Christina is available for hire
Hire ChristinaChristina Barsan
Verified Expert in Design
Designer
New York, NY, United States
Toptal member since August 23, 2016
Expertise
Bio
Christina is a creative director and digital designer known for her expertise in visual thinking, problem-solving, and leading collaborative projects. Passionate about design and technology, she works closely with her clients to create brands that are not only visually striking but also aligned with their big-picture vision. With a deep understanding of brand strategy, UX/UI design, and digital innovation, Christina ensures that every project is crafted to achieve lasting impact.
Portfolio
Work Experience
Creative Director and Principle Product Designer
2022 - 2024
Intelligems
- Worked alongside stakeholders and the engineering team to design and develop Intelligems' SaaS app for A/B testing Shopify products, ensuring the app’s functionality and visual design were perfectly aligned.
- Performed a detailed audit of the original app upon joining, identifying areas for improvement and implementing updates to enhance user experience, functionality, and design consistency.
- Developed the comprehensive branding and design system for the app, establishing a cohesive visual identity that reinforced the brand's market positioning and user appeal.
- Participated in presenting new features to both new and existing customers, gathering feedback, and working with a user testing company to evaluate feature success and make data-driven improvements.
- Spearheaded the redesign of the UX/UI for both web and mobile platforms, resulting in improved user satisfaction and an increase in conversion rates through enhanced user flows and intuitive design elements.
- Contributed to the company’s financial success, helping it transition from unprofitability to generating over $1 million in revenue within one year through app improvements, strategic design, content, and marketing efforts.
- Utilized CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization) principles and user testing insights to optimize design choices, significantly increasing conversion rates and user retention.
- Led a diverse team consisting of a designer, copywriter, animator, and a team of engineers, ensuring high-quality creative outputs and effective project delivery within scope and budget.
- Designed and executed cross-channel branding and marketing strategies, strengthening the company’s market presence and increasing overall brand awareness.
- Worked closely with stakeholders to align design strategies with business objectives, ensuring cohesive and effective integration of creative solutions.
Technologies: A/B Testing, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, FigJam, Notion, Asana, Discord, Framer, User Interviews, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy, Shopify Design, Shopify Customizations
Brand Creative Director
2021 - 2022
Retail E-commerce Ventures
- Created comprehensive design systems and UX/UI standards for Pier 1, Dressbarn, Steinmart, and Franklin Mint, ensuring consistency and high quality design across all brand touch points.
- Developed clear UX/UI guidelines that facilitated the seamless implementation of design elements by various design teams, improving workflow efficiency and brand cohesion.
- Worked closely with global marketing teams to align design standards with broader marketing strategies, enhancing the effectiveness and impact of brand campaigns.
- Refined and standardized brand identities for multiple high-profile brands, contributing to a cohesive and recognizable presence across digital and print media.
- Developed detailed brand style guides for each brand, including Pier 1, Dressbarn, Steinmart, and Franklin Mint, providing design teams with comprehensive guidelines for consistent brand representation.
- Conducted training workshops for design teams to effectively implement new design systems and UX/UI standards, fostering skill development and ensuring adherence to brand guidelines.
- Managed relationships with external vendors to ensure the timely delivery of design assets and adherence to project specifications, maintaining high standards of quality.
- Implemented UX/UI enhancements based on user feedback and industry best practices, leading to improved user engagement and satisfaction across all brand platforms.
- Oversaw the quality of design outputs to ensure they met the established standards and effectively represented each brand’s unique identity and values.
- Redesigned homepages for Pier 1, Dressbarn, Steinmart, and Franklin Mint, working with developers to implement updates. Added CRO techniques like countdowns and call-to-action messaging to boost conversions.
Technologies: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, User Research, Design Strategy
Enterprise eCommerce Specialist
2020 - 2021
Unilever - The HUB
- Led the redesign of TIGI’s B2C (consumer-facing) and B2B (salon stylist) platforms, enhancing UX/UI for both desktop and mobile and delivering a more responsive and user-friendly experience.
