Hey, I’m McKenzie!

I’m a Creative Director specializing in art direction with a background in graphic design drawing up big ideas in the heart of Texas.

I’m a natural-born leader who empowers teams through empathy, trust, and a good sense of humor. I thrive in “yes, and” environments where bold ideas get even better through collaboration.

My goal is to create beautifully designed brand experiences that stops thumbs and melts hearts.

Want to learn more? Keep scrollin’ for resumé-ish info

Ask Me Anything-ish

Keep scrollin’ for the where’s and the when’s.

  • Adobe CC Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Figma. Google docs & Chat GPT. Sometimes After Effects.

    Spotify, teams and outlook get’s their own external monitor.

  • My goal is simple: set clear expectations, support the team, and clear the path for them to do their best work. I empower people to grow in their craft and beyond, while making sure we have a good time along the way. At the end of the day, I want people to feel like they’ve learned something, done their best, and are ready to come back for more. And if we can laugh along the way, even better.

  • Taking complex info and making it digestible. I’m highly organized and able to blend creativity with strategic thinking.

    People come to me when they need a project to get done right, especially when things are in chaos. I love solving tough problems, even when the odds are stacked. I’m always pushing boundaries. I like to challenge the norm and present fresh ideas.

  • Leading Samsung’s “Larger Than Life” campaign was a highlight — I concepted and led the creative from start to finish, overseeing everything from shoot to final edits.

    Pitching Super Bowl ideas and PR stunts for 10 weeks straight pushed me to think quickly, pitch fresh concepts, and navigate fast approvals from internal teams to the CEO.

    I also pitched a brand glow-up to Envision that they loved, even though it wasn’t on their radar. They put it on hold, but I was proud to see my idea get the green light for future plans.

Where I’ve worked & how it went

  • Sep 2024 - Right Meow

    WorldStrides
    ACD / SME
    Envision

    Steered the creative ship for 20+ Envision programs reaching 100K+ students a year—wearing many hats, flexing big-picture thinking, and sharpening my storytelling skills along the way.

    Remote / Vienna, VA

  • Nov 2020 - Sep 2024

    Cheil Dallas
    ACD - Art Director
    Samsung

    Helped build a plane while flying it. Managed 6 smartphone product launches for Samsung Electronics America while overseeing a team that started at 3 and grew to 10.

    Remote / Plano, TX

  • May 2019 - Oct. 2020

    GTB
    Senior Art Director
    Ford Motors

    Conceived, designed, and presented work to Texas Ford Dealers. Sharpened my presentation skills and learned how to answer the question “can we shoot it on an iPhone?”

    Remote / Dallas, TX

  • Aug 2018 - May 2019

    Citrus Advertising
    Senior Art Director
    James Avery

    Helped be the hands for “all hands on deck projects”. Conceived new ideas for James Avery and new biz. Mentored the summer intern and convinced her to be a copywriter.

    Dallas, TX

  • Oct. 2017 - May 2019

    Organic/BBDO
    Art Director >> Senior Art Director
    AT&T Business

    Concepted, designed, and learned about the marketing funnel and that B2B doesn’t have to be boring. I cut my teeth here and learned that good leadership does exist. Thank you April.

    Dallas, TX

  • Aug 2015 - May 2016

    Lerma
    Brand Creative
    The Home Depot - Hispanic Market

    Began as a freelancer and got hired on as a Junior Creative. Learned to write scripts, present work and how video production works.

    Dallas, TX

  • Mar 2015 - Jul 2015

    ¡Inspire!
    Junior Art Director
    Sprint

    Helped the senior art directors design and concept organic social content. Fell in love with brainstorming. Got better at photoshop and learned how to use after effects.

    Dallas, TX

  • Aug 2014 - Mar 2015

    HCK2 Partners
    Junior Graphic Designer

    First job out of college. Designed and created branding suites for local companies. Attended my first press check and started dabbling in after effects.

    Addison, TX

  • May 2014 - Aug 2014

    Schaefer Advertising co.
    Creative Intern

    Fresh outta college, I was a sponge. I attended press checks, paper sample showings, and got to visit the Ft Worth Zoo. Covered for the creatives while they were all out for a week. Nothing burned down.

    Ft Worth, TX