OMAR VEGA

GRAPHIC DESIGNER / ART DIRECTOR / PHOTOGRAPHER

I am an organized, detail oriented and efficient professional with an investigative nature, a self-starter. Experience in collaborating, planning, designing and leading projects for print and digital media. Skilled in art directing, leading and inspiring a team—training and project management on fixed deadlines. Excellent inter-personal, computer and communication skills.

With more than 14 years of experience, including web and print, and as art director for the Wall Street Journal Asia and Team Leader at Gannett, I have learned the value of interpreting and addressing client expectations while translating and executing concepts into effective designs. All this while mentoring, counseling and leading a creative team to deliver compelling and quality work

WORK EXPERIENCE

Team Leader, Gannett Design Studio
Asbury Park, NJ
(September 2011 – Present): As team leader I work with a crew of designers to produce news products for 6 newspapers in the northeast region. I am responsible for maintaining design styles for each newspaper and working with each newsroom to coordinate production and brainstorm and produce design. For my team I provide direction, mentoring and coaching.

• Part of team that launched the production of newspapers from the new remote location.
• Redesigned newly launched products.

Freelance/Contract Designer
(May 2009 – September 2011): Projects for the web included blog sites and personal portfolio sites such as www.susanpuckett.com. Projects for print included art directing the Atlanta-based magazine, Simply Buckhead, as well as assisting in designing prototypes for the redesign of Creative Loafing Atlanta.

Art director, AccessAtlanta; Page designer,
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(September 2003 – May 2009): As the key visual director for the AccessAtlanta entertainment tabloid, I worked closely with editors and reporters to conceptualize and execute designs for covers. This included hiring talent, styling and directing photo shoots. After the 2009 newsroom restructure, I became a jack-of-all-trades in charge of design for a wide variety of sections.

• As Art Director I not only created illustrations/photography but lead meetings that resulted in a higher level of collaborations.
• My point of view was specifically sought out to work on the AJC 2.0 project, the redesign of the newspaper. Working across departments on product development, prototypes, template building, focus groups and training.

Art director, Wall Street Journal Asia
(February 2000 – August 2003): Managed the art department and was in charge of five designers and graphic artists. I oversaw all visual aspects of the publication including graphics, commissioned photographs and illustrations. I was responsible for visual concepts as well as design of special sections and new sections. In addition to art directing duties, I maintained a role in daily design.

• Organized an art department that did not previously have an official art director. I developed processes for archiving art work and maintaining freelance talent and budgets.

Page designer, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
(June 1997 – February 2000): Designed and art directed Fashion, Arts, Food, Science and the News for Kids sections.

• With experience from revamping the kids section at The Hartford Courant, I redesigned the AJC’s News For Kids section.

Page designer, The Hartford Courant
(July 1996-June 1997): Designed feature fronts including Travel, Food, kids pages, and the entertainment tabloid.

• I introduced ways to make the kids and young adult sections more energetic.  This won approval of the managers and other staff.

EDUCATION

University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Class of 1996, Journalism/English Literature B.A.;
Graphic design minor