Sara Tokarchuk
Designer
Location
San Mateo, CA, United States
Toptal Member Since
February 22, 2017
Sara is a highly creative, interdisciplinary senior-level designer with extensive experience in website, marketing, print, and UX/UI design. She has exceptional collaborative and interpersonal skills and is an active team player with well-developed written and verbal communication abilities.
Sara is available for hire
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Work Experience
2016 - PRESENT
Head of Marketing, Branding, and Design (contract)
Accrualify
- Designed the UX and UI for Accrualify’s web and mobile apps using wireframes and prototypes in an agile design environment.
- Researched new ways to improve user experience with focus on accounting teams.
- Tested product prototypes with user test groups.
- Collaborated with engineers to implement and test app designs.
- Coded the HTML and CSS of the web application front-end.
- Evolved the brand to better represent the company’s principles and connect to potential customers through design by updating logo, typography, and color palette.
- Designed and coded HTML marketing emails and newsletters.
Technologies: CSS, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Word, HTML, iOS, Bootstrap, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe Muse, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
2010 - PRESENT
Owner | Art Director
Taco Truck Design
- Designed the UX and UI for Cerius Executive’s candidate search web application.
- Crafted UX and UI designs for client websites, web applications, and mobile apps through wireframing and prototyping.
- Designed the UX and UI for A La Reg’s event registration web application.
- Strategized the UX and UI design for Anapalan’s 2014/2015 conference site.
- Designed and coded websites for multiple clients using content management systems like WordPress, Concrete5, Evoq, Wix, and more.
- Managed simultaneously multiple projects at once.
- Designed and coded responsive HTML email templates for MailChimp, Pardot, Marketo, and other email blasting service providers.
Technologies: CSS, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Microsoft Office, Mailchimp, Marketo, Pardot, HTML, Sketch, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Adobe Muse, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, InVision
2013 - 2014
Senior Graphic Designer
DNN
- Wrote customer personas to aid rebrand efforts to appeal to target demographics.
- Coordinated with the rebrand teams to ensure tasks were completed on time.
- Researched ways to improve the website’s UX.
- Designed the UX and UI of custom Evoq modules for the website.
- Supervised website developers, ensuring UX and design standards were adhered to.
- Coded the new website’s front-end with HTML and CSS.
- Provided design feedback to the product UI and UX designers to ensure the product reflected the new branding and product goals.
- Acted as a communication liaison between the marketing team and developers.
- Maintained DNN’s website in conjunction with marketing.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, Microsoft Office, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
2012 - 2013
Co-founder | Creative Director
Reboot Creative + Strategy
- Designed the UX and UI for all client website projects through wireframing, prototyping, and coding of all HTML and CSS.
- Created all the art direction, graphic design, and UX/UI design.
- Researched target market demographics, spending, and behavior to better define audiences.
- Wrote customer personas as part of UX research strategy.
- Ran focus groups to better understand target audience and test creative.
- Defined the website content and functionality requirements.
- Wrote creative briefs to help guide projects.
- Executed creative campaigns across multiple media channels.
Technologies: Mailchimp, WordPress, InVision, Microsoft Office, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
2007 - 2011
Creative Director
WDFA Marketing
- Worked as the sole designer for the agency’s white-label web application created for client channel marketers; responsible for user process flow charts, UX design via wireframes, prototyping, and UI design.
- Supervised and tested the white-label web application’s development.
- Organized and ran user test groups for the agency’s white-label web application.
- Wrote UX research questions to survey target audience of the agency’s white-label web application.
- Designed the information architecture and user experience for web projects via process flow charts and wireframes.
- Led a team of visual designers and web developers.
- Acted as the liaison between the creative team and developers.
- Reported digital department updates to the managing partners.
- Developed the digital department’s business plan and employee structure in conjunction with the managing partners.
- Conceptualized, designed, and produced cross-platform marketing pieces.
- Designed print campaigns for out-of-home and placed media.
- Organized and ran creative brainstorm meetings.
- Pitched campaigns to clients in conjunction with sales.
- Collaborated with clients in the development of branding and marketing needs.
- Wrote/defined creative briefs.
- Maintained the client assets in a shared server environment.
Technologies: Mailchimp, Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat Pro, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
Education
2002 - 2006
Bachelor of Science in Advertising/Graphic Design
San Jose State University - San Jose, CA, USA