- Created the UX for complex product selections, such as hair color options for hairstylists, ensuring an intuitive and efficient experience for professional users.
- Developed responsive designs for both platforms, ensuring seamless usability on desktop and mobile and improving user satisfaction and engagement.
- Worked closely with global account teams to align platform updates with TIGI’s business objectives and meet the needs of both B2C and B2B users.
- Collaborated with marketing teams to integrate brand messaging and visual identity consistently across all digital touchpoints on both platforms.
- Worked with an external developer agency, overseeing their work to ensure the final product matched the original UX/UI vision and performed as designed.
- Developed detailed digital style guides with responsive breakpoints for developers, providing clear direction on maintaining consistent UX/UI across devices.
- Applied industry-standard UX/UI best practices, ensuring that the platforms offered a user-friendly, accessible, and visually appealing experience.
- Developed prototypes for new features and design elements and conducted user testing to ensure optimal functionality and design alignment with user needs.
- Delivered UX/UI redesigns that enhanced user experience and engagement for TIGI’s global audience, contributing to the brand’s digital transformation.
Technologies: UX Design, eCommerce, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Adobe Creative Suite, Design Strategy, UX Strategy, Shopify Design, Shopify Customizations
Digital Creative Director
2020 - 2021
Nest New York
- Led digital initiatives for Nest Fragrance’s eCommerce site, social media, paid media, and email campaigns, ensuring cohesive brand representation and driving engagement across all platforms.
- Directed the UX/UI updates for Nest’s digital experience, enhancing usability and aesthetics across the eCommerce site and other digital touchpoints to improve customer satisfaction and conversion rates.
- Partnered with the marketing team to develop and execute successful campaign initiatives, including photoshoots, video production, and post-production retouching, ensuring creative alignment with brand goals.
- Took part in creating storyboards and overseeing the production of promotional videos for new product launches, ensuring they aligned with the overall marketing strategy and brand messaging.
- Assisted in setting up design and user testing processes to ensure that design updates and digital initiatives were optimized for user engagement and effectiveness.
- Managed a multidisciplinary creative team that included a designer, video editors, retouchers, an external creative agency, and developers, ensuring seamless project execution and high-quality outputs.
- Spearheaded social media strategies that increased audience engagement, leveraging creative content, paid ad media, and cross-platform consistency.
- Managed paid media campaigns, collaborating with internal teams to ensure alignment with Nest Fragrance’s brand messaging, resulting in increased ROI and visibility.
- Led the development of creative content for email campaigns, using design principles and UX strategies to improve click-through rates and overall campaign effectiveness.
- Participated in photoshoots and post-production retouching, ensuring that final visuals for campaigns met brand standards and resonated with the target audience.
Technologies: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy, Shopify Design, Shopify Customizations
Head of Digital Creative
2019 - 2020
Aesop Skincare
- Oversaw all of Aesop's digital creative and managed a team of designers and developers in NY and Melbourne.
- Designed responsive web pages, improved on the UX/UI of their eCommerce site, and built email campaigns.
- Created new content for their social media channels to increase user engagement.
- Chose photographers, art-directed photoshoots, and dealt with retouching in post-production for various campaign/product launches.
- Art-directed teaser and video content for various events.
- Took part in A/B testing and QA for their eCommerce site.
- Collaborated with global and regional offices, marketing, copy, development, and FA teams to produce campaign launches.
Technologies: Slack, Zeplin, InVision, Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch, Web Design, Branding, eCommerce, Visual Design, Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Art, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Design Systems, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Visual Identity, Print Design, User Interviews, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
VP Art Supervisor
2017 - 2019
Omnicom
- Collaborated with a team conceptualizing, art-directing, and designing digital and print assets for various healthcare brands under Omnicom group.
- Designed the UI/UX for responsive sites and apps. Also created email campaigns and ad banners for healthcare brands such as Tymlos, AZIO, and Xtandi.
