Resume
Senior Graphic Designer · Illustrator · Art Director (Project-Based)
Nashville, TN
caradunning@gmail.com
What I Do
I design and art-direct brand systems that balance clarity, warmth, and cultural fluency—especially in CPG, wellness, and retail. My work spans packaging, brand strategy, photography direction, digital experiences, campaigns, and social, with a strong focus on scalability and real-world performance.
Hand Drawn, Hand Printed design
Brand Strategy & Visual Systems
Packaging Design (Retail & E-commerce)
CPG & Wellness Marketing
Photography Art Direction
Campaign Design
Creative Operations & Workflow Design
Mentoring & Leadership
The Receipts
Senior Graphic Designer
pH-D Feminine Health / Vireo Systems
Nashville, TN
2023–Present
Lead senior designer across six national CPG brands, supporting packaging, retail, digital, and campaign needs
Designed high-performing packaging and PDP assets across Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Target, Amazon, and DTC
Contributed to ~20% year-over-year growth through improved shelf presence, visual storytelling, and brand cohesion
Helped evolve brand voice and visual systems for menopause, feminine health, and wellness categories
Art-directed premium product photography and developed proprietary icon systems for education and packaging
Built and implemented creative workflows, SOPs, and DAM systems to improve speed, clarity, and consistency
Freelance Illustrator & Designer
Chicago, IL · 2012–2023
Illustrated and designed for national brands and agencies, including Bosch, Allstate, Sesame Street, and Abbott
Created animation-ready illustrations and visual assets for broadcast, digital, and live events
Provided live illustration for brand activations with Spotify, Walgreens, Stella Artois, Corona, and others
Developed branding and visual identities for small businesses and independent ventures
Art Director & Art Educator
Clearwater Academy International — Clearwater, FL
2006–2009
Built and led a K–12 art curriculum focused on technical skill, creative confidence, and visual literacy
Mentored students who went on to top art schools and creative careers
Tools
Adobe Creative Suite
Illustrator
Photoshop
After Effects
Lightroom
Figma
Hand Illustration & Printmaking
Photo Retouching
More About Me
How I Think
I’m driven by curiosity and pattern recognition. I work to deeply understand people, context, and constraints so the final work feels intuitive, human, and intentional.
How I Communicate
Enneagram 4 · Myers-Briggs INFP
Empathetic, observant, and direct. I ask thoughtful questions, listen closely, and translate complexity into clarity. I’m highly intuitive and observant, which allows me to read people, tone, and visual systems quickly.
How I Work
I’m a problem solver who relies on structure to do strong creative work. I use clear process, well-defined brand voice, and solid systems to understand the why behind an ask and translate it into work that connects with consumers. That approach keeps projects focused, collaborative, and aligned to the real goal—not just the surface details.
Outside of Work
I’m drawn to music, true crime podcasts, and art. I hate horror, corn hole, and anything with too much harmonica. I love projects that sit at the intersection of humor, humanity, and community. I’m obsessed with vacuum cleaners, what kind do you have? do you like it? How’s the suction on it? Tell me everything