Ada Rumford

Creative Operations & Marketing Project Leader

I lead complex creative projects—and design the workflows that make them run smarter.

I design clarity and deliver momentum for creative and marketing teams. With a passion for building collaborative, human-centered workflows, I bring order to chaos, enabling high-performing teams to focus, create, and thrive. Whether driving operational excellence for global campaigns or optimizing systems for fast-paced marketing environments, I turn complexity into actionable plans that move brands forward.

From launching scalable creative operations at eBay to leading multi-channel marketing projects for innovative organizations, I blend strategic thinking with hands-on execution. I’m equally at home building the operational heartbeat of a creative org as I am managing high-visibility marketing initiatives across channels and stakeholders.

If you’re looking for a leader who can unite teams, streamline processes, and deliver exceptional results—let’s connect.

My Approach & Impact

Project Management & Cross-Functional Leadership

I genuinely love driving cross-functional projects. There’s nothing more energizing than bringing together diverse teams to turn big ideas into realities. My design education gives me that extra layer of insight: I understand both the why behind the work and how long it really takes to do it well. I bridge the gap between disciplines, working comfortably with tech teams on sprint cycles and collaborating with marketing and brand teams on user research, content strategy, and campaign development. Whether navigating ambiguous challenges, setting realistic timelines, or translating creative vision into actionable plans, I help teams stay aligned, productive, and excited.

Workflow & Systems Optimization

I thrive on untangling creative complexity. Whether I’m mapping the entire value chain to find hidden friction points or facilitating collaborative wireframing sessions to build new pathways, I believe the best systems are designed with, never just for, the people who’ll use them. From launching MarTech tools like Wrike, Monday.com, Airtable, Notion, and Loom to bring clarity to campaign chaos, to designing workflows tailored for real creative teams, I make change human, actionable, and just a little bit fun.

Data-Driven Creative Operations

Numbers don’t have to kill creativity—they can set it free. I make sure every story starts with clean data, taking the time to scrub, structure, and validate numbers so that insights are truly trustworthy. From building dashboards and establishing KPIs to translating analytics into plain language, I turn clean data into stories that spotlight bottlenecks, guide project direction, and empower teams to do work they’re proud of. My KPI tracking goes beyond team performance to measure progress on core business objectives, providing the evidence leaders need to validate the team’s budget to the C-suite.

Touchstone Projects

MONDAY.COM Production Board Redesign

The Creative Content team’s production board had become overly complex, leading to inconsistent adoption and unreliable data. The goal was to rebuild the system into something far more intuitive: streamlined enough for quick updates, yet flexible enough to support the unique workflows of teams across video, content strategy, social media, design, and writing.

I replaced fragmented monthly boards with a single, stage-based master board, and developed custom dashboards tailored to each discipline’s needs. This unified system allowed teammates to easily track progress, collaborate, and surface relevant information—without data overload.

The redesign improved efficiency by eliminating tracking that didn’t inform specific program strategy. No more collecting data for the sake of it. It also reduced team friction by making statuses simpler and more transparent. I led team training and change management, created detailed visual guides, and worked closely with colleagues to build confidence with the new system. I also championed automation across our Monday.com ecosystem, making project intake and production updates faster, smarter, and easier.

Wrike Creative Ops Workflow (Intake → Production)

The Creative Ops Workflow I built in Wrike was designed to bring structure, clarity, and reliability to a high-volume creative pipeline. It addresses common challenges like ambiguous requests, inconsistent tracking, and fragmented execution that slow teams down.

I created a centralized intake process where work requests are scoped with channel-specific fields and statuses that reflect real project states such as new, needs info, approvals, and in progress. Once vetted, requests automatically generate a production project with standardized task blueprints, and the intake record is archived to preserve context while keeping production spaces clean and focused.

The production board supports multiple channels, including social, video, email, editorial, web, print, and display. Shared core fields such as assignee, status, due date, and files ensure consistency, while channel-specific details allow contributors to tailor views to their role and surface only the information relevant to their work.

Automations handle routing, task creation, and notifications, reducing manual setup and ensuring teams know what to work on and when without constant coordination. To minimize duplication and instability within platform constraints, I implemented guard-based rules that control when channel tasks are generated, prioritizing reliability over complexity.

Separate archives for intake and production projects enable different retention policies, more appropriate sharing permissions, and cleaner reporting at scale. Operational signals like request volume, time to launch, and on-time rates are treated as diagnostic inputs rather than static KPIs and are used to inform capacity planning, SLA discussions, and ongoing workflow improvements.

This project was built as a proof-of-recency exercise to stay actively engaged in Creative Ops work while learning Wrike. I approached it as a realistic production system, designing for scale, edge cases, and constraints to demonstrate how I think about workflow architecture, automation, and operational decision-making in a real-world context.

