Fashion product development and retail operations leader with 6+ years of experience spanning buying, production, merchandising, product research, sourcing, inventory, and cross-functional project management. Currently coordinating buying and production project management for BAZAAR by shopSCAD, a retail venture connecting SCAD creative work with commercial retail. Proven ability to manage vendors, timelines, assortments, operational workflows, and financial processes while translating creative direction into executable retail strategy.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
BUYING & PRODUCTION PROJECT MANAGER, BAZAAR BY SHOPSCAD
Special Project Assignment | Savannah College of Art & Design | Atlanta & Savannah, GA | November 2025 – Present
• Lead end-to-end buying and production project management for the launch of a new multi-location retail venture, managing production and buying calendars, timelines, deliverables, and operational readiness.
• Partner directly with the Creative Director and Dean to translate strategic and creative direction into merchandising strategies, buy assortments, cross-functional deliverables, and retail execution.
• Coordinate across retail operations, legal, fashion, interior design, executive administration, and external partners to keep complex initiatives aligned and moving toward launch.
• Manage external vendors and brand partners, including product sourcing, relationship management, contract negotiation, purchase orders, invoicing, payment tracking, and delivery timelines.
• Manage a nearly 500-piece merchandise assortment per floor story, coordinating dozens of external retailers, internal business partners, and student-led brands.
• Support product, sample, and resource management across shared departmental and retail environments to enable buying, production, merchandising, and launch activities.
DEPARTMENTAL ASSISTANT, SCHOOLS OF FASHION & BUSINESS Innovation
Savannah College of Art & Design | Atlanta, GA | February 2025 – Present
• Manage executive communications and stakeholder relationships for five members of department leadership across multiple schools.
• Lead special projects from conception through completion, coordinating milestones, stakeholders, logistics, and deadlines with consistent attention to detail.
• Serve as primary liaison between internal leadership and external partners, supporting vendor relationships, communication, and operational follow-through.
• Coordinate large-scale events of up to 250 attendees, including venue selection, vendor management, contracts, and operational logistics.
• Organize student showcase events and portfolio reviews, supporting the connection between academic work, creative presentation, and professional engagement.
ASSISTANT MANAGER, FASHION/ART
Everything But The House | Blue Ash, OH | December 2023 – January 2025
• Curated luxury merchandise portfolios, optimizing pricing and product positioning to maximize revenue potential.
• Redesigned production workflows and system processes, reducing merchandise loss and rework by 25%.
• Eliminated production bottlenecks through cross-training and workflow improvements while mentoring team members through performance development.
FASHION CONTENT & AUTHENTICATION SPECIALIST
Everything But The House | Blue Ash, OH | January 2023 – December 2023
• Managed the end-to-end online sales process for luxury clothing and accessories, including quality control, authenticity, inventory, and product readiness.
• Reduced return rates through proactive quality control and inventory management while exceeding daily production metrics by more than 15%.
• Designed, deployed, and analyzed 50+ product research surveys to inform strategic product decisions and technical and aesthetic improvements.
• Managed logistics for 7,000+ sample garments, including organization, preparation, distribution, and process optimization.
• Accelerated sample processing timelines by more than 30% through workflow and process improvements.
PHOTO STUDIO COORDINATOR
Lane Bryant | Columbus, OH | 2020 – 2021
• Coordinated photo production workflows and sample preparation to support timely online listings and seasonal merchandising cycles.
• Maintained comprehensive sample inventory systems organized by category, season, and use case; improved sample management efficiency and timeline accuracy by 12%.
FABRICS SOURCING ASSISTANT
Catherines Plus Sizes | Columbus, OH | 2019 – 2020
• Partnered with international vendors to research fabrication methods across eight apparel categories and evaluate new vendor opportunities.
• Achieved up to 25% cost savings through market research and vendor contract negotiation while implementing improved record-keeping and cross-functional communication systems.
EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Master of Arts, Creative Business Leadership — Savannah College of Art & Design | Expected 2027
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Fashion Design — Kent State University | May 2019
Selected Professional Certifications: Data Driven Project Research & Design; Excel for Project Management; Project Management for Creative Projects; Project Resource Management; Change Management Foundations; Digital Strategy — 2024–2025
Collaboration: Cross-Functional Leadership | Faculty & Student Engagement | Stakeholder Management | Creative Direction | Vendor Communication
Systems & Tools: Microsoft Office Suite | Excel | Lightspeed | Flex PLM | Shopify | Salesforce | Adobe Creative Cloud | Analytics & Survey Platforms | AI Automation & Integration
ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
SCAD Libraries — In the Fold 2026 | SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival 2025 — Paper Dress Exhibition | HighBall Halloween — Costume Couture Runway Competition Contestant | Internships: Macy’s Merchandising Group, Rebecca Taylor NYC, Adobe | Styling: Lane Bryant Spring 2021 Lookbook, The Madera Project | Costuming: Mason High School, The Paideia School | Retail: Rue21, JCPenney, Victoria’s Secret, Kate Spade
