Work Experience
Leo Blizzard
Web Designer & Developer · Brand & UI/UX Designer · 20+ Years Experience
Innovative and results-driven Senior Web Designer with 20+ years experience and a passion for crafting user-centered, high-performing web experiences. Expert in web design, UX/UI design, graphic design, interactive design, and design systems, with a strong background in responsive design, digital branding, and front-end development. Proven ability to translate business objectives into compelling web solutions that drive engagement and conversions.
Work Experience
Founder
Blizzard Branding | Oct 2024 – Present
Launched a branding and web design business serving B2B clients, from small businesses to enterprises.
- Founder and solo entrepreneur of a boutique branding and design studio, delivering end-to-end creative strategy and execution for B2B clients from small businesses to enterprises.
- AI-Enhanced Creative Process: Built scalable creative workflows using AI (ChatGPT, Claude,) for asset generation and prompt engineering, accelerating concept-to-delivery timelines.
- End-to-End Brand & Web Direction: Lead all aspects of client engagements, from visual identity and brand voice to hands-on WordPress development, site migrations, and responsive web design.
- Technical Execution & QA: Utilize HTML, CSS, and Adobe Creative Suite to build, troubleshoot, and ensure pixel-perfect, accessible (WCAG) experiences across all browsers and devices.
- Content & SEO Strategy: Develop and implement content strategies and SEO best practices to improve discoverability, user engagement, and brand consistency across digital platforms.
- Key Skills Demonstrated: Brand Identity & Art Direction, WordPress Development, Web Design, AI-Enhanced Creative Workflows, Prompt Engineering, HTML/CSS, Content Strategy, SEO, Client & Stakeholder Management, Cross-Browser QA.
Web Producer / UX Designer
Microsoft | Jan 2022 – May 2024
Contractor on Education Team through Aquent
- Spearheaded the end-to-end content migration and management for global educational platforms, focusing on scalable systems, accessibility, and cross-functional collaboration.
- Content Migration & Strategy: Led a large-scale AEM migration, developing and implementing modular content strategies, reusable templates, and structured content models. This accelerated publishing workflows and improved content reusability across WordPress and SharePoint.
- DAM & CMS Management: Served as DAM Manager and Web Producer, establishing CMS governance, editorial workflows, and publishing standards that ensured brand compliance and operational efficiency.
- Accessibility-First Design: Audited and remediated legacy content for WCAG/ADA compliance. Built scalable, accessibility-first design systems and performed visual QA to ensure pixel-perfect, responsive experiences across all devices.
- Global & Localization Support: Partnered with localization teams to ensure in-language copy adhered to brand voice and style guides, enhancing cultural relevance and engagement for diverse audiences.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Collaborated with UX, product, and engineering teams to optimize authoring experiences and support multi-channel, multilingual publishing needs.
- Key Skills Demonstrated: AEM, WordPress, SharePoint, HTML/CSS, DAM, Content Strategy, CMS Governance, WCAG/ADA, Modular Content, Localization, Visual QA.
Marketing Director
Berry Companies | Jun 2019 – Jun 2021
Hospitality and real estate umbrella company in New Hampshire.
- Directed digital content strategy, UX, and web operations across five WordPress platforms and SharePoint, leading to a 20% increase in engagement in the first year and 15% in the second year. Focused on scalable systems, SEO, and accessibility.
- Digital Strategy & Operations: Led end-to-end web design, branding, and content migration initiatives. Established content governance models and editorial workflows that enhanced cross-functional collaboration and accelerated time-to-publish.
- SEO & Accessibility Optimization: Implemented SEO best practices and conducted comprehensive WCAG/ADA audits, improving site accessibility, content discoverability, and search ranking.
- CMS & Technical Management: Directed all aspects of the WordPress CMS, from customizing themes with developers to training internal teams on best practices. Utilized HTML/CSS for troubleshooting to ensure pixel-perfect, responsive design across all devices.
- Content System Development: Designed and executed modular content frameworks and multilingual workflows, ensuring brand consistency, content reusability, and a high-quality user experience across all platforms.
- Managed departmental budget covering multiple resort properties, overseeing marketing and content resourcing across the portfolio.
- Key Skills Demonstrated: Content Strategy, WordPress Management, SEO, WCAG/ADA Compliance, HTML/CSS, UX Design, Brand Governance, Digital Asset Management (DAM), Cross-Functional Leadership.
Graphic Designer
The Portland Phoenix | Mar 2016 – May 2019
Alternative weekly newspaper in Portland, Maine.
- The Portland Phoenix, formerly based in Portland Maine, was an alternative weekly newspaper owned and operated by the Conway Daily Sun.
- Designed and maintained a strong visual identity for a prominent alternative newspaper, ensuring consistency across editorial and marketing materials.
- Managed the design of weekly print publications, adhering to tight deadlines while ensuring high-quality output.
- Collaborated with editorial teams to create layouts that enhanced reader engagement and aligned with brand aesthetics.