- Developed the interaction design for various digital components.
- Designed printed marketing materials and worked with retouchers in post-production.
- Oversaw the development team and conducted quality assurance in post-production.
- Oversaw animators and social managers for various paid ad-media across social channels.
Technologies: Zeplin, InVision, Sketch, Adobe Creative Suite, Web Design, Branding, eCommerce, Visual Design, Design, Logo Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Figma, App Design, Service Design, Gamification, eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Visual Identity, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Creative Director
2016 - 2017
HarbringerPro
- Art-directed and designed websites for clients such as Chobani, DrinkZupa, and Urban Resources Institute of NYC.
- Created wireframes and the UI/UX for responsive websites.
- Took part in client presentations and brainstorming sessions.
- Created content strategy and social media integration ideas.
- Oversaw developers and quality assurance of the sites.
Technologies: Sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, Shopify, Branding, Visual Design, Design, Logo Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, WooCommerce, Mobile App Design, Figma, App Design, Service Design, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UI, Figma Prototyping, Figma to React, Design Systems, Rapid Prototyping, Visual Identity, Print Design, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Creative Director
2015 - 2016
Karen Neuburger
- Conceptualized and designed the responsive website and ad banners for Karen Neuburger's redesign.
- Created wireframes, UI/UX, and content strategy.
- Took part in client presentations and created presentation decks.
- Managed designers and developers.
- Created social media posts and integration ideas.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Web Design, Shopify, eCommerce, Visual Design, Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Creative Director
2015 - 2016
BiciStyle
- Conceptualized and designed the brand identity and responsive website.
- Took part in brainstorm sessions and created content strategy for the brand.
- Created wireframes and UI/UX.
- Art directed photo shoots and dealt with retouching.
- Designed the email campaign.
- Took part in the QA and focus groups.
Technologies: Squarespace, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, Shopify, Branding, eCommerce, Visual Design, Logo Design, Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Figma to React, Design Systems, Product Design, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Visual Identity, User Interviews, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Senior Art Director/Creative Consultant
2015 - 2016
W2O
- Conceptualized, art directed, and designed the print ad campaign for Merck. Also created the templates and style guide.
- Conceptualized and designed print ads and web pages for Vesneo.
- Art directed and designed web pages for Novartis.
- Took part in image selection and retouching for Galderma social media posts.
- Art directed and designed ads for Intercept and Incyte brands.
- Worked on UI/UX projects for various healthcare brands such as Novartis and Vesneo.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, eCommerce, Visual Design, Branding, Logo Design, Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Service Design, eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Senior Art Director/Creative Consultant
2015 - 2015
Laird + Partners
- Art directed and designed for the Swarovski.com responsive website, email campaigns, social media integration, and promotional app.
- Art directed the 360 ad campaign for Lane Bryant. Created storyboards for commercials, environmental graphics, responsive web pages, promotional apps, social media integration, and collaborations with companies like Uber.
- Art directed and designed a pitch for Banana Republic consisting of promotional print pieces, social media, and email marketing assets.
- Designed a promotional book to promote the summer edition for Jockey's Skimmies Slipshorts Solutionary line.
- Art directed and collaborated with illustrators for the Jockey book project.
Technologies: Sketch, Apple Keynote, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, eCommerce, Visual Design, Branding, Design, Logo Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Landing Page Design, Web, Mobile App Design, App Design, Gamification, eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Figma Prototyping, Rapid Prototyping, Visual Identity, Print Design, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Creative Director/Lead Creative
2014 - 2015
ModelMe
- Conceptualized and designed the brand identity.
- Art directed and designed the MM app.
- Managed and collaborated with the developers throughout the process.
- Created the wireframes and UI/UX for the app.
- Took part in client presentations and creating presentation decks.
- Created the style guide for the brand.
