TIGIST M. KELKAY PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
Multi-talented and creative Graphic Designer delivering exceptional results in print and web graphics. Innovative and passionate with aptitude for working closely with clients to interpret vision and produce professional designs. Outstanding collaborative and interpersonal skills, dynamic team player with strong listening, presentation and written communication abilities. Accustomed to performing in a deadline-driven environment while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Tectonic Engineering, Long Island City, NY, 2008 – Present Graphic/ CADD Designer, August 2009 - Present Marketing Assistant/ Business Development Associate, March 2008 – August 2009 Successfully manage design projects from concept to completion. Coordinate with design teams and senior management from various locations and vendors to achieve project objectives. Create artwork for advertisements appearing in prominent publications by utilizing the latest software and hand-drawn sketches. Produce flyers, brochures, large format posters and panels for competitions and trade fairs organized by institutions such as the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC). Design and e-distribute the company's marketing materials including newsletters and press releases. Develop graphics for presentations and electronic media. Manage a library of stock images; maintain an up-to-date mailing list of organizations, clients and contacts. Interact with local and national publication agencies to place ads and gain visibility in the industry, thereby increasing revenue. Develop and design proposal packages for multi-million dollar bids and RFPs issued by various private, public and state agencies. Coordinate printing and production of new marketing materials and collateral. Prepare detailed drawings of vault surveys, test pit excavations, soil boring logs and Record of Borings, civil and detail drawings in MicroStation and AutoCAD. Clients include: New York City Department of Design and Construction, New York City Department of Transportation and Battery Park City Authority. Key Achievements: Recipient of the 2010 Marketing Excellence Awards conducted by ZweigWhite. Created design standards for marketing collateral, presentations, advertisements, newsletters, and brochures currently being used by headquarters and across entire branch offices. Consistently recognized for innovative ideas. Overhauled previously non-uniform and outdated forms and manuals to streamlined and user-friendly documents.
Freelance Designer 2005 – Present Successfully handled three consecutive contracts with the United States Embassy and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the provision of professional graphic design services for their Annual Reports, newsletters, presentation and scientific posters, trade show displays and training manuals. Produced a number of publications, through funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which were distributed internationally in association with various government and non-government organizations. Graphic design projects for Invasion Records, Tsehainy.com, Teranet Computing, Sokoni Inc., Deber Engineering, DJ Big Lz, Wayne Engineering, etc. Package design competition, National Tobacco Enterprise, winner in three categories. Logo design competition, Ethiopian Airports Enterprise, second prize winner. The Creative Group/Millennium Leather LLC, Teaneck NJ, 2007 – 2008 In-House Graphic Designer Created detailed line art for the company’s products. Edited existing drawings according to current products specification under direction of the Art Director. 201.281.5659 | m.tigist@gmail.com
TIGIST M. KELKAY
Captured and retouched digital images of products in the photograph studio, data entry (using Filemaker Pro) and follow-up of purchase orders, producing virtual proofs of products.
Key Achievements:
Key member of the team responsible for the production of the company’s 2008 catalogue.
Elegant Interior Designs, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2002 – 2005 Architect, Interior Designer Led the design team by overseeing and supervising projects. Developed original designs as well as layouts from client-supplied visuals and sketches. Produced and delivered designs on time and within budget. Prepared technical drawings and detailed art work for residential and commercial buildings. Key Achievements: Designed annual product catalogues. Created wall cladding and flooring patterns for Hilton Addis Ababa and supervised the execution of the project.
ETG Designers & Consultants, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2001 – 2002 Junior Architect Developed design concepts, prepared technical drawings and detail art work for residential and commercial buildings from written or verbal instructions.
EDUCATION
B.Sc., Architecture and Urban Planning, 2001 Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Certificates in Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe Fireworks Noble Desktop, New York, NY Certificates in Adobe Photoshop and AutoCAD Trainings Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY Adobe Creative Suite – (Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, Acrobat, Lightroom, Dreamweaver, Fireworks), Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), AutoCAD, MicroStation, WordPress Site/Blog Development
ONLINE PORTFOLIO http://www.yolkworks.com http://www.behance.net/Highspirits
201.281.5659 | m.tigist@gmail.com