Career Highlights & Industry Experience
Over more than two decades, I’ve been fortunate to work with hundreds of clients across nearly every industry imaginable. But a handful of defining partnerships — built through trust, longevity, and shared ambition — shaped how I operate as a brand leader today. These experiences didn’t just influence my creative output; they sharpened my philosophy around brand stewardship, collaboration, and growth.
ZDI Images & Motion, Inc. (ZDI) — Building a Brand-First Agency (1999–2022)
I founded ZDI Images & Motion Inc. (ZDI) in 1999 and grew it into a brand-first creative agency over 21 years. What began with print, photography, and out-of-home design quickly evolved into a full-spectrum creative practice spanning brand systems, digital experiences, video and motion graphics, web applications, and integrated marketing programs.
ZDI never chased a single vertical. We dove headfirst into whatever industry sat in front of us — entertainment, hospitality, financial services, manufacturing, lab testing, home services, wellness, industrial, and beyond — because we loved understanding how businesses worked from the inside out. Many of our client relationships lasted a decade or longer, with ZDI operating as an extension of internal teams, deeply embedded in day-to-day decision-making. That level of trust became the backbone of how I approach partnerships to this day. Visit website: https://zdi.rocks
I founded ZDI Images & Motion Inc. (ZDI) in 1999 and grew it into a brand-first creative agency over 21 years. What began with print, photography, and out-of-home design quickly evolved into a full-spectrum creative practice spanning brand systems, digital experiences, video and motion graphics, web applications, and integrated marketing programs.
ZDI never chased a single vertical. We dove headfirst into whatever industry sat in front of us — entertainment, hospitality, financial services, manufacturing, lab testing, home services, wellness, industrial, and beyond — because we loved understanding how businesses worked from the inside out. Many of our client relationships lasted a decade or longer, with ZDI operating as an extension of internal teams, deeply embedded in day-to-day decision-making. That level of trust became the backbone of how I approach partnerships to this day. Visit website: https://zdi.rocks
Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) — The First True Retainer
Our work with the Flexographic Technical Association marked a pivotal moment for ZDI. What began as photography and digital imaging support for FLEXO Magazine quickly expanded into full event branding, marketing collateral, and ultimately complete creative direction and design leadership.
FTA became our first retained client — a defining shift that solidified our approach to long-term brand partnerships. Working across events, publications, and marketing initiatives taught me how to integrate seamlessly with internal marketing teams and executive leadership, setting a standard for how I would structure retained engagements moving forward.
Micelli Chocolate Molds — Brand Evolution Without Alienation
One of my longest and most meaningful partnerships began through a referral and evolved into a 15+ year relationship with Micelli Chocolate Molds.
Initially engaged for trade show and point-of-sale collateral, the relationship deepened as Micelli faced a critical inflection point: expanding from an industrial-only manufacturer into the rapidly growing artisan chocolate market — without alienating its core industrial clients.
We reimagined Micelli’s brand from the ground up, carefully balancing heritage, credibility, and modern appeal. This wasn’t just a visual refresh; it was a strategic foundation for growth. The rebrand resonated across both audiences, elevated Micelli’s market position, and directly preceded three separate acquisitions — through all of which I remained their brand and creative partner. This experience cemented my belief that great branding solves business problems first and aesthetics second.
Scripps, Juma & Powerhouse — Motion, Storytelling & Scale
My passion for branding and motion graphics found its fullest expression in television. Through long-standing partnerships with Juma Entertainment, Scripps Networks, and Powerhouse Productions, ZDI spent nearly two decades creating broadcast branding and motion packages for major networks including HGTV, DIY, Travel Channel, VH1, Bravo, CBS, ABC, NBC, CMT, Food Network, Cooking Channel, and CLEO TV.
At peak volume, we produced multiple full branding packages, pitch decks, and sizzle reels each month for competing production companies — work that required speed, clarity, and a deep understanding of how to connect brands with audiences in seconds. This era shaped my instincts around attention, storytelling, and adaptability — skills that remain critical as attention spans continue to shrink across all platforms.
Govmark → SGS — From Boutique Client to Global Enterprise
ZDI’s partnership with Govmark Ltd. began modestly, but quickly evolved into a full brand transformation. Govmark operated at the intersection of fire testing instrumentation and certification services — a complex story that required clarity, cohesion, and credibility.
As trust grew, we streamlined their brand architecture, messaging, and identity systems, launched national and global marketing campaigns, and built robust digital experiences that positioned Govmark as a category leader. That work directly preceded Govmark’s acquisition by SGS, the world’s leading Testing, Inspection, and Certification organization.
Post-acquisition, ZDI became SGS North America’s agency of record, transitioning more than a dozen acquisitions into SGS’s global brand system. This experience expanded my exposure to enterprise-scale branding, M&A integration, and global brand governance — and opened the door to additional enterprise and testing-industry engagements nationwide.
Response Crisis Center — When Branding Truly Matters
Nothing in my career has been more meaningful than my work with Response Crisis Center of Suffolk County.
Referred to me as a struggling, underfunded suicide prevention hotline, Response became a turning point in understanding the real-world impact of brand leadership. I joined as a board member and served as their de facto pro bono branding agency — rebuilding their brand, identity systems, website, educational resources, fundraising programs, and digital campaigns from the ground up.
The results were transformative. Response secured sustained federal, state, and county funding, became the largest overflow call recipient for New York’s National Suicide Hotline, and transitioned from volunteer reliance to a fully staffed professional operation. This partnership continues today, including the recent launch of their new website — and remains the work I’m proudest of.
Stirista — Brand Leadership Inside a Martech Rocket Ship
Stirista represents both a culmination and evolution of my career. Initially engaged in 2020 to lead brand creative, my role expanded as Stirista scaled rapidly in the martech space — driven by its proprietary identity graph and ownership of its DSP, ESP, and CDP.
n 2022, Stirista acquired ZDI, and I stepped into the role of VP of Brand & Creative, bringing my full team and client portfolio with me while building Stirista’s in-house creative department from the ground up. I led a full company rebrand, oversaw brand campaigns across CTV, digital, social, and email, partnered closely with marketing, product, and executive leadership, and managed a multidisciplinary team of designers, editors, animators, and copywriters.
Beyond internal brand leadership, my team supported enterprise clients while ensuring brand cohesion across SaaS UI/UX, marketing activations, and experiential events including Advertising Week New York, CES Las Vegas, and POSSIBLE Miami. While I’m deeply proud of what we built, I ultimately stepped away at the end of 2025 to return to closer, more hands-on brand leadership with clients — continuing to consult with Stirista and partner on data and programmatic initiatives.