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Rachel S.

Shaping empathetic creative for today’s brands

Art focused Creative Director (gardener, cat mom, yogi, and friend) based in Santa Cruz, CA.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve built a reputation for elevating strategy, nurturing talented teams, and crafting human-first ideas, all with an eagle eye for detail. I'm happiest when I'm creating work that resonates with real people, whether it's brand stories, avocado GIFs, or insight-led integrated campaigns.

So whether you're launching something new, refining your brand, or just need a new perspective, I bring fresh vision and strategy to every step.

Reach out if you’re ready to connect, collaborate, or just want to say hey!

Hire Rachel
Rachel S.

Work

Instacart

rchlsprks.com
Instacart

I led Growth Creative at Instacart, shaping strategy, direction, and production across social, digital, and print channels for both consumer and shopper audiences. We consistently surpassed targets, delivered crucial insights, and produced over 10K+ creative assets. My focus on building strong partnerships and leveraging our team's individual strengths was crucial for delivering innovative, top-performing creative that resonated with audiences while meeting the needs of our Retailer and CPG partners.

In addition, I guided integrated campaigns from concept to execution while managing senior creatives and supporting wider team growth.

Dept Agency

rchlsprks.com
Dept Agency

I transitioned agency side with 3Q Digital (now Dept), where I directed numerous global integrated campaigns for key clients. The day-to-day ranged from idea sprints to overnight remote productions, and even cat casting.

One of my key contributions was spearheading an innovative ideation platform that drove record-breaking new business and delivered the highest-performing creative to date.

I was fortunate to collaborate with an exceptional team that empowered me to lead, mentor associate creatives, and shape team processes.

Meta

At Meta, I led design and art direction within a global team across their diverse family of brands. My work centered on launching products, rebranding Facebook, and scaling Marketplace, all while enhancing brand awareness through cohesive, integrated campaigns.

What I enjoyed most was telling real user stories, crafting authentic social communities, helping scale our team from 5 to over 200, and making lifelong friends along the way.

Experience

Jun 2024 — Present

Freelance Art & Creative Director

Creative Director

Throughout my career, I’ve freelanced with both big and small brands as an Art and Creative Director. Now freelancing full-time, I lead creative campaigns from concept to execution, develop insight-driven strategies, and foster collaborative, supportive workspaces while mentoring creatives.

  • Guide creative campaigns from concept to execution, ensuring strategic alignment and brand consistency across media formats.
  • Collaborate with partners and cross-functional teams to deliver modern, insight-driven creative that balances project goals, creative principles, and authentic audience connection.
  • Develop and refine design systems and processes to optimize creative performance, foster alignment, and create a more collaborative and enjoyable team environment.
  • Communicate effectively with stakeholders through presentations, thoughtful feedback, and live reviews, adopting a hands-on approach as needed.
Dec 2021 — Jun 2024
Instacart

Instacart

Associate Creative Director

Instacart offers grocery delivery and pickup through its app, connecting customers with local stores. Since 2012, its mission has been to "Share love through food" by partnering with retailers to provide access to the foods people love and giving them more time to enjoy it together.

  • Established and led the Growth Creative team, blending creative direction and strategy to craft impactful content across social, digital, and print channels for both consumer and shopper audiences—consistently driving performance well beyond our targets.
  • Directed dynamic brand and product marketing initiatives, pushing innovative, human-centric creative from concept through every stage of execution.
  • Led a team of senior creatives, offering mentorship while cultivating a culture of creative excellence and collaboration across the broader team.
  • Piloted and led citizenship initiatives across the larger Marketing team to support authentic team building within a remote team.
Jul 2020 — Nov 2021
3Q/Dept Agency

3Q/Dept Agency

Senior Art Director

3Q/Dept Agency is a digital marketing firm blending creativity with data-driven strategies. They specialize in performance marketing, content creation, and consulting, using tech and insights for growth and engagement.

  • Collaborated closely with clients, account, strategy, and creative teams to create and deliver high-performing creative content across growth marketing channels.
  • Directed extensive video productions and digital campaigns, overseeing the entire process from concept to final production. This included ideation, storyboards, casting, remote productions, editing, VFX, and more.
  • Served as a team leader, providing mentorship to associate creatives, and played an active role in consistently improving team processes.
  • Led successful new initiatives that strengthened client relationships and generated record new business.
Aug 2015 — Mar 2020
Meta

Meta

Art Director and Designer - Creative X

Meta builds tech to connect people, foster communities, and grow businesses. Since Facebook's 2004 launch, Meta has revolutionized communication with apps like Messenger, Instagram, and WhatsApp. Now, it's advancing immersive AR and VR experiences, shaping the future of social tech, while giving people the power to build communities, bring the world closer, and maintain a safe, respectful online space.

  • Directed and designed best in class creative across Facebook’s family of brands, transforming company objectives into human-first campaigns across platforms and global markets.
  • Led high scope projects from ideation through execution, acting as the central contact for cross functional teams and external agency partners.
  • Effectively pitched and presented work externally and internally to creative leads, marketing clients, and c-suite executives.
  • Helped establish and grow the team from four members into an over two hundred person in-house agency.
Jun 2014 — Aug 2015
Genentech

Genentech

Designer

Genentech, a leader in biotechnology since 1976, develops innovative therapies for serious medical conditions. They focus on oncology, immunology, and neuroscience, striving for breakthroughs to improve patient outcomes and transform healthcare.

  • Led marketing creative to highlight pilot health and sustainability programs, while mentoring and directing experiences for over twenty interns.