Kiara
McDade

Creative Strategist

EDUCATION

Rochester Institute of Technology - School of Photography

BFA Visual Media
Minor Visual Culture
Immersion Advertising and Public Relations
May 2017

SKILLS + TOOLS

EXPERIENCE
 

Senior Creative Strategist | March 2022 - Present

Creative Strategist | July 2018 - March 2022

TURNER
 

Content Specialist | November 2017 - July 2018

HARRISON & SHRIFTMAN
 

• Manage influencer relationships and content direction across integrated, multimillion dollar national campaign for Booking.com

• Direct and produce online content series for leading intimate apparel brand, Wacoal. Deliverables include: identifying diverse group of high-profile, brand appropriate thought leaders; securing interviews with key influencers; building engaging narrative structures for Instagram and Facebook content

• Identify brand voice and build engagement strategy for client and agency owned social channels

• Collect and analyze data to measure social program performance and create social media engagement strategy

• Produce photoshoots and oversee content development

• Design printed assets for luxury brand activations and celebrity mailers

• Collaborate with account teams to design new business and strategy proposal decks

Graphic Design / Social Media Intern | October 2017 - November 2017

HAERFEST
 

• Conceptualized online marketing campaigns and contributed to team brainstorms

• Designed online and printed marketing materials,

• including Instagram posts, Facebook ads, web banners, and newsletters

• Managed influencer relationships

• Designed new business and production decks

• Produced photo shoots and managed content direction

Graphic Design Intern | October 2017 - November 2017

PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS
 

• Designed infographic posters and graphic icons for printed toolkit

• Designed Instagram story assets

Design Editor | Draft Magazine  2016-2017

Contemporary photography magazine
 

• Designed publication for print using inDesign

• Created and prepared social media content

• Designed collateral printed materials for promotion

• Lead group discourse within team of 4 to form visual identity

• Sourced materials for hand bound edition of 200 hardcover + softcover books

Features Editor | ellipse 2016

Arts and culture magazine
 

• Evaluated proposals and provided feedback on content for team of 35 photographers and designers to maintain focus and flow of publication within art director's vision

• Contributed to reorganization of internal structure to streamline content creation timeline

Founder | Kindly Magazine 2017

online editorial magazine

• Created guiding mission and visual identity

• Designed logo and printed promotional materials

• Conceptualized, researched, and directed editorial features

• Identified and recruited photographers and writers to create content

• Designed website using Squarespace

Student Studio Manager | May 2016 - August 2017

Photographic equipment rental cage

• Lead team of over 40 student employees

• Maintained cleanliness, scheduling, and functionality of studio facilities, equipment inventory, computer labs, and gallery

• Introduced new internal structure to streamline communication between upper management and student employees

• Enforced and communicated rental / usage policy

• Designed informational signage and communication materials

Equipment Specialist | May 2015 - May 2016

Photographic equipment rental cage

• Maintained digital inventory of over 2000 pieces of industry standard camera, lighting, printing, and editing equipment

• Troubleshot and inspected digital / analog photography equipment, video equipment, lighting gear, computers, and printers

• Provided equipment recommendations and studio assistance to professors and students

Exhibition Coordinator | Imag(in)ing Malmö 2016

malmö / R.I.T. Partnership symposium

• Communicated internationally to acquire 15 projects from students in Malmö, Sweden and Rochester, NY

• Designed informational and display signage to showcase data and video projects as well as mission

• Installed pieces in gallery space