Amy Thomas

Experienced Visual Designer

Working Remote Since 2016

(980) 505-7779

Amy Thomas, HeadshotI’m a traditional artist bringing elegance and function to the digital realm. A reliable and effective team player, I’ve become known for creative problem solving and remaining calm under pressure. My innate ability to interpret vague ideas into visually pleasing, user-friendly concepts produces significant overall client satisfaction and, ultimately, user experience.

Skills

  • Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro, After Effects
  • Drupal, WordPress, AEM (Adobe Experience Manager)
  • HTML / CSS
  • iMovie, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Cinema 4D, Daz 3D, Strata 3D, Blender
  • Figma, XD

Achievements

2009 IBM – US Patent 7523408: Representing status information in a storage subsystem copy services product

2008 IBM – US Patent 7350000: User interface for representing logical path information and displaying available adapters in a storage subsystem 

2007 IBM – US Patent 7305418: Selecting and showing copy pairs in a storage subsystem copy services graphical user interface

Multiple Grants Awarded
Illustration work has helped secure multiple grants and millions of dollars in funding

Cover Graphics
3D designs published on covers of scientific journals

Education

B.A., Design and Visualization 

Silicon Valley College, San Jose, CA
2001 – 2002

A.A.S., Computer Grahics 

Silicon Valley College, San Jose, CA
1999 – 2001

Senior Visual Designer

Visual Designer – 2010 to Present
Temporary Graphics Specialist – 2008 – 2010

Stanford University School of Medicine
Department of Radiology

Web Design and Development

  • design and build for Drupal, WordPress, and AEM (Adobe Experience Manager)
  • customize themes and elements as necessary to maintain brand consistency
  • manage on-going maintenance and updates
  • train staff on maintenance of divisional and lab websites
  • act as liaison and first point of contact for troubleshooting websites across the Radiology brand
  • act as consultant for website proposals; manage expectations for site build; help individual site owners decide the best route for their web project.

 

Illustration and 3D Graphics

  • consult with scientists and physicians to discuss project brief
  • research standards of presentation for different biological processes/elements
  • draw sketches of proposed art for initial client evaluation
  • commit sketched art to digital canvas

 

Graphic Design

  • design and produce booklets, brochures, invitations, annual reports, executive level documents, event collateral, branding packages
  • determine photography styles, typography, color schemes
  • secure any third party licensing for project fonts, imagery, etc.

 

UI Design

  • Use user feedback to guide interface development and help dev team decide which features are best for which release
  • Design interface interactions
  • Prototype interface and interactions to guide development and help with stakeholder buy-in
  • Code (html, css, react, bootstrap) basic interface structures for development team to use in final product
  • Review final product and participate in subsequent studies to determine next steps based on user feedback and stakeholder needs

 

Project Management

  • meet with stakeholders to determine overall project goals and milestones
  • break projects into tasks/goals and delegate
  • regular check-ins to assure timelines are reasonable and adjust as necessary

 

Creative Direction

  • align with the School of Medicine’s brand identity in all projects while giving Radiology it’s own identity
  • all visuals should promote the goal of Radiology in being the most innovative department of Radiology in the world
  • maintain Radiology’s brand in all published mediums (social, print, web)
  • when designs come through that work against the overall identity, be able to tactfully explain the significance of our brand and why its important to adhere to it. Provide alternate solutions when these situations occur.

 

Leadership

  • act as day to day leader and advocate for the team
  • govern and protect the time of our team by being cognizant of any project that comes through and realistic about its time expectations
  • manage by example; not afraid to step in and help with the work
  • use active listening and open-ended questions to promote user-defined solutions
  • strive to hear what the team is not telling me

Freelance Graphic Designer – 2003 – 2020

Amy Thomas, Graphic Designer

  • Designed and developed websites, graphics and logos.
  • Maintained websites
  • Provided consultation services.

Visual Design Software Engineer – 2000 – 2003

IBM – San Jose

  • Developed UI prototypes for use in user-centered design studies and software development.
  • Participated in team development of visual design specifications and interface function, resulting in multiple patent opportunities.
  • Created high and low fidelity prototypes for user studies. 
  • Reviewed user testing results to continually improve the overall workflow of developing software
  • Maintained visual consistency across all platforms and product suites.
  • GUI work awarded with three US patents (listed at left).