Heather Hemelgarn
About Heather Hemelgarn
Heather Hemelgarn serves as the Corporate Marketing Lead Graphic Designer and Art Director at Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK, where she has worked since 2021. She has extensive experience in graphic design and marketing, having previously held various roles at The Courier-Journal and developed brand standards for corporate branding at Gannett.
Work at Gannett
Heather Hemelgarn has been employed at Gannett | USA TODAY NETWORK since 2021, serving as the Corporate Marketing Lead Graphic Designer/Art Director. In this role, she has focused on developing brand standards and guidelines for corporate branding by benchmarking and scaling processes. She also engages in cross-departmental collaboration to support various campaigns. Prior to her current position, she worked as a Marketing Graphic Designer in the same organization since 2014, where she has contributed to brand and network marketing efforts.
Education and Expertise
Heather Hemelgarn studied at Kenzie Academy, where she completed a 100% UX/UI Design program in 2021 over a period of 11 months. She also attended Jefferson Community College in Kentucky, earning an Associate's degree in Graphic Design from 2000 to 2003. Her educational background equips her with skills in UX research, Customer Journey Mapping, Information Architecture, and Wireframing, which she applies in her current role.
Background
Before joining Gannett, Heather Hemelgarn held various positions at The Courier-Journal in the Louisville, Kentucky area. She worked as an Advertising Graphic Designer from 2004 to 2007, followed by a role as Marketing Graphic Designer from 2008 to 2014. She served as Advertising Graphic Design Supervisor for one year in 2007 to 2008. These experiences provided her with a solid foundation in graphic design and marketing.
Team Leadership and Collaboration
In her current role, Heather Hemelgarn supports a team of five by developing and implementing successful workflows and processes. She motivates and inspires her team through open communication, genuine conversation, feedback, and impromptu brainstorming sessions. Her leadership approach fosters a collaborative environment that enhances creativity and productivity within the team.
Social Campaigns and Recruitment
Heather Hemelgarn has directed two social campaigns aimed at increasing recruitment rates. These initiatives demonstrate her capability in leveraging design and marketing strategies to achieve organizational goals. Her experience in developing and executing such campaigns contributes to her overall effectiveness in her current role.