Jake Trussell

Strategic, human-centered project leader and relationship-builder, and listener who designs engaging brands, communications, and campaigns to tell resonant stories

Founder & Creative Director

Metabolize

2018 to Present

A human-centered brand strategy and communications agency, we understand that business is complex but believe that brands shouldn’t be. Our work engages audiences by metabolizing business complexities into concise brand stories that resonate

Work includes:

• Strategic branding and marketing plans
• Multi-channel experiential campaigns. (web, print, social media, public relations, live event)
• Brand identity (naming, logo design, visual style, voice)
• Website design and development
• Content development (writing, photography, video, music)

Creative Director

World Business Chicago

2009 to 2018

Designed and managed brands, initiatives and experiential marketing campaigns for Chicago's economic development organization chaired by the Mayor; managed the brand of Chicago as a global business destination (#1 for corporate investment 7 years straight); built brands and communications for a number of civic startups incubated at WBC; designed and led programs and initiatives focused on innovation and entrepreneurship

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Served as in-house brand leader, design thinker, and digital expert who collaborated with C-suite, cross-functional teams, and external government, civic, and private-sector partners to lead with clarity through ambiguity; provided strategic direction for digital marketing campaigns with a focus on user experience (UX) and driving measurable outcomes aligned with company vision, mission, objectives, and strategies
• Led teams using agile project management to design, build, test, and iterate human-centered digital products in collaboration with in-house teams and outside agencies, including numerous websites and the award-winning Site Selector web application; Toolset: HTML, CSS, JS, Github, DNS, CDN, LAMP, WordPress, Drupal, Squarespace, Strikingly, Creative Suite, Jira, Basecamp, Trello, Slack, G Suite, MS Office
• Managed and mentored internal marketing, communications, and design teams, along with outside agencies to solve problems by collaborating cross-functionally; built plans, and executed measurable campaigns that increased engagement and created value
• Led teams to design new business processes and systems improving internal communications and company alignment, including the development of vision, mission, measurable objectives, and company values developed in partnership with a team of organizational psychologists
• Led the ThinkChicago talent recruitment initiative, bringing more than 1,500 university students of engineering, computer science, entrepreneurship, and design to meet with leaders in Chicago’s tech sector, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office, Lollapalooza, Chicago Ideas, and the University of Illinois
• Co-founded and led the ChicagoMade initiative to support the creative economy and elevate the city as a hub of innovation, in collaboration with the City's Department of Cultural Affairs, Choose Chicago (tourism agency), and the Mayor’s Office; activations at SXSW led to 175 media stories; 3,000+ attendees at the ChicagoMade music showcase which included artists like Chance the Rapper and Vic Mensa; 50+ meetings between leaders including Mayor Rahm Emanuel, J.B. Pritzker, Brad Keywell, and executives of companies including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Warner Brothers; led the development of a strategic plan to expand ChicagoMade into a community-focused program supporting creatives in marginalized communities; this included interviews with 40 leaders in the creative industries, SWOT analysis, program design, financing strategies, and the development of an advisory council

Web Consultant

MacArthur Foundation

2008

Developed content for Annual Report, Digital Learning, and MacFound.org websites

Founder, Owner, Recording Artist

Mashit

2003 - 2009

Released over 50 recordings; produced music and events; toured globally as a musician and DJ

Webmaster

Massachusetts College of Art & Design

1999 - 2007

Designed and developed the College's first website in 1999, coordinating across the organization to develop clear, coherent story-telling while maintaining brand consistency; managed an external agency to develop the award-winning website redesign in 2002; provided branding, communications, and technology strategy for the College President and departmental directors

Board of Directors

Arts & Business Council of Chicago

2018 – Present

Building relationships between Chicago's cultural and business communities; work on emerging issues in the creative industries; design new models to ensure the support of creatives in marginalized communities to help empower a more just and creative Chicago; Chair of the Strategic Partnerships Committee; Led 2020 fundraising with the #ChiMusic35 experiential marketing campaign generating 9 Chicago Reader articles and over 2 million online impressions in order to raise funds and increase awareness and engagement in lieu of in-person events during the pandemic

Year of Chicago Music Working Group Member

2019 – Present

Serving on 3 working groups with the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (Marketing; Professional Development & Music Industry; Research, Infrastructure, and Cultural Policy) to support and promote Chicago's vibrant music sector

Braintrust

GreenHouse Innovation

2018 – Present

Active in a group of thinkers using the Innovation Dynamics framework to help solve social problems in collaboration with organizations like the Chicago Literacy Alliance, Shedd Aquarium, Chicago Public Schools, Design for America, and the Rustandy Center for Social Innovation at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business

Mentor, 2112 Creative Industry Incubator

2015 – Present

Mentor startup entrepreneurs in design, branding, and marketing strategy at business incubator focused on music, media, entertainment, and other creative industries

Radical Creator

Chicago Ideas

2014 – Present

Active in a community of change-makers breaking down silos and sparking connections across Chicago

Chicago Theatre Marketing Working Group Member

2017 - 2018

Worked with Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and the League of Chicago Theatres to support and promote Chicago's theatre industry, leading to the “Year of Chicago Theatre” (2019)

Advisory Council, LakeFX Summit

2014 – 2017

Creative industry professional development conference

Advisory Council, Chicago Music Summit

2013

Music industry professional development conference

BFA, Media & Performing Arts, Interrelated Media

Massachusetts College of Art & Design - Boston, MA | Graduated with Distinction

1998

Blockchain Certificate

edX (Linux Foundation)

2018

Insights for Innovation Certificate

IDEO U

2016

Psychology of Creativity

2020

Presented to Illinois Institute of Technology class on the ways in which the creative process, design thinking, and innovation can be applied across sectors.

Design for America Summit

2019

Presented at Northwestern University's Segal Design Institute on the use of design methodologies to improve employee experience

Leadership for Creative Enterprises

2018

Spoke Northwestern University's School of Communications on building and collaborating with innovative businesses and organizations, in conversation with Melissa Kaufman, Executive Director of The Garage incubator

Lake FX Summit (Creative Industry Professional Development Conference)

2015 - 2017

Moderated discussions with Kickstarter co-founder Charles Adler, Cards Against Humanity co-founder Max Temkin, Threadless CEO Jake Nickell, Fake Shore Drive founder Andrew Barber, Young Chicago Authors Artistic Director Kevin Coval, and others

Taste of Chicago

2016

Moderated a discussion on designing experiences across industries with Lupe Fiasco's tour manager, Iridium Clothing Co. Creative Director and rapper Pugs Atomz, and the creative agency for The Second City and Pitchfork Meida

Grammy Town Hall

2014

Moderated a discussion on Chicago’s creative industries at a Recording Academy event

Visiting Lecturer, Harvard University

2000 – 2007

Lectured on audio, and music production and culture

Site Selection Magazine’s Top Metro for Corporate Relocation & Investment

2013 – 2019

Top industry accolade 7 years in a row for WBC’s work marketing Chicago for business

International Economic Development Council Award

2012

SiteSelectorApp.com Web Application

AIGA Web Design Award

2002

MassArt.edu