I love the creative world, especially where it converges with marketing and communications. I've spent the majority of my professional life working in a creative environment—from a small fine arts publishing company in London, to nonprofit organizations in the West and Midwest, to becoming a freelance designer and returning to my California roots. 

I am deadline-driven, a self starter, and love collaborating with clients to make beautiful pieces that inform, engage and delight! As an independent designer my clients include: HCA, Mebu Marketing, DeMolay Foundation, Ragazza Food & Wine, Nonprofit Karma, TeamSmile, Home of Distinction, International Essential Tremor Foundation, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and Boulder History Museum.

Prior to becoming a freelance designer, I held a variety of positions in both the for profit and nonprofit sectors: I provided design and communications services for Hope House (a domestic violence services foundation), TLConcepts (marketing company specializing in nationwide custom home tours) and YouthFriends (a youth mentoring organization). Earlier on I was the primary liaison for the Social Venture Partners entrepreneurial fund at The Denver Foundation and coordinated operational activities for the Ginny Williams Family Foundation (a modern art entity).

Freelance Designer  |  2013-Present
My work focuses largely on marketing and communications designing both print and digital pieces: branding and corporate identity; annual reports; sales materials (flyers, posters, brochures, banners, signage, etc); advertising including banner ads; direct mail; event collateral; infographics and more.

Mebu Marketing &  M+M  |  2014–Present
Freelancer creating sales and marketing collateral for both internal and external facing clients for these agencies specializing in global pharmaceutical companies including AstraZeneca and its 30+ brands.  

Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) - MidAmerica Division  |  2015–2020
Contract designer working with Marketing Departments and Physician Services Group to offer creative support for hospitals, doctors’ offices, specialty physician practices and recruitment efforts with a variety of print and digital communication pieces for both internal and external audiences. 

TLConcepts  |  2013–2018
Freelance designer for all sales and marketing efforts for nationwide luxury custom home tours (more below).

Hope House, Lee’s Summit, MO  |  2013-2014
Communications | Creative Services Director 
Oversaw brand management, created all printed matter (brochures, logos, signage, advertising and special event materials, etc.), performed website maintenance and managed social channels and online crowd funding for this nonprofit organization. Created and managed annual publishing calendar, wrote appeals and newsletters which exceeded fundraising goals, contributed to blogs and wrote occasional newspaper/magazine articles and successfully fleshed out the look and feel for all materials and social channels during a rebranding—creating new, more positive messaging. 

TLConcepts, Leawood, KS  |  2011-2013  |  Freelance from 2013-2018
Creative Director | Graphic Designer 
Responsible for the look and feel of all materials, campaigns and websites for a small marketing company specializing in national luxury custom home tours, grocery product marketing and trade show events. Design of custom home tour guides, media kits, logos, posters, signage, newsletters, proposals, print and digital ads and banners, maintain all websites and manage the collection of all information and graphic content from clients as well as handle all print/vendor/client relationships. 

YouthFriends, Kansas City, MO  |  2007-2011
Graphic Designer | Administration
Responsible for the creative design of all materials: brochures, information packets, training manuals, logos, posters, newsletters, e-newsletters, ads, digital billboards, website design and maintenance, event collateral, etc. for a nonprofit, youth mentoring organization with varied audience of teachers, children and adult mentors.

Software
Adobe CC | InDesign | Photoshop | Illustrator

Education  
The Art Institute of Colorado, Denver, CO 
Hendon College of Further Ed, London, UK 
Delta College, Stockton, CA

Portfolio | creativehotlist.com/curbanek 
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/christineurbanek