2019-2020 AmeriCorps Service Year
The goal of AmeriCorps VISTA is capacity building that alleviates poverty. As the Program Coordinator with Clever Octopus, I help improve educational outcomes, through art education and environmental stewardship, for low-SES students in order to break the cycle of poverty.
I pledged a year to volunteer in service to America: January 2019 to 2020.
I pledged a year to volunteer in service to America: January 2019 to 2020.
Clever Octopus
• Divert waste streams from individuals, businesses, and manufacturers to protect the environment and provide art education by using reclaimed materials.
• Utah's first Creative Reuse Center: a retail space with reclaimed, discounted art/ craft supplies.
• Divert waste streams from individuals, businesses, and manufacturers to protect the environment and provide art education by using reclaimed materials.
• Utah's first Creative Reuse Center: a retail space with reclaimed, discounted art/ craft supplies.
Marketing, Design, and Communications Manager
After the service year, starting January 2020, I was promoted to the Marketing, Design, and Communications Manager.
My responsibilities:
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Print Design: 2018 Clever Octopus Annual Report
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Lightroom
Digital Email Campaign: Monthly Newsletter
Tools: MailChimp, Canva, Adobe Lightroom
Having consistent and visually-driven newsletter is integral to a non-profit's success, and I make it my goal to provide that for Clever Octopus. Below are examples of the monthly newsletter that I draft, write, and design. Each monthly newsletter comes out at the last Wednesday of the month, while "mid-month" newsletter, that serves as class or sale reminders, come out the second Wednesday of each month!
Each monthly newsletter is equipped with anchor links in the "IN THIS ISSUE" section, links to our blog, website, and any other relevant pages that open in a new window, and plenty of graphics and images to break up the text sections. I build the newsletter to be accessible and easy to navigate. Each month, along with the marketing team, I reevaluate the open and click rates for different newsletters, coming up with improved user experience and layout, title, and marketing strategies that would engage our audience in the highest capacity.
Website Management: SquareSpace and Basic HTML
Tools: Squarespace, Canva, Adobe Lightroom
Over the past few months, in addition to uploading classes, items, and information to the website, I reformatted the navigation drop down menus and links for a more concise user experience for customers.
Main tasks overseeing the website:
Main tasks overseeing the website:
- Add all classes, workshops, kits, items, membership and manage the online inventory through Stripe.
- Photograph & write blog posts to engage the creative reuse community.
- Maintain the "style" and "look" of the website while ensuring the most user-friendly interface
- Use basic HTML and CSS to write codes that is essential for the function of the website (e.g. public facing calendar, newsletter sign up block, etc)
- Design of the graphics, banner, and whatever visual aid needed on the site.
- Manage SEO and URL-mapping
- Monthly website reports to the marketing team utilizing Google Analytics and other tools powered by Squarespace
Large-Scale Print & Layout Design : Retail Shop Banner & Billboard
Size: two 4' x 12' banners.
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Procreate (on iPad), Adobe Photoshop, Canva
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Procreate (on iPad), Adobe Photoshop, Canva
January 2020, the Creative Reuse Center moved locations from Murray to South Salt Lake. The relocation became to be the opportunity to "rebrand" our logo and brand identity to something that is both long lasting and an accurate reflection of Clever Octopus.
The Clever Octopus team in front of our new banner during our ribbon cutting ceremony:
The Clever Octopus team in front of our new banner during our ribbon cutting ceremony:
Photography: Event & Product
Tools: Canon EOS RP, Adobe Lightroom
Print & Layout Design: Promotional Rack Cards
Size: three double-sided 4" x 9' rack cards
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Adobe Lightroom
Tools: Adobe Illustrator, Canva, Adobe Lightroom
Before my redesign, the non-profit had one single rack cards that tried to fit in all the information about the organization, without thinking about the potential audience.
After extensive research and meetings on our avatar/ audience, the marketing team and I decided to break our promotional items into three large groups:
1. About Us
2. Material Donations
3. Classes & Workshop
After extensive research and meetings on our avatar/ audience, the marketing team and I decided to break our promotional items into three large groups:
1. About Us
2. Material Donations
3. Classes & Workshop