
Digital Strategy Director
San Francisco Bay Area

Digital Strategy Director
San Francisco Bay Area
As a digital marketing and experience strategist I serve two kinds of clients.
For digital and advertising agencies I bring a software and application product management mindset to brand planning. I enjoy discovering the best experience ideas and collaborating with user experience designers, creatives, and engineers to bring them to life as enterprise portals, social architectures, mobile apps, Web advertising campaigns, and Web services.
I work with several leading San Francisco agencies, including Organic (Omincom), Evolution Bureau (Omnicom), DraftFCB (Interpublic Group), and Euro RSCG and offer experience in technology, consumer packaged goods, apparel, and financial services among others.
For companies in Silicon Valley, I bring a strong business and revenue sensibility paired with an advocacy for considerate user experience design and the right engineering implementation. I work with category leaders, including Intel, NetApp, Juniper Networks, IBM, and Plantronics.
My approach is consistent for both. I am a high-performing veteran who eats ambiguity for breakfast. I bring a clear and actionable vision for delighting users and making money for companies.
1) First, I help companies gain clarity about their business challenges and how the Internet and various marketing communications disciplines can help
2) I design and facilitate customer insights research and create actionable frameworks from the findings
3) I communicate the vision with user experience designers, creative directors, visual designers and engineers who are far better than me at expressing what the experience should be
4) Next, I assure the original strategy is realized with all involved professionals and executive stakeholders
5) Once the experience is live, I assure everything is measurable and accountable to the vision
6) Ultimately, I help companies achieve profitability, innovation, and a market position of thought, product and service leadership.
Vision setting, digital strategy, consumer insights, ethnography, interaction design, information architecture, qualitative research, product leadership, user-centered design, UED, requirements definition, social media, communities, social architectures, marketing strategy, brand planning, marketing consulting, creative management, marketing and management consulting, business consulting, operations leadership, interactive consulting, marketing and advertising leadership.
(Marketing and Advertising industry)
April 2008 — Present (1 year 8 months)
Leading digital strategies with global agencies in the San Francisco market. Guides client teams in the creation of highly effective and delightful digital experiences. Firms include Organic, Evolution Bureau (Omnicom), DraftFCB (Interpublic Group) and Euro RSCG. Featured clients include NetApp, Plantronics, Juniper Networks, CytoSport, Adidas, PayPal, Intel Corp., Bank of America, Pacific Gas & Electric, and Del Monte.
(Public Company; 201-500 employees; OMC; Internet industry)
July 2007 — February 2008 (8 months)
Provides strategic framework for global websites and brands by aligning design with human behavior, attitudes, and motivations. Conducts stakeholder interviews and workshops, creates customer segmentation and personas, defines use cases and scenarios, and creates a direction for how brands should live online. Defines the overlapping interests of companies, their customers, and then works with professionals from user experience, creative, and engineering to develop exceptional marketing and advertising experiences.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Internet industry)
April 2006 — February 2007 (11 months)
Manages the strategy practice at an Interactive agency specializing in immersive rich media branding.
Oversees qualitative research, including persona development, iterative prototyping, user-centered design.
Conducts business stakeholder interviews for clients and formulates business rationale and interactive recommendations.
Oversees Information architecture and consultant staff.
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
June 2001 — April 2006 (4 years 11 months)
Leads marketing management agency, serving clients though iQuotient's extensive network of independent marketing strategy and creative professionals. Manages iQuotient's premier accounts, such as IBM, Recall Corporation, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Rapid Readiness, and Houlihan Valuation Advisors. Specializes in print, interactive, and strategic marketing operations.
(Non-Profit; 201-500 employees; Sports industry)
1995 — 2002 (7 years )
Elite whitewater squad member, holding National Governing Body positions, two national championship titles, multiple top-25 placements in World Cups and multiple teams at the World Championships. Trained and raced around the world.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Online Media industry)
November 1997 — May 2001 (3 years 7 months)
Directed corporate marketing & communications for a leading Atlanta-based Web development agency. Michael positioned the company as a formidable leader, twice recognized as one of Atlanta's top Web Development firms and one of the fastest-growing privately held companies by Atlanta Business Chronicle.
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Management Consulting industry)
May 1992 — November 1997 (5 years 7 months)
Before Newton Park he worked for a strategic communications agency, focused primarily on media relations. Performed linguistic analysis to detect threats and white collar crime for CMI, served as a technical manager and facilitator for a management consulting firm that performed outdoor team building services, and served on the admission staff for Emory University. During these and future positions, Michael trained full time and was a member of the whitewater U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team from 1995-2001, with two National Champion titles.
BA , English , 1988 — 1992