Sandra Ragan, Designer and Illustrator
Plum Grafik Visual Communications
Monterey Peninsula & San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Please contact SandraRagan@PlumDigital.com

Focus:
Practical communication of ideas, products, and information through the creative use of digital technology. Conceptualizing, processing and preparing visual images for optimal use in commercial or private settings. Educating clients and providers in concepts, requirements, and related skills.

Experience:
In addition to creative and production skills I have substantial experience in system analysis, GUI design, supporting, and problem solving on computer hardware and software across a wide variety of platforms, including Macintosh, Intel-based and UNIX computers.

Designer, Illustrator, and Consultant.
1980-present (DBA) Plum Grafik, Monterey Peninsula & San Francisco Bay Area
Projects include: photocomposites & renderings, retouching, illustration, logo/letterhead designs, catalogues, brochures, corporate presentations, website creation and maintenance (about this site) (FAQs notes), publications, advertising, database, direct mail, packaging, signage, display, tradeshow graphics, newsletter design, and broadcasting. Samples. Consulting. Macintosh and Windows technical support and training.

Clients include the Lawrence Hall of Science FOSS Project (Full Option Science System modules) at the University of California, Berkeley; Bio-Rad Laboratories Diagnostics Division (ISO 9000 ) and Corporate Offices; Macy's West Divisional Visual Merchandising, Viacom Outdoor (AKA Gannett Outdoor, Outdoor Systems, and Infinity Outdoor.); MFAC (The Municipal Fiscal Advisory Committee to the Mayor of San Francisco); Alameda Credit Union, Arte y Verso Limited Edition Spanish Language Cards; Peter Cole & Company, Oakland, CA; The Cypress Tree Inn (Monterey, CA); The East Bay Conservation Corps and Youth Services California (YSCal); Aquent Partners, Faulkner Color Labs, Ace Architects Oakland Facade Project, Carver + Schicketanz Architects, Monterey Museum of Art (MMOA), Starwerk Publishing, and Eagle Spirit Press, in addition to private individuals.

Graphic Designer,
2000-2003 Macy's West Divisional Visual Merchandising, Store Design, Planning & Construction. San Francisco
Duties included: In-Store signage and collateral and special graphic projects for all stores,* executive special projects, seasonal promotions, and merchandising standard illustrations.
* 125+ stores from Texas to Hawaii, including Guam.

Senior Illustrator
1999 - 2000 CEB - Continuing Education of the Bar,
University of California Office of the President (UCOP)
Projects included: Graphics for legal products and company use including legal publications, textbooks, and presentation materials for live tutorials, interactive CD’s, and on-line services. Conversion of forms (OCR and fielding Acrobat “forms” format linked to Access database) for SmartLaser CD product. Working simultaneously on Mac, Windows98 and NT platforms,

Administrative Assistant II and Computer Resource Specialist II
1998 - 1999 University of California Office of the President,
TOPS (UCOP Departments).
Position of note: seven months at the Office of the Treasurer of the UC Regents. Worked closely with management to formulate employee evaluations and job descriptions. Work with users to plan and implement new, and refined existing databases incorporating data from electronic and print documents. Personnel forms design, conversion of documents between software packages. Assist users in efficient operation and troubleshooting of Windows software products

Designer and Digital Imaging Specialist.
1993-1995* Custom Process in Berkeley, CA. at a large custom photo lab.
Projects included; interactive presentations on CD-ROM, commercial and private photo-retouching and photo-compositing for continuous-tone film (negs. & trans. up to 8x10), collateral advertising, large format display graphics, and corporate slide presentations. Digital service bureau operations; Leaf45 film scanner, Master and Pro PhotoCD, MGI Solitaire 8XP/JetStream RIP film recorder, Kodak Portfolio PhotoCD and CD mastering.
Corporate design and retouching for clients include; Disney Films, Lucas Films, Spectrum Holobyte, Kaiser Permanente, Fantasy Records/Saul Zantz, Mervyn's, Chevron Land Development, Kodak, San Francisco Opera, California Department of Water Resources, KPIX Channel 5 News, and Viacom Outdoor (AKA Gannett Outdoor, Outdoor Systems, and Infinity Outdoor.) Private client projects included extensive restorations of 19th and early 20th Century photographs.
*(May to August 1996 called back as a full time temporary employee.)

Designer, Computer User Interface (GUI) Analyst,
and System Administrator.
1988-1993 Aaron Marcus and Associates, Inc. Emeryville, CA.
Design firm specializing in information and GUI design.
Projects included; analysis of computer software, charts and illustrations for magazine articles, interactive audio/visual materials and animated prototypes, two books, interface specification documents, hands-on workshops, and client business development.
"Graphic Design for Electronic Documents and User Interfaces" (samples), "Human Factors and Typography for More Readable Programs" (cover and illustrations), and "The Cross-GUI Handbook for Multi platform User Interface Design" (comprehensive research analysis and illustrations).
Fortune 500 clients in the US, Europe, and Asia include; Motorola, American Express, NCR, Apple Computer, AT&T, Unisys, Kodak, NASA, Amdahl, US Patent Office, Scitex, Lawrence Berkeley Labs, and Hewlett-Packard.

Instructor at Los Medanos College, Pittsburg, CA.
Graphic Production Arts.

Instructor at Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA.
Graphic Design, Illustration, and Business for Designers.

Graphic Designer, Assistant Media Design Production Technician.
1975-1985 Contra Costa College, San Pablo, CA.
Projects included theater posters, programs, signage, teaching aids, class schedules and advertising flyers, general campus advertising, student staff supervision, and on-call replacement for department supervisor.

Degrees/Credentials:

California Community College Instructors Credential (Lifetime) in "Printing and Communication Services" from UC Berkeley Extension

Associate in Science Degree, Contra Costa College, CA, with honors. Prerequisites for Medical Illustration: Pre-Med, Graphic & Fine Art major (samples). Psychology minor. Alpha Gamma Sigma.

Recent education:
Spring 2006:
Monterey Penninsula College,
3D Design and Intermediate Watercolor classes

Spring 2004:
Diablo Valley College Basic Character Modeling in Maya
Sterling Ledet PhotoShop CS and InDesign CS workshops
Ciber Flash workshop

Edward Tufte workshops in Visual Display of Information

Member of The National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP)

UC Extension classes in education. Workshops & self-study programs: digital production arts, photography, art media conservation, creative writing, textile design, fine art, sculpture, music, environmental design, and volunteer services.

Other employment experience includes:

Computer consulting, customer needs analysis, training and sales of Macintosh systems, peripherals, and software. Clients included large national and international corporations in biotechnology, finance, and computer aided design. Authorized Apple VAR (Value Added Reseller).

Executive Assistant to the CEO of a Beverly Hills land management corporation. Clients included well known entertainment personalities and multinational corporations. Offices in London and Beirut, Lebanon. Interior design for one EO including the execution of a commissioned oil painting as the central focus. Assistant bookkeeper (interim head bookkeeper) for three divisions (each with independent financial structure), payroll, sales commissions, payables, accounts receivable for multi-million dollar real estate accounts, personal and international business correspondence.

Retail sales of art and drafting supplies, original art, prints, framing supplies, furniture, misc. promotional items, and framing services. Interior decoration counseling, intensive customer service, purchasing, promotional displays, merchandising, and inventory control.