Hi Sur La Table team,
I'm Megan McKiernan.
I'm Megan McKiernan.
Design leadership has a lot in common with cooking. A solid understanding of quality ingredients and how they work together is crucial to cook up the freshest designs. My secret ingredients? Strong communication and support for all involved. I always remember to sprinkle in a dash of fun! ✨✨
As a “seasoned” design mentor, print specialist and a chapter lead of a food-centered nonprofit, I believe I can add value to your culture and help you execute on your mission to “Make More, Gather Often.”
This “menu” of my work has been curated just for Sur La Table to highlight some of my most relevant work experience.
If you think I could be a fit, let’s get cookin’! 🍳
Highlighted Project - Rémy Cointreau
Rémy Cointreau is responsible for producing most of the world's cognac. Representing several high end collections: Rémy Martin, Louis XIII, The Botanist, Mount Gay Rum, XO, V.S.O.P, this brand served as one of the agency's largest accounts. As the sole design director, I served as a brand expert and main point of contact with the agency. I directed a team of designers through various projects of different mediums and formats. I successfully pitched our capabilities to win new creative projects, gained approval on daily reviews and streamlined workflows.
Recommendations
Primary Software
Recent Work History
Design Director - SketchDeck
Full Time, Remote | 2021 - 2022
► Delivering high-quality design to high-profile accounts including: Instacart, Salesforce, Okta, St. Remy, ADP, LeanTasS, MaestroQA.
► Hire, train, and mentor a global team of over 20+ creatives.
► Work closely with project managers to build relationships with clients, advance brands, increase revenue, and deliver innovative, high-quality creative results.
► Create custom learning materials and tools to educate and inspire the team.
► Develop new design workflows that improve content quality, increase output, and allow for more creativity for the team’s designers.
► Hire, train, and mentor a global team of over 20+ creatives.
► Work closely with project managers to build relationships with clients, advance brands, increase revenue, and deliver innovative, high-quality creative results.
► Create custom learning materials and tools to educate and inspire the team.
► Develop new design workflows that improve content quality, increase output, and allow for more creativity for the team’s designers.
Creative Director - RedwoodVentures
Full Time, Remote | 2018 - 2021
► Manage, hire, and train a team of creatives.
► Provide ongoing mentorship to inspire designers to do their best work.
► Create and pitch presentations to high profile accounts like Target and Walmart.
► Create in-depth design briefs and budgets for the team and vendors to utilize.
► Maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients.
► Oversee all branding assets, ensuring brand guidelines are adhered to on all projects.
► Lead team brainstorms to concept and develop new product and branding assets.
► Create product and packaging prototypes and marketing materials for milestone client meetings.
► Communicate directly with vendors about costing and production requirements.
► Concept and lead the design of 3-D environments for use in trade show booths and sales showrooms in the U.S. and internationally.
► Provide ongoing mentorship to inspire designers to do their best work.
► Create and pitch presentations to high profile accounts like Target and Walmart.
► Create in-depth design briefs and budgets for the team and vendors to utilize.
► Maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients.
► Oversee all branding assets, ensuring brand guidelines are adhered to on all projects.
► Lead team brainstorms to concept and develop new product and branding assets.
► Create product and packaging prototypes and marketing materials for milestone client meetings.
► Communicate directly with vendors about costing and production requirements.
► Concept and lead the design of 3-D environments for use in trade show booths and sales showrooms in the U.S. and internationally.
Designer III - LinkedIn
Full Time, Carpinteria CA | 2017 - 2018
► Create educational based keynote presentations featured on LinkedIn Learning.
► Work within a fast paced, production based workflow with other designers, authors, producers, editors, and copywriters.
► Initiate and lead detailed style guide creation for all existing (15+) palette designs.
► Lead group project to improve organization and use of creative assets among team.
► Design creative assets and ensure all style standards are followed.
► Work within a fast paced, production based workflow with other designers, authors, producers, editors, and copywriters.
► Initiate and lead detailed style guide creation for all existing (15+) palette designs.
► Lead group project to improve organization and use of creative assets among team.
► Design creative assets and ensure all style standards are followed.
Art Director - Jakks Pacific (Disney Team)
Full Time, Santa Monica CA | 2015 - 2017
► Manage and train a team of designers and illustrators for a top-five toy company in the U.S.
► Oversee toy packaging and advertising efforts for highly-acclaimed Disney brands— including Disney Princess, Frozen, Pete’s Dragon, Beauty and the Beast: Live Action Movie, Tangled: The Television Series and more.
► Supervise artists working on sold work and client pitches, ensuring they develop a strong design aesthetic while adhering to all style and brand guidelines.
► Direct all lifestyle and product photography shoots for packaging, print/digital advertising and retail environments.
► Present 3-D concept art to key stakeholders at Disney headquarters—deftly managing their changes and ensuring all approvals are garnered in a timely manner.
► Coordinate with the in-house sample shop to prepare packaging samples—both for milestone meetings with clients and for our production vendors overseas.
► Communicate directly with Hong Kong vendors for costing and production requirements of all product packaging.
► Design and install 3-D environments.
► Create custom in-store displays and signage for big-box retailers.
► Ensure all final artwork is properly executed; provide press check approvals.
► Oversee toy packaging and advertising efforts for highly-acclaimed Disney brands— including Disney Princess, Frozen, Pete’s Dragon, Beauty and the Beast: Live Action Movie, Tangled: The Television Series and more.
► Supervise artists working on sold work and client pitches, ensuring they develop a strong design aesthetic while adhering to all style and brand guidelines.
► Direct all lifestyle and product photography shoots for packaging, print/digital advertising and retail environments.
► Present 3-D concept art to key stakeholders at Disney headquarters—deftly managing their changes and ensuring all approvals are garnered in a timely manner.
► Coordinate with the in-house sample shop to prepare packaging samples—both for milestone meetings with clients and for our production vendors overseas.
► Communicate directly with Hong Kong vendors for costing and production requirements of all product packaging.
► Design and install 3-D environments.
► Create custom in-store displays and signage for big-box retailers.
► Ensure all final artwork is properly executed; provide press check approvals.
Foodie By Heart
If I'm not designing, I'm cooking! A few of my cooks, bakes & home grown ingredients.
