KATHLEEN ROSENFIELD
CHALLENGE
CREATIVE
MASTERING THE
MY STORY
I’m a creative strategy and brand leader with more than 30 years of experience shaping enterprise brands and guiding integrated campaigns across global markets. I’ve led rebrands, built strategic frameworks and directed multidisciplinary teams to ensure creative expression aligns clearly with brand purpose and business objectives.
Grounded in deep design experience and disciplined brand positioning, I focus on defining the thinking that drives meaningful creative – bringing clarity, cohesion and resonance to every touchpoint.
I’m most energized by work that combines strategic clarity with authentic storytelling – especially when it contributes to lasting human impact.
Creative SKILLS
THE FOUNDATION BEHIND THE WORK
Branding
100%
Creative Strategy
100%
Design Vision
100%
Concept
100%
Presentation
95%
Aspiring Chef
94%
Creative Management
100%
Adobe Suite
100%
100%
Digital
95%
Trade Show & Events
100%
Photo Direction
100%
my Creative work
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Career Overview
1994-2026 I 32 Years
Nonprofit Consulting
Minneapolis, MN
Creative Director
Strategic Branding & Creative Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations
Provide strategic brand and creative leadership to nonprofit organizations, helping clarify positioning, strengthen donor communications, and elevate mission-driven storytelling.
Partner closely with executive directors and boards to align messaging with organizational purpose and audience insight. Guide brand refresh initiatives and campaign strategy designed to deepen engagement, expand visibility, and support sustainable fundraising efforts — grounded in strategic clarity, audience resonance, and responsible resource stewardship.
2014-2026 I 12 Years
Graco Inc.
Minneapolis, MN
Global Creative Director
Branding Board Chair
Creative Lead, Contractor Division
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Led enterprise creative strategy for a $2.2B global organization serving North America, EMEA, APAC, and Latin America. Strengthened and governed brand strategy across all business units, ensuring alignment between audience insight, brand positioning, and integrated campaign execution.
Chaired Graco’s cross-divisional Branding Board, defining and evolving global brand standards, messaging frameworks, and review processes to elevate strategic rigor and enterprise consistency.
Directed a multi-year global rebrand and milestone initiatives, including the company’s 100th anniversary campaign, unifying narrative architecture and modernizing brand systems across digital, packaging, environmental, and executive communications.
Partnered closely with executive leadership, marketing, and sales to align creative strategy with long-term growth objectives, contributing to record-setting performance milestones within key divisions.
Led and mentored multidisciplinary teams and agency partners while building scalable frameworks that improved clarity, governance, and creative discipline worldwide.
2015-2018 I 3 Years
3G Marketing Group
Minneapolis I Denver
Creative Director & Principal
Small & Midsize Business
Marketing Communications
Led creative strategy for a firm focused on delivering accessible, high-quality marketing solutions to small and midsize businesses.
Partnered with senior marketing professionals to translate national-brand expertise into scalable local marketing frameworks, strengthening positioning and message clarity across regional markets.
1994-2018 I 24 Years
Short Design
Minneapolis, MN
Founder & Creative Director
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Retail I Corporate I Information
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Technology I Manufacturing I
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Banking I Government
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Founded and led a full-service creative studio delivering integrated brand strategy and campaign development for national consumer and nonprofit clients.
Served as long-term strategic creative partner to major retail and service brands, shaping brand positioning, narrative architecture, and integrated campaigns across advertising, packaging, retail environments, and digital platforms.
Advised executive leadership teams on brand evolution, market differentiation, and communication strategy, building scalable visual and messaging systems that strengthened brand consistency and audience engagement over multi-year engagements.
Led multidisciplinary teams and agency partnerships, guiding creative direction at the highest level of concept and craft.
Select Clients: Graco, Supercuts, Target, Regis Corporation, 3M, Paul Mitchell, U.S. Bank, Federal Express, Land O’Lakes, St. John’s University, and others.
1987-1994 I 7 Years
Skille Design
Senior Designer | Art Director
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Built foundational expertise in brand design and advertising while working closely with seasoned creative directors and copywriters on national B2B and consumer accounts, gaining early exposure to disciplined brand positioning and advertising strategy that continues to inform my leadership approach. Contributed to integrated campaigns, packaging, and marketing communications across print and emerging digital platforms, developing a strong grounding in concept development, visual storytelling, and client collaboration.
EDUCATION
University of Minnesota
Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude
Applied Design (major), Illustration (minor)
Undergraduate Research Award in Design
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Minneapolis College of Art and Design
Course work in design, drawing,
painting, film/video
University of California, Riverside
Chancellor’s Undergraduate
Fine Art Scholarship