E-Commerce Web Administrator
Brigger Furniture | Jul 2012 – May 2019
- Brigger Furniture is a small, family owned company specializing in custom ergonomic furniture.
- Managed and maintained the company’s e-commerce website, ensuring optimal performance, security, and user experience.
- Administered and updated content using WordPress, including product listings, navigation structures, and promotional materials.
- Led a full-site redesign, improving user engagement and increasing online sales by 40%.
Graphic Designer
Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative (University of Hawaii) | Dec 2009 – May 2010
- The Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative was a small project of the University of Hawaii to create a science, grade-school curriculum that centers the Hawaiian ecosystem.
- Designed and formatted a six-unit curriculum using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop.
- Organized scientific visuals and data illustrations; optimized materials for print clarity and accessibility.
- Maintained shared assets across FTP systems and solved technical file-sharing issues.
Studio Manager
Beverly Community Access Media | Apr 2006 – Oct 2009
- Managed the daily operations of a community media studio, including scheduling, equipment inventory, and member services.
- Produced, directed, and engineered audio/video for in-studio and on-location television broadcasts.
- Developed and taught production classes to members, enhancing community engagement and skills development.
- Programmed and managed content for two public access cable channels.
- Assisted the Executive Director in community outreach and member recruitment initiatives.
- Organized and executed member production events, fostering a collaborative creative environment.
Graphic design, Web development, and Print Layout
Freelance and Contract | 2009 – 2019
- Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative – see above
- American Graphics Institute | 2010 – 2011
- Book layout for college level curriculum. Website updates. Tutorial testing and QA for a college level curriculum in Adobe products.
- Harborside Counseling Services | 2010 – 2015
- Website design and development in HTML and CSS. Graphic design for posters.
- Brigger Furniture – see above
- The Portland Phoenix – see above
- Specialist – Apple Store | 2008 – 2009
- Sales associate for iPhones, and Apple products.
Core Skills
Interpersonal
Additional
Development
Photo/Video
Marketing
Software Proficiency
Leo Blizzard
Brand · Web · UX Designer
Innovative and results-driven Senior Web Designer with 20+ years experience and a passion for crafting user-centered, high-performing web experiences. Expert in web design, UX/UI design, graphic design, interactive design, and design systems, with a strong background in responsive design, digital branding, and front-end development. Proven ability to translate business objectives into compelling web solutions that drive engagement and conversions.
Recommendations
“Leo was our marketing manager before moving to Sacramento, and was instrumental in transforming our organization to ‘digital first’ marketing.”
Alec Tarberry
Vice President, Berry Companies
“I can wholeheartedly recommend them. For whatever they do, they do it creatively, professionally, on time, and is a pleasure to collaborate with.”
Mark Guerringue
Publisher, Conway Daily Sun
“Leo is highly knowledgeable, very efficient and timely. Leo’s input led to a vast improvement of our project.”
Sohail Sherif
Owner of Condo Parrot
Letter of Recommendation
I am writing, on behalf of Leo Blizzard, a letter of recommendation that I consider to be a very easy undertaking. I hold Leo in the highest regard for their professionalism, and I respect them as a focused, dedicated, and talented individual. I would highly recommend Leo for a position with your company.
For the last two+ years Leo and I have worked together on the Microsoft Education marketing website running the full end-to-end digital experience worldwide. Leo has owned many projects ranging from page designs to extensive global campaigns, CMS migration into Adobe, and site redesigns. Leo has the uncanny ability to work quickly and efficiently with any assignment thrown their way while maintaining brand excellence and creativity. When balancing multiple stakeholders, marketing strategies, Microsoft products, and an Education visual ID it can be a daunting task as it involves coordinating across sales, engineering, product, design, and research with multiple people with varying goals and budgets. Previous members of our team would shy away from such a project, but with Leo’s impressive UX and UI skills, strong project management tactics, and a personality people want to work the end result always increased business impact. The wireframing and design work for the Social-Emotional Learning page is a perfect example of what Leo is capable of and why managers would specifically request them to work on top projects knowing that their smart decisions and attention to detail would result in perfect execution.
Leo was the hardest working member on my team as they not only executed the design and marketing requests, they also supported additional outbound channel owners. Something that was above and beyond what was required and was appreciated greatly. Leo met every single deadline while simultaneously taking initiative on other projects of varying magnitude. They remained organized and focused on the tasks at hand while considering breadth of the business and how to improve it in an engaging way.
Leo embodies what it means to be a professional. They know what it takes to succeed, to excel, and they have the kind of drive most spend a lifetime trying to discover. I believe that any company that is given the opportunity to hire Leo should take it. Microsoft Education is better off having had them and they will remain an extended part of the Microsoft Education family. I not only recommend them for their knowledge and experience, but also for the person that they are. It is my honest assessment that Leo Blizzard would be a wonderful and deserving candidate for any design/marketing/manager roll you have to offer.
Please feel free to contact me for any questions that you may have.
Lauren Hubbard
Senior Web Marketing Manager – Microsoft
