Serena Aranas

UI/UX Designer + Front-end Developer

I am a web and media designer who brings together both creative and technical skills. I've always enjoyed doing art and in the process of learning to make video games, I found use for those skills in web development.

I'm an IT professional with a proven track record of success, bringing 7 years of marketing, design, and development experience working closely with both clients and senior management.

I'm currently on my 7th year working as a front end developer and technology specialist for a travel, meetings and hospitality industry company but in my spare time, I tend to my garden in the spring, playing video games, watching anime, cosplaying at conventions, and traveling on food trips to try new cuisines and experiences.

Thank you for visiting!

- Serena

Work Experience

See my complete work history on LinkedIn.

Digital Advertising Technology Specialist

Northstar Travel Group

January 2022 - Present

  • Supports business inquiries and requests encompassing a broad range of content management tools, especially email ESP (Omeda), and other enterprise application systems such as Google Ad Manager (GAM), RockContent (iON), StoryPorts, Jeeng/PowerInbox, and Ektron CMS
  • Conducts diagnosis and troubleshooting to identify and/or resolve platform operation and performance issues
  • Works with vendors to escalate support issues on applications keeping management abreast of situations that arise
  • Leads Program Management team meetings to ensure technical projects and new product development tasks are moving forward and issues are brought to attention for resolution
  • Contributes creative and innovative ideas to brand/digital media team to facilitate efficiency in workflow or system usage
  • Overall maintenance, tracking and production of NTG internal and external e-newsletters, email marketing and website services
  • Work directly with clients to create customized marketing emails, advertisements, and newsletters to brand guidelines and styles
  • Provides various client-facing solutions and services ranging from reporting debugging, custom creative development, and troubleshooting of client code
  • Create website mockups using web dev tools as proofs of concept before implementation on development sprints
  • Outlines product creative specifications and spec requirements for new products
  • Performs assessments for depedencies across product components
  • Provides training for new users on system platforms and manages system access

Digital Production Technical Coordinator

Northstar Travel Group

April 2017 - January 2022

  • System administrator for StoryPorts and Omeda
  • Created responsive web templates for newsletters for use by editorial and advertising teams
  • Executed email campaigns and provides reporting to clients
  • Analyzed email data and provides campaign optimization feedback to clients
  • Tracked department performance through revenue and output monthly reports
  • Assisted production in the migration from the OAS ad server to DFP
  • Conducted special support projects for the Digital Production Department, including the creation of production schedules, material spec sheets, and launched a dedicated product specs website
  • Created various digital material from logos and creative collateral according to corporate and brand guidelines
  • Supported and maintained all 50+ Northstar eNewsletter initiatives
  • Implemented of Google Ad Manager for tag serving on newsletters
  • Member of the Program Management team that worked to establish SLAs, address issues with software vendors, and keep up with industry wide changes
  • Maintained the ntg-digital.com specs website

Digital Production Intern

March 2013 - February 2014

  • Supported the Digital Production Department’s ad hoc requests and production flows
  • Created responsive web templates for newsletters for use by editorial and advertising teams
  • Coded a newsletter template for an editorial team that goes out to 50,000 subscribers
  • Maintained a weekly metrics report on email performance through various business units
  • Executed email reblast requests and contact information requests for user mailing opens and clicks
  • Tracked department performance through revenue and output monthly reports
  • Assisted production in the migration from the OAS ad server to DFP
  • Conducted special support projects for the Digital Production Department, including the creation of production schedules, material spec sheets, and is currently in the implementation phase of launching a specs website

Intern

CITYarts, Inc.

2011 - 2012

  • Researched potential clients for the non-profit organization and maintains current contacts with MS Access and Constant Contact
  • Facilitated information systems for the small business, including the implementation of new software, devices, data backups, and etc.
  • Assisted with events, including guest directions, asset transport, and client presentations
  • Worked in tandem with director assistant for supply procurement and logistics

Education

Rutgers University - Bachelor of Arts - GPA: 3.543, cum laude | 2012 - 2017

School of Arts and Sciences | School of Communication and Information

Major in Information Technology and Informatics - Specialization in Game Production and Innovation

Minor in Women and Gender Studies

Relevant Coursework:

  • Advanced Web Design
  • Database Technologies
  • Human Computer Interaction (UI/UX)
  • Management of Technological Organizations
  • Retrieving and Evaluating Electronic Information

Technical Skills

  • HTML5
  • CSS
  • PHP
  • MySQL
  • Javascript

Software Experience

  • Passendo Ad Server
  • Adventive - Rich Media Builder
  • ESP - Salesforce ExactTarget, Omeda
  • Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign
  • MySQL Workbench
  • MS Office, Sharepoint, Google Suite
  • CMS - Wordpress, Drupal, Ektron CMS
  • ERP/CRM - Oracle NetSuite
  • Google Ad Manager
  • Unity
  • Ticket & Organization Software - Jira, Trello, Monday.com

Certifications

  • Google Skillshop: Drive Advertising Revenue with Google Ad Manager
    April 28, 2020 | Completion ID: 47940804

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash