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Brett Grau
Lead Designer at Resilia
Professional Background
Brett Grau is a highly accomplished designer with a robust background in interaction design and graphic design. With a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Interaction Design and Art from the esteemed Maryland Institute College of Art, Brett graduated with an impressive GPA of 3.86, showcasing strong academic performance alongside a passion for innovative design solutions. This educational foundation laid the groundwork for many successful ventures in the design industry.
Currently, Brett serves as the Lead Designer at Resilia, where he leverages his extensive design expertise to lead and cultivate creative initiatives that enhance user experiences and engagement. In this role, Brett not only oversees design projects but also collaborates cross-functionally to ensure that user-centric design principles are integrated throughout the organization. His leadership and vision have positioned Resilia as a leader in its sector, focusing on creating impactful digital solutions.
Prior to his current role, Brett served as the Director of Design at Originate, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the design strategy and guiding the creative team. His tenure at Originate was marked by his evolution from a Senior Designer to Director, underscoring his adaptability and commitment to excellence in design. During his time there, Brett was instrumental in driving design innovation, focusing on enhancing user experience across various platforms and products.
With a wealth of experience, Brett has also held the position of Senior UX Designer at Newsela, where he dedicated his efforts to optimizing the educational platform for users. His work involved conducting user research, creating wireframes, and prototyping designs that simplified complex information, making education more accessible. His contributions not only improved usability but also significantly increased user engagement and satisfaction.
Before his role at Newsela, Brett was a Senior Interactive Designer at Flightpath, where he was responsible for crafting engaging and interactive web experiences. His creative inspiration and technical proficiency transitioned smoothly from various roles at Flightpath as he moved from an Interactive Designer to Senior Interactive Designer, ultimately sharpening his skills in visual design and user interaction.
Brett's experience is complemented by a diverse range of internships and freelance work. He began his career with an internship at Moodlerooms, Inc. as a UI Design Intern, which provided him with early insights into user interface design. His time as a Design Intern at Flightpath further solidified his design skills, enabling him to contribute significantly to client projects. Brett has also collaborated with various clients as a Freelance Web Designer, where he honed his ability to work independently and creatively on multiple design projects, ranging from graphic design to web design.
Throughout his career, Brett has collaborated with esteemed companies such as Nylon Magazine and Cookteen.com, where he delivered high-quality graphic designs that aligned with each brand’s vision and mission. These freelance endeavors have allowed him to build a broad portfolio that showcases his versatility, creativity, and understanding of distinct client needs.
Education and Achievements
Brett Grau embarked on his educational journey at The Maryland Institute College of Art, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a focus on Interaction Design and Art. With an impressive academic record, Brett not only excelled in his studies but also actively engaged in various projects that showcased his talent and passion for design. His strong GPA of 3.86 reflects his dedication and ability to navigate complex design principles while fostering innovation.
These educational experiences provided Brett with the critical thinking skills and theoretical knowledge required to thrive in a competitive design landscape. His commitment to excellence and continuous learning has been a cornerstone of his professional success, leading to a series of notable achievements and career advancements.
In addition to a solid educational foundation, Brett’s professional journey is characterized by a series of significant achievements. At Resilia, his strategic direction and design insights have directly influenced product development, resulting in improved user satisfaction and engagement metrics. His leadership roles at Originate and Newsela underscore his capability to not only create outstanding designs but also inspire and mentor others in the field.
Brett’s experience at Flightpath enriched his design portfolio, showing his ability to engage audiences effectively through interactive designs. His contributions to several high-profile projects through internships have further cemented his reputation as an innovative designer, capable of bringing ideas to life across various mediums and platforms.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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