AMY AHRENS CREATIVE

Resume

With over a decade of experience across industries, my work spans global brands and channels, from video production and events to brand overhauls and website redesigns.

I’ve lead transformative projects like Toast’s Spark, where we exceeded pre-launch goals by 310%, increased traffic by 150%, and boosted app downloads by 106%. At Notarize, I spearheaded a comprehensive brand overhaul and website redesign, reducing bounce rates and driving higher sales leads.

Explore my work and how I bring vision, strategy, and creativity together to drive impact and growth.

Toast
Creative Director

11/2019 – Present

Lead a team of creatives to develop and execute innovative brand strategies aligned with business goals, driving engagement across multiple channels. Collaborate with cross-functional teams and leadership to ensure we’re bringing the most cohesive, high-impact brand experiences to life.

  • Develop creative strategies to help the business achieve business goals.

  • Scale cohesive design systems to drive high-impact, global brand experiences across multiple touchpoints.

  • Creative development for high-impact moments, including Spark, achieving 310% of pre-launch sign-ups, 150% in total traffic, and 106% in ToastNow app downloads in 2023.

  • Manage a remote team (video manager, campaign designer, event designer) while overseeing and coaching a large network of internal and external creative talent, including numerous freelancers and agencies.

  • Foster a culture of open, constructive feedback, mentoring, collaboration, and professional growth to elevate team performance and create the best work of our careers.

  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, product, and engineering, to drive consensus and influence senior leadership, delivering cohesive, high-impact brand experiences that align with collective business goals.

  • Execute multiple projects simultaneously, working closely with creative project managers to prioritize work while adapting and pivoting as needed to embrace new information, ideas, and processes.

  • Create the standard for innovation announcements (Spark) and product imagery through renderings and illustrations, brand motion guidelines, music guidelines, and more.

  • Develop and refine creative playbooks to drive efficiency and foster effective cross-functional collaboration.

  • Provide clear direction for creatives, along with consistent, actionable, and ongoing feedback.
    Supported team in professional growth, weekly one-on-ones, goal setting, team meetings, and more.

  • Create brand guidelines around photography, video, music, motion and more.

  • Continuously elevate creative innovation across key brand components such as product renderings, illustrations, brand motion guidelines, music guidelines, and more, pushing the boundaries of creative excellence.

Proof (Prev. Notarize)
Creative Director

05/2018 – 11/2019

Developed and executed a comprehensive brand refresh for Notarize while aligning creative strategies with business goals and maintaining consistency across all channels.

  • Overhauled Notarize design systems, creating and implementing a design guide manifesto and all new brand design throughout web and additional channels.

  • Re-designed and launched the updated marketing website using the new visual identity, reducing bounce rate by 0.3% and generating more sales leads.

  • Collaborated with product teams to ensure a cohesive brand experience from marketing through to the in-application user interface.

  • Managed up to five full- and part-time interns, freelancers, and contract contributors at one time.

  • Created all swag and branding for Notarize road shows and trade shows, selling out all branded swag and generating highest foot traffic at trade shows despite challenging booth placement.

  • Led monthly company-wide meetings to foster culture, community, and collaboration.

Drift
Drift Studios Team Lead

08/2016 – 05/2018

Led Drift Studios video production, editing, and video marketing for product marketing, brand marketing, Seeking Wisdom podcast, HYPERGROWTH conference, and everything in between.

  • Design: Designed for web, social, product launches, and events. Also created Drift’s first brand book.

  • Leadership: Managed a team of video makers while also creating graphics and video content myself.

  • Social Media Management: Created content for all the company’s social networks (copy and graphics).

  • Events #Hypergrowth17: Designed all on-site materials for sold-out, first annual conference with over 1,400 people registered, along with event coordination and planning.

  • 11/2019 – 02/2024

    Taught CM 323: Design Strategy and Software. Created a semester-long design curriculum where students learned the principles of design and software techniques through in-class workshops, lectures, peer review critiques, homework, and readings.

    • Designed theory included branding, logo design, typography, graphic design, web design, pitching, and critique.

    • Managed a classroom of 20 undergraduate students (juniors and senior communication on students) and a teaching assistant.

    • Held weekly classes for 2.5 hours.

  • 01/2009 – Present

    Adapt design approaches based on client needs, continuously delivering creative and innovative solutions across diverse industries. Establish, nurture, and maintain open communication and establish strong working relationships with clients throughout the design process.

    • Established a strong client portfolio highlighting a diverse range of design project and styles, including Vertex Pharmaceuticals, TinyPulse, Clearmail, Barton Associates, Invisible Ink, Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation at Boston University, Optivest Properties, and Assistance League

    • Display creative thinking, problem-solving abilities, and ability to adapt to changing project requirements and client feedback.

    • Effectively manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines are met and deliverables are of the highest quality.

  • 10/2015 – 08/2016

    Developed marketing strategy for EF College Study Tours, leveraging web, print, digital, and social channels.

    • Aligned marketing strategy and campaigns to the goals of operations, sales, support, and product development teams.
      Spearheaded marketing plans for web, digital media, social networks, and collateral.

    • Led a multi-week international photoshoot with two photographers in 5 cities throughout Europe.

    • Project managed creative for print and digital, wrote creative briefs, and distributed final product.

    • Worked closely with email marketers to unify campaign goals, give creative feedback, and create relevant website or social assets.

    • Ensured EF College Study Tours met the Education First brand standards.

  • 10/2013 – 10/2015

    Led marketing efforts, focusing on recruiting top faculty, staff, and students while strengthening alumni and donor relationships. Collaborated with internal teams and external firms, overseeing both full-time and part-time employees. Directed rebranding initiatives, website management, social media, email campaigns, events, and traditional advertising. Managed websites and designed recruitment materials. Published the alumni magazine, @SED, coordinating content creation and distribution.

  • 11/2010 – 10/2013

    Spearheaded rebranding efforts for Brafton and contentLEAD, developing new logos, visual identities, and cohesive marketing materials. Established and led Brafton’s design department, delivering creative solutions to over 200 international clients. Oversaw brand consistency across infographics, e-books, marketing collateral, and web graphics. Hired, trained, and managed a team of nine designers, providing daily feedback and ensuring timely project delivery. Collaborated with developers and facilitated interdepartmental communication to align brand strategies with client needs.

  • 07/2018 – 07/2019

    Mentored middle school and high school students who were interested in entrepreneurship, sustainability, and community impact.

    • Worked one-on-one with students on a weekly basis to help bring entrepreneurial ideas to life.

    • Served as lead mentor at the L3 eight-week fall boot camp.

  • Boston University (2010)
    Bachelor of Fine Arts, cum laude, Graphic Design
    Minor: Communication
Front End

    General Assembly (09/2015)
    Web Development