Technologies: InVision, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, Branding, Visual Design, Design, Logo Design, iOS App Design, Mobile App Design, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Figma to React, Design Systems, Product Design, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Web App Design, Web Application Design, SaaS Design, Visual Identity, User Interviews, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Senior Art Director/Digital Creative Consultant
2013 - 2015
Organic, Inc.
- Conceptualized and art directed Olay’s new eCommerce website.
- Created content strategy, wireframes, UI/UX, responsive web page layouts, promo ads, emails, and the style guide for the US, UK, Spain, Germany, and Arab Peninsula sites for Olay.com.
- Managed designers and developers on the Olay project.
- Took part in client presentations and brainstorming sessions for Olay.com.
- Took part in image selection and retouching for Olay's website.
- Dealt and managed the translations for their foreign websites such as Spain, Germany, and Arab Peninsula.
- Designed and art directed for Kolher's website redesign.
Technologies: Apple Keynote, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, eCommerce, Visual Design, Branding, Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Visual Identity, Print Design, Design Strategy, UX Strategy
Senior Art Director/Digital Creative Consultant
2013 - 2013
The WonderFactory
- Conceptualized and art directed Coca-Cola Journey’s responsive web, tablet, and mobile site.
- Created content strategy, wireframes, UI/UX, web and mobile layouts, banner ads, and style guide for Coca-Cola Journey.
- Art directed and assisted in the design for an iPad app for Lionsgate.
- Created infographics and several web pages for Danone's website redesign.
- Designed certain sections of Viddiverse which is a "video social network" for kids and teens featuring age-appropriate videos they can like and share with each other.
Technologies: Apple Keynote, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Web Design, eCommerce, Visual Design, Branding, Design, Logo Design, Responsive Web Design (RWD), Web, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UX, Figma Prototyping, Visual Identity, UX Strategy
Education
1997 - 2001
Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design and Advertising
The School of Visual Arts - New York, NY, USA
Skills
Tools
Zeplin, Slack, Sketch, InVision, Figma, Adobe Experience Design (XD), Adobe Creative Suite, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Figma Prototyping, Figma to React, Apple Keynote, Miro, Asana, FigJam
Platforms
Shopify, Web, Android, WooCommerce
Industry Expertise
Jewelry & Accessories, Exercise & Fitness, Travel & Leisure, Health & Wellness, Apparel & Accessories, Food & Beverage, Fashion, Fashion & Beauty
Other
Responsive Design, B2C, Digital Product Design, Email Templates, App UI, Social Media Campaigns, Digital Creative Direction, Brand Development, Style Guides, Icon Design, Photography, Storyboarding, Outdoor Graphics, Womenswear, User Flows, Rebranding, Creative Design, Cosmetics, Photoshoot Production, Hair & Skin Care, Beauty Products, Email Marketing, Print Media, Sitemaps, Brand Guidelines, Product Design, Graphic Design, Web Design, Print Design, Mobile App Design, Wireframing, Art Direction, Creative Direction, Usability Testing, Digital Design, eCommerce Design, Creative Services Management, Mobile Design, UX Design, UI Design, Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO), Responsive Web Design (RWD), Brand Identity, Visual Design, Branding, Prototyping, User Experience (UX), User Interface (UI), Dashboard Design, Cross-platform, Brand Design, eCommerce, Notion, Advertising Design, Logo Design, Design, iOS App Design, Landing Page Design, App Design, Service Design, Gamification, Art, eCommerce UI, eCommerce UX, Websites, Pixel Perfect, Component Libraries, Mobile UI, Mobile UX, Design Systems, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Web App Design, Web Application Design, SaaS Design, Visual Identity, User Interviews, User Research, Design Strategy, UX Strategy, Shopify Design, Squarespace, App UX, Content Creation, Logotype, Content Strategy, Animated GIFs, Image Retouching, Testing, Mobile Apps, Global Team Management, A/B Testing, Midjourney, ChatGPT, Shopify Customizations, Writing & Editing, Event Calendars, Videos, Framer, Drawing, Art & Painting, Discord
Experience
Tools
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