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People
Michele Howard
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When you need something done right, you call Michele Howard. No matter how small, how large or even how mundane, Michele approaches all her work with a determination and drive for results. After graduating with a Bachelor's in Communication from Clarion University, Michele got her start in a more traditional business environment, as an insurance agent for Nationwide. During that time, Michele quickly built her client portfolio and began managing many of the day-to-day activities of the office. She gained hands-on business and management experience, now invaluable in the planning and implementation of her marketing and web design projects. |
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Switching Into Interactive Gear
Realizing that the multimedia and Internet design fields were about to explode, Michele returned to school to receive her Specialized Technology Degree in Multimedia from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. After graduating in 1998, she had a brief internship with Westinghouse before joining the Lighthouse team at Blattner Brunner.
At Blattner Brunner, Michele's position was manager of the interaction and editorial design disciplines, but her role extended far beyond those boundaries. A driving force for improvement, Michele led efforts to develop processes and standardize documentation for the entire group, as well as build the skills of others in the interactive design discipline. Through many management and project experiences at Blattner Brunner, Michele became an outstanding content developer who pulls from her wide range of marketing and web development knowledge to see a project through to completion. She developed a rare mix of strategic thinking and hands-on production skills that are integral in successful website development.
An Interactive Designer and Content Manager
At Blattner Brunner, Michele worked on several award-winning projects including the American Eagle 1998 CD-ROM Annual Report, the Daily's Party Mix website, and the PPG Industries Market Resources Centers. She is an expert in both retail and business needs, with a focus on content development. Working on other accounts like Giant Eagle, EDMC–Art Institutes, Acosta and MSA, Michele developed core competencies in web-based applications, e-marketing, and online brand development. She has an eye for detail and knows the importance of creating permanent processes to simplify development and deliver a successful product.
Since leaving Blattner Brunner in 2001, Michele has developed a successful
freelance practice filling in as an information architect with a well-known
web design firm and completing individual projects on her own. She has
now joined many of her former colleagues at 8 Sharp.
