Self-proclaimed creative nerd living in Colorado via the great state of Rhode Island. Since I was a kid, I’ve had an affinity for art, expression, creative spaces, and cool brands. So much so that I attended art camp every summer. Super cool, I know. I also went to cross-country camp but that’s a different story for a different time.
In college, I took the “safe route” and got a Business Marketing degree. After graduation and a few interviews, it was clear to me that I really wanted to be on the design and branding side of the marketing process. With a few more years in design school and a 6-month apprentice in New York with Milton Glaser, I was able to turn my passion into my career.
Career History
Megan Hudson
meghixs@gmail.com | 303-868-6351
A Creative Executive with over 18 years of experience leading the brand development process
from ideation to execution, including developing overall strategic thought leadership to drive
business results and meet organizational objectives.
Possesses an imaginative 3D mindset and the ability to serve as a conductor to people, processes, and
projects to drive end goals. Highly adaptable with the proven ability to turn on a dime to meet project
deliverables. A loyal and effective team leader with a history of coaching and mentoring multi-level
creative teams, empowering staff members to inspire creativity and professional development.
Outstanding interpersonal skills with proven success in building relationships and communicating
effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Creative Team Leadership & Development • Creative Strategy Creation & Implementation
• Cross Departmental Collaboration • User Experience • Graphic Design & Typography
• Adobe Creative Suite • Budget Development & Tracking • Mailchimp • Retail Display Design
• Marketplace & Competitive Insights • Marketing Materials Creation • Development of Brand Narrative
Best Friends Animal Society / Remote / Current
Design Manager
- Collaborates with an outstanding group of creatives, outside agencies, and Best Friends departments to interpret organizational goals and turn them into audience-capturing, user-centric designs that span
all channels.
- Working in collaboration with multiple teams and departments (e.g., fundraising, marketing, brand strategy, video, and photography). creates materials that meet the needs of Best Friends’ audiences in order to meet organizational goals.
- Manages a team of talented graphic designers who help create multi-channel national campaigns promoting Best Friends and our work to save the lives of homeless pets.
- Creates and implements visual design concepts associated with brand positioning, fundraising, and strategic marketing to convey Best Friends’ unique visual brand.
- Identifies ways to remain true to the core of the brand while evolving to meet the needs of emerging channels, keeping the organization relevant while growing brand awareness.
Run Wild Retreats / Aspen, CO / Contract
Retreat Leader / Mindfulness Coach
- Led women-focused running retreats, executing unique itineraries that include workshops about how to integrate mindfulness principles into one’s running routine to improve health and manage stress.
- Provided strong customer service over 4-day retreats to support emotional and physical challenges to deliver on promised expectations and experiences.
Whole Foods Market / Denver, CO / 2009 - 2020
Executive Director of Design & Brand Experience - 2014-2020
- Led the overall ideation, design, development, and execution of Whole Foods Market stores in 10 states and 2 countries.
- Guide a team of 20 team members through their daily tasks and overall project management while
remaining on top of, and flexible to the changing demands of the business.
- Direct the design and execution of all Amazon + Whole Foods Market in-store experience
driven initiatives that included Amazon Prime Now and Amazon’s Customer Pick-Up points.
- Responsible for the design, scheduling, and execution of the yearly capital expenditures for
28 million in business advancing initiatives over international and national markets.
Key Accomplishments:
• Voted and recognized as the All-Star Top Performer for the development of the piloted regional sharing model,
including restructuring teams for improved efficiency, realigning the budget to organizational objectives, and identifying opportunities for store experience improvements.
• Led the design and in-store experience strategy by incorporating the latest retail trends and
region-specific visual positioning for 15 new stores, all successfully completed under budget and within established deadlines.
• Creatively directed the research and design of 3 new office spaces for Burnaby, BC, Seattle, WA, and Denver, CO, extending the brand narrative into the workplace. Completed on time and on budget.
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership and performance management, resulting in 40% of direct reports being awarded top performer recognition.
Creative Director, 2009 - 2014
Directed the development of graphic standards and brand integrity for numerous projects that included,
seasonal campaigns, packaging design, and brand development. Conceptualized all facets of the photo
shoots for in-store marketing ads of local partners, farmers, and team members and prepared food items.
Managed the regional creative team, contract designers, photographers, and writers. Mentored, guided, and
evaluated the work of 30+ store graphic designers to best support and promote each individual store’s initiatives.
Key Accomplishments:
• Recognized as an All-Star Top Performer for innovation with campaign design and development.
• Handpicked by the Global Art Director to partner on developing the creative direction of the
annual holiday photo shoot, including defining themes and multi-channel strategy.
• Partnered with the Technology Team to successfully overhaul the product sign creation process
and system to improve designer productivity, and efficiency, cut costs, and improve critical legal compliance.
• Won the global Mother’s Day Campaign Design Challenge by creating an adaptable campaign that best represented today’s mother.
Time Inc’s Mountain Sports Media / Boulder, CO / 2004-2009
Associate Art Director
Developed, designed, and launched all collateral marketing materials related to the film tours, magazine
spreads, advertorials, branded merchandise, on mountain signage. Led action and staged photo shoots,
including partnering with sponsors for equipment, props, and outfits, location sourcing, and contracting
vendors and team members. Guided a team of freelance writers, graphic designers, and photographers.
Key Accomplishments:
• Led creative conceptualization for external sponsors that included Jeep, Suzuki, Subaru,
NASTAR, and Deer Valley, successfully achieved all creative guidelines and objectives.
EDUCATION
Master of Nonprofit Leadership
Anderson School of Business - Regis University / Denver, CO
Bachelor of Business Administration Marketing
University of North Carolina / Charlotte, NC
Associate of Applied Science /Graphic Design
Art Institute / Denver, CO
Strategies that Build Winning Brands / Executive Education
Kellogg School of Business / Northwestern University