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Creative Director

Experience

      Freelance Creative Director/Copywriter & Consultant Chicago, IL

March 1999 to Present

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•     Manage, write, and design strategic marketing projects that include collateral, 

      advertising, direct mail, promotions, newsletters, and websites for a variety of     

      marketing firms, corporations, and non-profit organizations 
•     Manage public relations from releases to media relations 
•     Hire and supervise staff as needed 
•     Conduct client presentations and manage budgets 
•     Won awards for Rush-Copley Medical Center ad campaigns

 

Director, Marketing & Public Relations • National Poetry Slam Championship, Chicago

Aug 1999 & Aug 2003 

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•     Responsible for planning and implementing a program that included advertising, public             

      relations, promotions for non-profit, five-day international poetry competition
•     With a minimal budget and a staff of 14 volunteers achieved full capacity at six local     

      venues 
•     Achieved placement of stories in the Washington Post, New York Times, and on 60

      Minutes and NPR. Local print and broadcast media included the Chicago Tribune,

      Chicago Reader, Chicago Sun-Times, Q101, WTTW, WGN-TV and WLS-TV.

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Creative Supervisor • Frankel, Chicago, IL • Dec 1997 to Mar 1999 

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•     Managed creative strategic marketing projects that included POP, sweepstakes,

      outdoor advertising and product for Target Stores

•     Hired and supervised staff of art directors and copywriters 
•     Created seasonal and vendor-sponsored promotions with Disney™,  DreamWorks™

      and Mattel™ products.

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Copywriter • Storandt Pann Margolis & Partners, Western Springs, IL

May 1993 to Dec 1997

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•     Created print and broadcast advertising, promotions, websites, direct mail, videos

       and collateral from concept development through production for healthcare,

       business-to-business and consumer clients 
•     Won 1996 Healthcare Advertising Merit Awards for Saint Thomas Hospital

      (Tennessee) and Port Huron Hospital 

      (Michigan) campaigns.

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Additional Experience

 

Five years as a copywriter with Bell & Howell Document Management Division

Three years as marketing manager/writer with Savlin/Petertil, a graphic design firm in Evanston, IL 

One year as a freelance copywriter with Rand McNally.

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Tech

Proficient in Word, InDesign, Acrobat, PowerPoint and social media apps. Working knowledge of Illustrator, WordPress, QuickBooks, Photoshop, and Excel.

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WHAT clients SAY

"On every project that I've worked on with Emily, she's brought fresh ideas and unending creativity, coupled with a firm understanding of the client's needs and goals. She embodies a
rare combination of the artistic and the business sides of marketing
and writing."

— Jane Jerrard, Copywriter

© 2025 Emily Thornton Calvo

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