Education

BFA, Advertising Art Direction

Columbia College Chicago / Chicago, IL
Summa Cum Laude

Art - Graphic Design

University of Sioux Falls / Sioux Falls, SD

Awards & Honors

DISTRICT EMPLOYEE OF THE QUARTER
Selected by Senior Leadership

NOMINATED FOR THE EmBELIEVER AWARD
Demonstrates the mission of EmBe to enrich our community.

605 MAGAZINE YOUNG LEADER OF THE YEAR
Recognizing stand out young leaders in the community

ADDY AWARDS: 7 GOLD & 7 SILVER
American Advertising Awards

SD ADVERTISING FEDERATION SPECIAL GUEST
Conducted one-on-one portfolio reviews

19th ANNUAL HOKIN HONORS - Columbia College
For outstanding artistic achievement

Experience

Founder & Owner

Thomas Christiansen Creative | Phoenix, AZ | Oct 2019 - Present

Since 2019, I’ve supported start-ups and household names like Dolby, to enter the market, expand products and services, and increase customer base. Thomas Christiansen Creative is a full-service creative studio with big-picture strategy planning to nitty gritty design execution. I specialize in branding and UI/UX, with extensive experience in strategy, marketing, creative direction, graphic design, and more. See a full list of services.

Redesigned MoneyGeek.com which led to a 50.5% increase in homepage views and a 4x decrease in bounce rate.

• Led the redesign of Dolby.io, merging products into one platform. Produced journey maps and wireframes, which resulted in high-fidelity mock-ups that reduced design feedback cycles by 50%.

• Spearheaded the complete redesign of the dashboard and integration designer for Prismatic.io, reducing the time required for users to create automated software integrations.

• Designed and developed websites for startups such as ILIAD Insurance, Form & Function, and Parenting HSC, with connected CRM, scheduling, email marketing, and analytics.

Brand Architect

Profile by Sanford | Sioux Falls, SD | Sep 2015 – Oct 2019

• Directed the design of Profile’s mobile health and fitness app, which holds a 4.7 rating on the App Store. Established requirements based on customer needs and business goals while maintaining a user-friendly experience.

• Collaborated with the agency of record to create branded website templates with pre-selected editable blocks for local customization by franchisees.

• Led cross-functional meetings gathering 8+ department heads to brainstorm, evaluate, and refine promotional strategy and product launches, while assessing dependent operational needs and requirements.

• Managed a creative team of 7 designers, copywriters, and marketing specialists to create and promote new products, initiatives, campaigns, and franchisee requests.

• Spearheaded the creation and evolution of the brand identity through brand guidelines implemented across the company and 100+ franchise locations.
  

President & Sioux Falls Pride Chair

The Center for Equality | Jan 2014 - Sept 2017

• Lead the Board of Directors and Executive Director to ensure committees and programs are fulfilling our mission.

• Worked closely with non-profit groups, businesses, and state & local political bodies to maximize impact.

• Successfully lobbied to kill and veto proposed anti-LGBTQ+ legislation

• Established relationships with Sioux Falls Pride event sponsors, vendors, and partners.

• Grew the Pride festival from 600 to 10,000 attendees.

Art Director

VVI | Sioux Falls, SD | Mar 2012 - Feb 2015

• Implemented a complete rebrand that transformed the agency’s perception from a video production house into a recognized full-service agency. The revitalized rebrand expanded the agency’s print and digital footprint; including the interior space of the new location.

• Head of graphics team supporting web and video departments on top of daily graphics team tasks. Lead the creative team in generating strategies, tactics, and direction for new projects.

• Established new agency processes by creating standards for project kickoff, brainstorming, requirements gathering, planning, hand offs, quality control, and post-project review.