Experience

UCR Extension

• United States
• Higher Education
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Advisory Board Member: Women Leadership

  • Aug 2023 - Present



milka.DESIGN

• Design Thinking Mentorship

  • 2019 - Present

• Creative Design Director & Consultant

  • 2019 - Present



TerraTrue

• United States
• Software Development
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Creative Director

  • Jan 2022 - Jan 2023

  Co-Founded by former Snap executives, TerraTrue is a start-up platform that enables disruptive technology companies to innovate while compliant with privacy and security regulations around the globe. • Built, managed, and spearheaded the creative/design vision for product and brand design development. (Unveiling soon) Co-Founded by former Snap executives, TerraTrue is a start-up platform that enables disruptive technology companies to innovate while compliant with privacy and security regulations around the globe. • Built, managed, and spearheaded the creative/design vision for product and brand design development. (Unveiling soon)



University of Southern California

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Lecturer

  • Aug 2021 - Aug 2022

  Teach divergent & convergent design thinking via design principles. Teach divergent & convergent design thinking via design principles.



Snap Inc.

• United States
• Software Development
• 700 & Above Employee

• Creative Design Lead & Head of Corporate Brand Design

  • 2014 - 2019

  • Partnered closely with CEO for strategic corporate initiatives and creative vision into compelling design forces. Designed the corporate brand identity for Snap Inc. (parent company to Snapchat, Spectacles, Bitmoji) and deliverables in less than 2 months for company’s IPO delivery--worth $33B.• Sight out opportunities to evolve and grow the brand by using emerging technology to amplify Snap’s core values and installing 40 murals across corporation’s global locations; Transformed life-size 2D murals into animated, memorable 3D virtual experiences via Snapchat’s Augmented Reality (AR) lens. It kept Snap’s mission enticing, current and increased its awareness. • Led brand, brand guideline, and identity design system for Snap Inc. and creative efforts across consumer marketing. Created purpose-driven ad campaigns across media (digital to print). Galvanized design quality standards. • Led vendors, ad agencies, and multiple projects simultaneously, satisfying demand of company's rapid growth, very fast-paced and highly fluid environment aligned with business objectives. • Built solid cross-functional relationships with executives, stakeholders, and multi-disciplinary teams. Acted autonomously to collaborate with each group. Interpreted their challenges into effective visual design solutions resulting in business values. (Teams: Engineering teams, HR, Recruitment, Legal, Council, IT, Finance, and Communications.)• Sought out creative opportunities; Launched a creative hub as a leadership initiative to inspire and cultivate creative culture and drive innovation to benefit the employees and add value to the company. Show less

• Creative Hub - Director

  • 2017 - 2018

• Snap Lady Chillah

  • 2015 - 2018

• Snap Art Council Leader

  • 2015 - 2017

• Snapchat Creative & Design Consultant

  • 2014 - 2014

  Pioneered mobile-first editorial interface design solutions for Discover channel’s original publishers– resulting in a patent.



Distinguished professor for private and public Universities in Southern California

• Design Professor

  • 2000 - Dec 2014

  • Educated and fostered over 1.5K future design thinkers of diverse ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds to meet the demands of employer/client creative challenges in design. • Developed courses in risk-forward design methodologies promoting innovation with proven success. The doings cultivated design entrepreneurs and disruptors who are impacting design and technology industry, resulting in over $30B of revenues. • Educated and fostered over 1.5K future design thinkers of diverse ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds to meet the demands of employer/client creative challenges in design. • Developed courses in risk-forward design methodologies promoting innovation with proven success. The doings cultivated design entrepreneurs and disruptors who are impacting design and technology industry, resulting in over $30B of revenues.



Chapman University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Design Professor

  • 2014 - 2014



California State University, Long Beach

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Design Professor

  • 2007 - 2014



Loyola Marymount University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Design Professor

  • 2011 - 2013



UCLA

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Design Media Arts Lecturer

  • 2006 - 2008



California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly)

• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Design Professor

  • 2004 - 2008



Otis College of Art and Design

• United States
• Higher Education
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Adjunct Visual Communications Lecturer

  • 2004 - 2007



ArtCenter College of Design

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Adjunct Creative/Design Faculty

  • 2000 - 2005