PROJECTS
UCLA Extension Design Communication Arts Certificate Program
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Curriculum Advisor, Course Developer
and Instructor
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The Director of the Design Communication Arts program looked to the professional design community to help update the curriculum for the Certificate to include skills other than design that Designers need to be successful in today’s competitive market. Laura programmed and taught “The Business of Design,” a 12-week required course for the Certificate.
The Endless Summer
Copy-editing and Print Production Management
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This collector’s edition set was created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of the classic movie The Endless Summer. Laura was called in on short notice to help hit their aggressive deadline. She provided copy-editing on the package, and production support with a widely dispersed team; the designer was in Spain, the production team was in California, and the printer was in China.
La Casa De Maria Retreat Center
Master Architect Search
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La Casa de Maria Retreat Center is 26-acres in beautiful Montecito. A catastrophic mud and debris flow in January 2018 wiped out half the property, and damaged many of the remaining buildings, like the chapel, above. Laura led the Board of Directors through a four-month process of choosing a Master Architect for the property. 27 architectural firms submitted proposals and went through a rigorous screening process. A finalist was chosen and was unanimously approved by the Board.
Immaculate Heart Community
Integrated Fundraising Campaign
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The end-of-year fundraising campaign was critical to the continuation of the three programs that Immaculate Heart provides: Casa Esperanza, La Casa de Maria Retreat Center, and the Corita Art Center. An intensive, integrated, 6-week campaign including direct mail, email, and social media was tailored to each program. The results exceeded previous years' efforts despite the pandemic, and added new potential donors for future fundraising.
Mattel
World Wide Visual Merchandising
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The iconic Barbie doll brand is constantly innovating. Laura was part of the brand revitalization initiative that pioneered permanent Barbie aisles in Toys R Us, Target and Walmart; programs were ultimately used world-wide. Each of the large retailers had custom designs for their stores, and Laura coordinated the production and fulfillment of the program to over 2,500 retail locations. The program broke new ground in visual merchandising and consistently wins awards from the Point of Purchase Institute.
Epson
Print Academy Launch
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Print Academy was a wildly successful 26-city, 2-year tour that included a gallery of Epson prints from esteemed professional photographers, a 4-hour seminar, and on-line lessons. Laura’s contribution included marketing, digital infrastructure, tour logistics, and on-site support. Attendance goals were exceeded by 100% and the program received the Adweek Marketing Innovation award along with the President’s Award from Epson.