With 22 years of experience in advertising, graphic design and communications, Sara is very comfortable working with public relations, communications and marketing departments. She understands timelines, budget concerns and approval processes and once she becomes familiar with your brand, can be called upon as you would an in-house designer.
Sara attended the Claude Watson School for the Arts as a fine arts major. She then moved on to the Ontario College of Art where she studied Environmental Design. After graduation in 1993, Sara pursued many creative arenas including: retail store design, fashion design, had gallery exhibitions of her paintings, and volunteered in many areas of the arts before settling into a career in graphic design. Sara was employed as art director and graphic designer at several well known advertising agencies and creative design shops where she worked with a broad spectrum of clients.
In 1999, Sara’s established Fuzzy Sweater Creative Inc. offering graphic design services. She successfully operated this business for ten years and became the go-to designer for health care organizations including Sunnybrook, Baycrest and Holland Bloorview.
In 2008 Sara decided to take an opportunity to become the in-house Creative Director at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital within the Public Affairs department. She won several awards and designed hundreds of communications pieces.
In 2012 Sara moved over to the Holland Bloorview Foundation as the Manager of Creative Services. She had the opportunity to add her expertise to external fundraising campaigns such as Change For Kids – a multi-platform external campaign to raise money and awareness of childhood disability. This has afforded her first-hand experience with both the challenges and triumphs of the philanthropic world.
In 2013 Sara established Rubine Red Inc., a communications design company working with non-profits, health care, research organizations, as well as socially responsible companies. Sara's client base focuses on people and businesses who do work for the greater good.
In 2017, Sara started painting again and has expanded her business by making and selling her art. She currently provides graphic design work for a handful of well known healthcare related clients while maintaining her presence at local art shows.
Education history
OCADU - Environmental design graduate, 1993
Claude Watson School of the Arts - Fine art major, 1989
Claude Watson School of the Arts - Fine art major, 1989
Certifications
S.I Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University – Certificate, Advanced Social Media Strategy, 2018
Hootsuite Academy – Certificate, Social Marketing, 2018
Hootsuite Academy – Certificate, Foundations of Social Advocacy, 2021
Hootsuite Academy – Certificate, Social Selling, 2021
Health care related achievements
Power of Possibility award for innovation with measurable impact – I.D Me campaign. 2012
HCPRA Hygeia award for excellence in health care communications, 2nd place – Filmpossible campaign. 2011
HCPRA Hygeia award for excellence in health care communications, 3rd place – I.D Me campaign. 2011
Accreditation Canada, leading practice choice – Passport to preparedness. 2010
Accreditation Canada, leading practice choice – Filmpossible. 2010
Digital Magazine award, bronze for health and beauty magazine of the year – BLOOM magazine. 2010
HCPRA Hygeia award for excellence in health care communications, 2nd place – BLOOM magazine. 2010