Jackie Berra

Designer.
Leader.
Problem solver.

I build brands, websites, creative teams and systems that make good ideas easier to understand and easier to bring to life.

A little about me

I'm happiest somewhere between the big idea and figuring out how to actually make it happen.

I'm Jackie Berra, a designer, creative leader and strategic problem solver with more than two decades of experience building brands, leading creative teams and turning complex ideas into clear, compelling work.

My career has taken me through collegiate athletics, experiential design, agencies, retail, manufacturing, nonprofits, emerging brands and small businesses. I've led departments, built processes, managed teams, created campaigns, launched digital products and spent plenty of time with my sleeves rolled up doing the actual design work.

Today, through JBerra Consulting & Design, I partner with organizations that need an experienced creative mind who can see both the details and the bigger picture.

I listen. I ask questions. I organize the messy stuff. Then I help turn it into something thoughtful, useful and beautifully executed.

Good ideas. Good people. Good work.
20+ Years as a creative professional
10+ Years of creative management experience
15+ Industries across sports, retail, nonprofit, manufacturing and more
1 Rule: great work doesn't need unnecessary drama
What I bring to the table

Creative thinking with an operations brain.

I've spent my career moving between creative direction, hands-on design, business strategy and the systems that help talented people do their best work.

01 / CREATE

Creative Direction + Design

Brand identity, websites, campaigns, presentations, environmental graphics, digital experiences and multimedia from initial idea through final production.

02 / LEAD

Creative Operations + Leadership

Team leadership, mentorship, capacity planning, recruiting, onboarding, process development and systems that help creative teams work better.

03 / CONNECT

Strategy + Collaboration

I connect creative thinking to business goals and help designers, marketers, executives, clients and vendors understand one another and keep moving.

Experience

A career built around making creative work.

A quick look at some of the places, teams and challenges that shaped how I work today.

JBerra Consulting & Design
Owner + Creative Consultant

Helping organizations turn scattered ideas into clear, credible creative.

Strategy, branding, websites, marketing and creative direction for small businesses, nonprofits and growing organizations.

  • Brand strategy and identity
  • Website strategy, design and development
  • Creative direction and campaign development
  • Marketing and content support
  • Presentations and sales materials
  • Creative systems and consulting
InStore Design Display
Director of Creative Services

Creative leadership where brand thinking meets retail execution.

Guided an emerging consumer brand from concept through execution, helping position the product for placement on Target shelves.

  • Managed day-to-day design studio operations
  • Directed creative from concept through prototype
  • Developed pitch decks and design packages
  • Supported marketing and RFP development
  • Implemented DesignMerge for catalog production
  • Produced the Blue Light Special Podcast
Imagemakers, Inc.
Lead Project Manager

Bringing structure, communication and momentum to creative projects.

Led project management efforts while developing new workflows and supporting team culture during a period of remote work.

  • Led the project management team
  • Developed and implemented new processes
  • Managed legacy and small-business projects
  • Supported internal team-building initiatives
Dimensional Innovations
Design Studio Director

Growing a creative studio while building the systems and culture behind it.

Increased overall design studio revenue by 233% over four years while overseeing creative staff, operations and studio growth.

  • Oversaw creative and operations staff
  • Managed capacity planning and recruiting
  • Improved processes through employee feedback
  • Built onboarding and education programs
  • Developed estimates, proposals and project briefs
  • Co-founded the Diversity & Inclusion Committee
Kansas Athletics
Director of Creative Services

Building a consistent, high-energy brand across 18 varsity sports.

Developed and launched Rock Chalk Weekly, the first digital magazine for Kansas Athletics, while earning multiple national design awards.

  • Directed creative across 18 varsity sports
  • Supported marketing, recruiting and fundraising
  • Maintained visual brand consistency
  • Developed integrated creative campaigns
  • Implemented project-management software
  • Built cross-department creative partnerships
Protection 1
Senior Graphic Designer

Designing across print, digital, sales and an emerging social landscape.

Created customer-facing campaigns and introduced new digital tools that made branded marketing materials easier for sales teams to access.

  • Designed print and digital marketing campaigns
  • Created animated and social content
  • Implemented a sales marketing portal
  • Managed regional collateral production
  • Supported national sales initiatives
  • Partnered closely with marketing leadership
Capabilities

I know how to make it and how to make the process work.

Brand + Creative

Brand Strategy Brand Identity Graphic Design Creative Direction Web Design Presentation Design Campaign Development Environmental Design 3D + Rendering Video + Multimedia

Leadership + Operations

Creative Services Design Operations Team Leadership Mentorship Recruiting Capacity Planning Process Development Onboarding Documentation Workflow Optimization

Marketing + Business

Digital Marketing Content Development Email Marketing SEO Foundations Business Development RFPs + Proposals Project Scoping Client Relationships Strategic Planning
Breadth matters

Different industries. Different tools. Same goal: solve the problem.

Industries

Architecture / Collegiate + Professional Sports / Construction / Consumer Packaged Goods / Retail Display / Emerging Brands / Entertainment / Environmental Design / Home + Business Security / Manufacturing / Nonprofit / Real Estate / Retail Merchandising / Small Business / Telecom

Tools + Technology

Adobe Creative Cloud / Illustrator / InDesign / Photoshop / Premiere Pro / Acrobat / Figma / SketchUp / HTML + CSS / WordPress / Asana / Basecamp / Miro / Monday.com / Slack / Wrike / Constant Contact / Mailchimp / Salesforce / Microsoft Office

Education + Certifications

The foundation.

University of Kansas

Bachelor of Fine Arts

Graphic Design

Lawrence, Kansas

Professional Certifications

In-House Management Certification - HOW Design

Adobe DPS Certification - HOW Design

HTML & CSS Certification - Johnson County Community College

Enough about me

What are you working on?

If you need a creative partner, an experienced designer who can jump in quickly, or someone who understands both the work and the people behind it, I'd love to hear about it.