CV

MICHAEL GALLINGER*

gallingerm@gmail.com | 902.824.6772

Profile

A well rounded, highly motivated creative professional with a range of experience planning, directing and designing projects for high-level clients. Innovative, passionate and detail-oriented.

A strategist and problem solver capable of balancing creative vision with critical thinking. Committed to finding effective and innovative solutions that fulfill client goals and user needs.

Areas of expertise include creative/art direction, brand identity design, user interface design, user experience design and creative strategy. My style is versatile and adaptable. I also have a background in print design, illustration, photography and fine art.

Accomplishments

I have been designing award winning digital interfaces and experiences for over 20 years for a variety of clients such as CNE (Canadian National Exhibition), Aga Khan Museum, Toyota Canada, Quark Expeditions, Sony Centre, Royal Canin, FedEx, TTC (Toronto Transit Commission), Nuit Blanche Toronto, Black’s Photography and Brentwood Classics to smaller mid sized organizations.

Helped identify and hire top-tier design talent to build a strong, cohesive creative team. Helped foster a working environment that inspires innovation, collaboration and creative excellence. Helped institute new creative processes and forged relationships with key partners/suppliers.

Skills Assessment

  • Design strategy, collaborative design, journey/experience mapping, information architecture (IA), wireframe creation, interactive design, service design
  • User research (including in-depth interviews, contextual inquiry, and usability testing)
  • Presenting to Senior Executives and fostering strategic stakeholder alignment
  • Product management, employing audience insights, analytics, and competitive analysis to influence decision-making
  • Creative direction, brand identity, and standards development for digital products
  • Instituting user-centered design practices and W3C accessibility compliance within organizations
  • Supporting business development, writing proposals and delivering pitches
  • Leveraging social media to support cross-team dialogue and community building
  • Page Layout, Interface Design, and Information Architecture
  • Proficient in meeting personal and group deadlines
  • Working as part of a team
  • Design, Illustration, Photography and Fine Art

Professional Experience

Fine Artist, 1995 – Present

Creative Director / UX/UI Designer / Illustrator / Strategist / Freelancer, 2018 – Present

Versatile Experience Design Leader specializing in experience design planning and designing high profile, human-centered experiences. Passionate design thinker and strategist, versed in service design, UX/UI, and accessibility.

Creative Director / Experience Design Leader / Illustrator / Strategist, Devlin Digital Inc., 2010 – 2018

Creative Director on various internal and client initiatives including Canadian National Exhibition (CNE), Nuit Blanche Toronto, Sony Centre, Aga Khan Museum, Lexus Canada, Toyota Canada, FedEx Canada, Brentwood Classics, Quark Expeditions, Royal Canin and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). Implemented usability process to facilitate communication with technical and client teams. Helped to oversee a team of designers / developers and perform daily administrative duties for the design department. Active participant in new business and existing business proposals.

Art Director / Senior Designer / Flash Developer / Illustrator, Devlin Digital Inc., 2002 – 2010

Designer, Trader Media Inc., 2000 – 2001

Education

Sheridan, Oakville, ON, New Media Design Certificate, Silver Medal and Honor List, 1999 – 2000

St. Lawrence College, Kingston, ON, Graphic Design & Illustration Diploma, Honor List, 1996 – 1999

Brands Worked On

Aga Khan Museum, Alaia Technologies Inc., Art Gallery of Ontario, Asthma Society of Canada, Auto Trader, BASF, Beer.com, Black’s Photography, Brentwood Classics, Canadian National Exhibition, Canada Newswire (CNW Telbec), Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Cisco, Devlin Digital Inc., DuPont Canada, FedEx Canada, Globe & Mail – Globe Campus, Government of Ontario, IMAX, Labatt’s Brewery, Lexus Canada, Liberty Entertainment Group, Quark Expeditions, Rolling Rock, Royal Canin, Roy Thomson Hall/Massey Hall, Ryerson University, ScotiaBank Giller Prize, ScotiaBank Nuit Blanche, Sony Centre, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), Toronto Public Library – Digital Collections, Toronto Public Library – Virtual Reference Library, Toyota Canada, Trader Media Inc., Virgin Mobile Canada, Women’s College Hospital

Awards

2014 Davey Awards – Silver – Quark Expeditions – Websites – Tourism, Quark Expeditions

2014 Davey Awards – Silver – Quark Expeditions – Websites – Travel, Quark Expeditions

2014 Summit Marketing Effectiveness Award – Platinum Award – Quark Expeditions Website Redesign, Quark Expeditions

2014 W3 – Best in Show – Quark Expeditions Website Redesign – Tourism, Quark Expeditions

2014 W3 – Gold – Quark Expeditions Website Redesign – Travel, Quark Expeditions

2013 Davey Awards – Silver – CNE Website Redesign – Websites – Events, CNE

2013 Davey Awards – Silver – Brentwood Classics – Websites – Manufacturing, Brentwood Classics

2013 Davey Awards – Silver – Brentwood Classics – Mobile Websites – Shopping, Brentwood Classics

2013 W3 – Silver – CNE – Website Redesign – Entertainment, CNE

2013 Summit Marketing Effectiveness Award – Silver – Canadian National Exhibition, CNE

2013 Communicator Award of Excellence for Website Visual Appeal, Brentwood Classics

2013 Communicator Award of Excellence for Website Structure and Navigation, Brentwood Classics

2013 Communicator Award of Distinction for a Manufacturing Website, Brentwood Classics

2013 Communicator Award of Distinction for Mobile Shopping Experience, Brentwood Classics

2011 Retail Council of Canada – e-Retailing Award, Black’s Photo Corporation, Blacks.ca

2010 J.D. Power Web Study – 1st place for Lexus Canada, Lexus.ca

2010 Communicator Award – Award of Excellence – Interactive, Lexus.ca

2010 Communicator Award – Award of Distinction – Interactive, TTC.ca

2010 Web50.ca – Recognized, Scotiabank Nuit Blanche

2009 W3 Awards – Gold – Interactive, Lexus.ca

WMA WebAwards – Outstanding Website, CNIB (Canadian National Institute For The Blind), CNIB.ca

WMA WebAwards – Outstanding Website, Asthma Society of Canada / 4 Seasons of Asthma