Whitney Lyle

. . . is a creative director who built a highly successful collection of nearly 200 books for early readers, with more than ten years in publishing for children and eight years in learning design

. . . is an art director who leads designers and illustrators through a rigorous feedback processes with highly successful results

. . . is eager to learn what is new and what is next

Experience

Great Minds | August 2017-Present | Remote position with travel

Creative Director, Product | July 2022 - Present

• Led the design of two keystone products at Great Minds: Geodes (grades K-3) and Arts & Letters (grades K-8). Both programs have been praised by customers and users for their beauty and readability in supporting student learning and teacher utility. Art & Letters grossed $11m in its first year on the market, doubling expectations. Geodes has grossed $200m to date.

• Scaled the success of Humanities department designs byimplementing concepts and processes in Science and Math departments.

• Managed a team of 8 designers working on picture books, student workbooks, teacher materials, ebooks, presentations, flashcards, and videos.

• Built a closely collaborative process across several departments, improving current workflows and resulting products.

Creative Director, Humanities department | September 2018 - July 2022

• Led a team of 3-4 fulltime designers in supporting Humanities products

• Drove prototyping of innovative designs in collaboration with content teams.

• Established strong design guidelines to drive future products, including WCAG/accessibility compliance.

• Expanded on the success of Geodes, building out a subsequent tutor- and family-focused product 

• In collaboration with members of my team, optimized production workflow through the introduction of InCopy into the publishing process. 

• Laid out a solid foundational design for the next generation of products, which will have a stronger digital focus and will support learners from a wider variety of backgrounds in a more deliberate way.

• Worked across departments to optimize workflow and create awareness of opportunities that built on existing processes. 

Creative Director, Geodes | August 2017 - September 2018

• Led a team of illustrators, photographers, fulltime and freelance designers in creating a fully illustrated series of 176 early reader books over a 2 1/2 year period. 

• This collection of books sold $60M+ in their most successful year.

• Created the packaging, teaching manuals, and early marketing materials. 

• Visited print facilities for initial print runs to ensure color quality. 

• Reviewed each page of art at various stages with the president and CEO of Great Minds to ensure the vision was being fulfilled. 

• Guided a fledgling publishing team in ironing out the picture book production process for this large-scale initiative.

Deutsch Amerikanisches Zentrum (DAZ) | September 2015-August 2016 | Stuttgart, Germany

Freelance cultural consultant

• Led several American cultural programs, mostly focused on improving high school students’ understanding of American culture. 

• Led a monthly English-language meet-up as a means of marketing for the organization and outreach for adults.

Scholastic | August 2008-January 2014  | New York, New York

Senior Designer, Trade Books | January 2011-January 2014

• Led the visual concept for over 20 trade books

• Created series branding for several different books/genres

• Developed aesthetic parameters for specific authors’ titles

• Created cover concepts that were reviewed and approved by senior leadership in the trade division.

• Commissioned cover and interior art

• Gave art direction to illustrators and photographers

• Defined type style sheets for novels

• Created the layouts for book jackets and interior pages of picture books

• Ensured all files were print-ready

• Reviewed and did troubleshooting on printer proofs.

• Promoted to senior designer in December 2013, before moving abroad

Freelance Production Designer | August 2008-January 2011

• Managed production design and revisions for the Creative Director for the trade books division. 

• Prepared files for book jackets

• Reviewed proofs and made file revisions

• Created covers for subsequent editions of trade books

• Designed covers for sequels in a series

• Created page layouts and designs for picture books and novels. 

• Hired full time as a designer in early 2011.

Freelance Design | 2008-2018  | New York, New York; Berlin, Germany; Stuttgart, Germany; Fairfax, Virginia

• Created original designs for wedding stationery suites

• Art directed cover designs and spot illustrations for trade and independant books

• Generated social media graphics

• Did typesetting and page layouts for independent books

• Created brand assets for small businesses

• Supported with production work/ typesetting for boutique design studios

Education

School of Visual Arts | September 2004-May 2008 | New York, New York

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design

• Studies focused on package design and printmaking. 

• Other areas of study included: toy design, bookmaking, foundational fine art skills, and an advertising course. 

• Senior Portfolio professor: Louise Fili

Further learning

• German Level A2.2-B1.1 | Volkshochschule, Berlin, 2014-2015

• Silkscreening | Gowanus Print Lab, Brooklyn, New York, 2012

• German A1.1 | Deutsches Haus, New York, New York, 2009

• Pre-college fine arts course | Corcoran College of Art, Washington, DC, 2003

Skills

Software Skills

InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator,InCopy, Acrobat Pro, MS Office Suite, Google Suite, Lightroom, Squarespace

Hard Skills

German (ILR Level 3), digital typesetting, pre-press protocols, image and layout accessibility, fine arts printing techniques, hardcover bookbinding, drawing, hand-lettering

Soft Skills

Creative direction, art direction, leadership, problem solving, clear communication, advocacy, empathy, flexibility, research, taking initiative, patience