Built in 2025 using Wrike Free plan to model scalable Creative Ops systems.

Luminary Awards

For eBay’s Luminary Awards, I spearheaded the planning and execution of this three-stage global recognition program. The initiative included an internal nomination and voting campaign for 20K+ employees, winner vetting and gift sourcing, a surprise global celebration, and a branded video featuring user-generated content—spliced and released within 24 hours of the winner announcement.

Maintaining a comprehensive Work Breakdown Structure and detailed Project Brief was critical to keeping the program on track. I led progress meetings with cross-functional teams across time zones and managed deliverables such as site development, copy translation, and leadership approvals.

My responsibilities included overseeing program branding, production of three microsites, a cross-platform internal marketing campaign, and the crowd-sourced video presented by the CEO at an all-hands meeting. I successfully negotiated a revised timeline to ensure feasibility and managed a remote team of internal stakeholders and external vendors, maintaining the budget and driving clear, consistent communication across departments and regions.

The program was a success, drawing 7,000–8,000 daily participants. Winner gift packages proved surprisingly challenging. As it turned out, sourcing gifts (including a bespoke notebook production) became an unexpected hurdle due to pandemic-related supply-chain disruptions. In the end, increasing both the timeline and cost—while maintaining scope and quality—proved to be the most effective solution.

DE&I Report

For the DE&I Report—and several others—my role was to organize the production of cohesive, visually engaging, and informative reports from concept to delivery.

Read the Report

With limited staff resources, one of the main challenges during report season was managing the creative team’s capacity as they navigated overlapping milestones across multiple reports. I addressed this by creating detailed project briefs and workback schedules, then building an integrated calendar to keep project owners and stakeholders aligned and accountable. I led weekly progress meetings, managed risks, and maintained comprehensive meeting notes and the Creative Brief to support execution across teams. Sourcing imagery and release forms also highlighted the growing need for a more sophisticated DAM system.

An important extension of the DE&I Report was the content-rich DE&I page on ebayinc.com. In addition to infographics, employee quotes, and an accordion detailing eBay’s Communities of Inclusion (COIs), the page featured a video series with executive leadership sharing personal perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

I coordinated the video shoot schedule, developed briefing materials for leadership, and supported remote production. I also collaborated closely with the web development team on layout, UX, and sprint planning to ensure the page was both engaging and accessible.

NEW TECHNOLOGY MARKETING CAMPAIGN

One of the exciting projects I managed at eBay was the marketing video for the launch of 3D True View, eBay’s proprietary technology enabling 360° views of collectible sneakers. I led the marketing content effort from brief to delivery, ensuring alignment with go-live dates across departments.

The project came with some technical hurdles. The 3D visuals were rendered in proprietary software and weren’t compatible with standard editing platforms like Adobe Premiere Pro. The vendor we partnered with also had limited prior engagement with marketing teams, making collaboration more complex.

I acted as a bridge between technical and creative teams—clarifying our requirements, translating constraints, and helping to convert raw 3D assets into formats we could use. I also advocated for marketing’s asset needs and helped stakeholders understand the time and planning required to tell a compelling story through video.

The final video launched on time and played a key role in positioning eBay as a leader in sneaker innovation. It gave sneakerheads a new way to experience authenticity, and gave the brand a fresh, forward-looking narrative.

Resume

eBay, Communications Content Studio Program Manager

August 2021 - October 2022

At eBay, I modernized the Content Studio’s operations by optimizing systems, scaling workflows, and leading high-profile creative programs across global campaigns and internal communications. My focus blended hands-on leadership, process improvement, and data-driven insights to elevate both team performance and creative output.

I led the rollout of new MarTech tools, including DocuSign for contract processing and Bynder for digital asset management, reducing content retrieval time by 80% and boosting efficiency. I also redesigned our Monday.com production system to streamline project intake, simplify status reporting, and create a more transparent, scalable workflow.

To drive alignment and accountability, I built the Content Studio’s first KPI tracking and reporting framework, delivering monthly analysis and actionable insights to leadership. My weekly reports helped validate team budgets and connect creative priorities to core business objectives.

Among my major initiatives, I managed the global Employee Recognition Campaign (Luminary Awards), establishing a project structure that became the model for future large-scale communications. I also produced quick-turn UGI-focused videos, like the Up & Running Grants winner announcement, and oversaw the production of enterprise reports and digital launches.

I regularly facilitated progress meetings, managed risks, and maintained integrated calendars to keep projects moving and stakeholders aligned. I collaborated with web, creative, and executive teams to deliver compelling content and digital experiences that advanced eBay’s mission and values.

AR Design, Web and Marketing Designer

October 2017 - August 2021

At AR Design, I partnered with small businesses to translate their brand visions into fully realized digital experiences. I designed and launched custom WordPress and Squarespace websites, developed brand identities, and created digital marketing materials, all with a focus on driving real business outcomes.

