Jan Blacka

jblacka@gmail.com

Experience

Senior Web Designer, Network Solutions, LLC, Herndon, VA 2002-2008

Senior graphic designer for large e-commerce website, www.networksolutions.com.

  • Managed small design team producing online collateral including landing pages, banner ads, and HTML email
  • Optimized collateral for best performance based on reporting and analysis
  • Implemented and managed all aspects of dynamic merchandizing system, including overseeing reporting and analysis, and creating and trafficking elements
  • Maintained brand consistency across multiple sites
  • Observed site usability studies with research agencies and applied findings

Advisory Board Member, Loudoun Arts Council, Leesburg, VA 2002-present

Volunteer for 'working board' fostering local art.

  • Communications Chairperson for 2006-2007 season
  • Managing and maintaining online presence for www.loudounarts.org
  • Advocating for the needs of visual artists

Web Designer, VeriSign, Inc. Herndon, VA 1998-2002

Senior graphic designer for market-leading domain name registrar.

  • Hired and directed creative contractors, assigned tasks, and managed quality of work
  • Chaired interdepartmental style guide committee tasked with updating the corporate style guide for the website
  • Created original illustrations and icons, graphics, and product landing pages

Adjunct Professor, Maryland College of Art and Design, Silver Spring, MD 1997-1999

Taught Design, Color Theory, and Printmaking courses.

  • Authored syllabi, designed class work and homework assignments
  • Lectured, led class discussions and critiques, and demonstrated techniques

Graphic Designer, Solipsys Corporation, Laurel, MD 1997-1998

Solely responsible for design and maintenance of website, intranet, and print collateral for start-up defense contracting software firm. Held Secret Clearance.

  • Designed corporate collateral, i.e. logo, letterhead
  • Designed and maintained two iterations of the corporate website
  • Created extensive intranet including collateral templates, employee directory, reference library, and image bank

Painting Instructor, Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis, MD 1994-1998

Designed and taught classes for adults, teenagers, and children in continuing and supplemental educational environment.

Education

Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

  • M.F.A., Mixed Media, Mount Royal School of Art, 1996
  • Graduate Fellowship 1994-95 and 1995-96

Williams College, Williamstown, MA

  • B.A. Art Department, 1989; Concentration: Women's Studies
  • Honors: Dean's List, Class of 1960's Scholar

Software

Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, ImageReady, InDesign; HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL; Microsoft Office; Google Analytics, Omniture; Atlas AdManager, DART; BBEdit; Mac, Windows, Unix