Antonio Pets Alive! This redesign wasn’t just about looks—it was about creating a powerful tool for three key audiences: the public, internal staff, and valued sponsors.

    What we improved:
    – Reorganized and consolidated content for clarity and efficiency
    – Built custom post types so staff can easily update job openings, financials, stories, and more—no formatting worries
    – Streamlined event management with features like post expiration and sticky highlights for key events (like their annual gala)
    – Moved calls-to-action above the fold to boost engagement
    – Gave top sponsors greater visibility by featuring them on every page, not just hidden in a sponsor section

    Built with purpose, this site now supports SAPA!’s mission in a more scalable and sustainable way.