I led clients through project scoping and user journey mapping, ensuring each deliverable aligned with business goals and user needs. By integrating Google Analytics, accessibility, and SEO strategy into every build, I helped clients understand their audiences and improve site performance post-launch. I also established clear release schedules, proactively managed scope creep, and conducted usability testing to refine products iteratively.

Beyond graphic design and web execution, I prioritized clear client communication and strategic consultation, helping businesses make smarter digital decisions and creating systems that supported growth long after launch.

Bank of America, Digital Art director

October 2015 - September 2017

At Bank of America’s in-house agency, ECS, I produced high-volume digital marketing campaigns across multiple business units, designing and coding 100+ assets annually. I owned the end-to-end email campaign production for eight brands, including Global Wealth & Investment Management, Bank of America Consumer, and Merrill Lynch, helping ensure consistent brand execution and audience engagement across digital channels.

I collaborated closely with writers, coders, art buyers, account managers, and compliance teams to manage timelines, maintain brand integrity, and meet regulatory standards. By aligning with cross-functional stakeholders early and often, I helped minimize approval delays and kept projects moving smoothly through complex production cycles.

Freelance, Graphic Designer

December 2007 - May 2015

As a freelance designer and project specialist, I was often brought in to rapidly adapt to new environments and rescue high-stakes projects at risk of missing deadlines. My work spanned digital, print, eCommerce, and marketing for clients including Valerie Wilson Travel, Quidsi (Amazon), Adtheorent, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank, RICG, Radical Media, AdReady, and Seattle Gay News.

Delivered end-to-end creative solutions, from wireframes and brand development to final asset production and coding, across both solo and team settings.

Frequently joined projects mid-stream to quickly assess needs, reorganize workflows, and ensure on-time delivery for campaigns, website launches, and print collateral.

Produced redesigns and templates for newsletters, eMarketing campaigns, and eCommerce sites, collaborating with marketing, tech, and senior management to align on strategy and timelines.

Developed and implemented intuitive asset management systems and icon libraries, significantly reducing production times and ensuring smooth handoffs between stakeholders.

Balanced multiple concurrent projects and deadlines, often coordinating across several managers and production groups concurrently.

Worked with a wide range of platforms and tools, including CMS, HTML, ActionScript, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and PowerPoint, and adapted quickly to new technologies as client needs evolved.

Presented design concepts and technical recommendations to senior leaders, advocating for user-focused solutions. Clients included global brands (Disney, Tommy Hilfiger, Charmin), eCommerce leaders (Amazon/Quidsi), and innovative agencies (Radical Media, Adtheorent).

Independent, Advertising production assistant

June 2010 - October 2012

As the first assistant for Art Departments, I directed teams supporting advertising set builds, prop logistics, and backstage management for video shoots and live productions. I contributed to pre-production and production coordination across nine major advertising shoots and ten large-scale live events.

I managed vendor and contractor communication, oversaw on-site logistics, and supported payroll and accounting operations for 50+ union employees.

I acted as first-in/last-out team lead, ensuring smooth daily operations from setup through strike while maintaining timelines and upholding creative standards in high-pressure environments.

I ensured asset delivery and prop readiness for on-set art departments and adapted quickly to evolving creative requirements, practicing problem-solving, communication, and leadership on the ground.

Projects & Clients:

Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards – Art Department Pre-Pro / On-Set Production Assistant

L’Oréal Paris – Art Department Pre-Pro / On-Set Production Assistant

T.J. Maxx – On-Set Production Assistant

Olive Garden – Pre-Pro / On-Set Production Assistant

GE Capital – On-Set Production Assistant

Office Depot & AT&T Mobility – On-Set Production Assistant

Battat Toys – Art Department On-Set Designer

Dora the Explorer Live – Stage Production Assistant

Dave Matthews Band / Rainforest Action Network – Live Event Fan Outreach Manager

Education

Thunderbird School of Global Management
Arizona State University, Phoenix

MBA Global Business Management
Graduated May 2018, Cum Laude with honors

Creative Academy
Seattle Central College, Seattle

A.A.S. Graphic Design
Graduated June 2007, Cum Laude

University of Washington, Seattle

B.A. Interdisciplinary Creative Arts
Graduated January 2004

Technical

Project Management

Monday.com, Wrike
Familiar with: Airtable, Notion, Jira, Asana, Trello, SharePoint

Workflow Automation

Familiar with: Make

Asset Management

Bynder, Dropbox, Google Workspace, DocuSign

Content Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud, Figma, Frame.io, Excel, Canva, Grammarly

Analytics & Reporting

Monday.com
Familiar with: Tableau, Google Analytics

Connect

Design Portfolio Coming Soon