Hello,

I’ve helped sell video games, shoes, motorcycles, and checking accounts. Lately I’ve found my passion in health and wellness. I lead campaigns and write copy that convert to healthier futures, lives saved, and just making the world happier.

If you’re interested in working with me to create meaningful human-centered experiences, let’s connect.

Experience

Copywriting + Creative Direction
JON© Brand Storyteller
AUG 2025 - PRESENT

Creative Director + Copy Team Lead
Optum
AUG 2023 - AUG 2025
• Mentored a team of 4 writers while delivering strategic content for B2C, B2B, B2B2C audiences

• Directly supported $2.3M (+46%) increase in Optum Financial year-over-year revenue (2023)

• Led messaging strategy and concept for the Optum Bank app launch with over half a million downloads in the first month.

• Grew and cultivated relationships with internal account teams and marketing leaders within Optum and UnitedHealthcare

• Managed and developed content for CRM touchpoints, brand & launch campaigns, print, DM, email, mobile first UX, blog posts, eBooks, social, video and radio scripting, newsletters, event marketing, product naming, message mapping, new business pitches (Any and all copy needs that came my way)

• Developed a guide for the copy team and marketers on smart and responsible use of AI (ChatGPT, Writer, CoPilot)

Associate Creative Director + Design Team Lead
Optum
JAN 2022 – AUG 2023
• Honed my multidisciplinary skills leading 6 amazing designers across 10+
business segments

• Guided and reviewed co-branded employee campaigns for clients FedEx, Delta, Exxon, Wells Fargo, Walgreens

• Led development of the evolved Optum brand voice and tone

• Oversight of rebranding content and design for 3,000+ existing campaigns

• Collaborated on a 3-tier project intake system which opened workflow allowing more time for conceptual work

Senior Copywriter + Editor
Optum
SEP 2021 – JAN 2022

• Assisted in integrating Rally Health and Optum brands including language and visuals

• Supported enterprise-wide copy needs for everything from email campaigns to industry events

• Stretched into editor role to lead proofreading

• Aligned creative to Rally’s continually evolving CRM strategy

Senior Copywriter + Content Lead
Rally Health
OCT 2018 – SEP 2021

• Led stage-to-stage Rally brand storyline for Tour of California cycling event

• Created and managed the visitor messaging journey for the Rally House activation at SXSW starring brand ambassadors Maria Menounos and Katie Couric

• Channeled my agency experience to inspire regular collaboration between art
and copy which had been siloed

• Managed messaging and brand voice across product, events, landing pages,
email marketing, toolkit campaigns, video production

Senior Copywriter
Wells Fargo, In-House Agency
MAR 2015 – SEPT 2018

• Ensured the brand experience translates seamlessly from online to brick and mortar bank locations with posters/signage, collateral, banker assets

• Led the messaging journey and look/feel for the Wells Fargo Championship golf experience from VIP invitations to spectator activations on the course

• Developed big ideas and messaging across digital and traditional channels.

• Inspired collaboration across multiple disciplines

Senior Copywriter
Questus
SEP 2012 – FEB 2015

• Oversight and messaging development for deeply engaging experiences across client roster

• Suzuki Cycles, Capital One, Universal Orlando, Martha Stewart, General Mills

Copywriting Faculty (Full-time)
Academy of Art University, School of Advertising
JAN 2009 – JUNE 2011
• Taught copywriting, art direction, and interactive
• Led development of the digital curriculum
• Realized that inspiring and mentoring is my life’s purpose

Freelance Writer
Ad agencies and in-house
JULY 2008 – SEP 2012
Developed campaigns and messaging for clients such as Suzuki Cycles, Pennzoil,
Kaiser Permanente, Wells Fargo, Kiva.org, Timbuk2

Copywriter
Ogilvy
MAR 2005 – JUNE 2008
• Worked online and off to bring fresh ideas (and a dash of wit) to a few iconic brands
• Yahoo!, IBM, BP, Barclays

Copywriter
AKQA
MAR 2004 – MAR 2005
XBox, Nike, Visa, Palm

EDUCATION
BFA in Copywriting
Academy of Art University, School of Advertising
San Francisco, Ca

RECOGNITION
Art Director’s Club
The Andys
CLIOs
New York Festivals
NAA Athena
Los Angeles Creative Club
AVA Digital Awards
Hermes
Marcom Awards

Skills rundown:

Utility player

Switch hitter between individual contributor and team lead

Led campaigns across
10+ businesses

Concept and writing for social, mobile-first UX, print, OOH, product, TV, video, radio, email, DM, experiential, and everything else that
carries a message

Proofreading and
editorial resource

Message mapping and
content strategy

Digital and CRM
native

B2B, B2C, B2B2C,
boomers to Gen Z

Collaboration and project reviews with external agency reviews

Brand style guide oversight
and updates

Multidisciplinary
team leader

Most recently managed a
team of 4 writers
(3 years)

6 designers prior to that
(2 years)

Spearheaded team guidance on using AI responsibly and smartly

Monitoring capacity
and work balance

Daily scrums with
resource managers

Weekly 1-on-1s and
open office hours

Work with directs on goals
throughout the year

Conduct annual
performance reviews

Hiring…and firing:-/

Co-developed project intake tiering system to identify quick hits vs bigger pushes

Trusted project
manager sidekick

Cross-collaborator

Partner relationship
builder and cultivator

Strategy and brief
writing partner

Global market
language versioning

Leading quarterly
campaign reports

Liaison between creative team
and account partners

New business pitch creation
and delivery

Go-to sounding board for
strategic decisions

Relied upon to explore
the latest creative trends

Persona development

Focus group and testing
co-lead

A few things that guide me:

Lead with empathy

Be a reflection of how people feel and give them meaningful experiences that enrich their lives. What may seem obvious can get lost in the shuffle of life.

Live to collaborate

My proudest work has been done with art directors, designers, coders, production houses, sound engineers…the list goes on. Nothing feels as good as the mutual satisfaction of creating as part of a team.

Never stop learning

Embrace mystery and unknowing. Every new client and creative brief is a chance to go from stupid to expert with the acceleration of a Ferrari. Vroom, vroom!