Resume of

Deanna Burks

brand & marketing Director
creative director
UX/UI Designer

Availability

Accepting contract, freelance, and seasonal creative direction roles for Q4 2025 and Black Friday campaign work. Available for remote collaboration, brand refreshes, e-commerce launches, or short-term digital marketing partnerships. I’m also available for full-time work in office in the Hendersonville, TN area or remotely.

Based in Hendresonville, TN
hello@deannaburks.com
6154053555

Black and white photo of a middle-aged woman with long blonde hair standing inside a dimly lit restaurant or bar, resting her hand on a wooden counter and smiling at the camera, with chandeliers hanging above.

about deanna

I’m not just a creative

I’m an operator

A strategist &

a tactical leader

mindset

I create brands and systems with accountability at every stage. When hired, I set and maintain the standard for excellence. My approach demands results.
I never settle for “this is how it’s always been done” when “how it’s always been done” isn’t working.

  • Aggressively pursue growth and operational performance.

  • Pivot quickly when the strategy isn’t delivering.

  • Educate and energize teams, but do not tolerate complacency.

  • Expect to lead and be recognized for proven expertise.

I’m Deanna Burks — The Brandess™ — a strategist, designer, and creative director who builds brands that blend beauty, intelligence, and longevity. With over 25 years in brand development and digital design and 15 years producing corporate and award-winning social events, I’ve helped visionary founders, established firms, and design-driven professionals bring clarity and cohesion to every touchpoint of their business.

My foundation is multidisciplinary — spanning real estate, architecture, environmental and geological engineering, interior design, and event production — industries that taught me how brand presence, structure, and human experience intersect. Today, I combine that expertise with refined visual design, sharp messaging, and digital systems that empower brands to grow with intention.

a lifetime of creative leadership shaped by a family legacy in real estate investment

My family’s legacy in commercial and residential real estate and decades of partnerships with architects, interior designers, engineers, and creative entrepreneurs have shaped my ability to see the full picture — from structure to story. But my story didn’t end there. I went on to create strategic branding across many industries:

  • Real Estate & Development

  • Architecture & Construction

  • Environmental & Geological Engineering

  • Interior Design

  • Weddings & Events

  • Photography & Creative Arts

  • Health & Wellness

  • Consulting & Education

marketing/brand/creative

director

Clarity Is the Cornerstone of Every Brand

Before visuals come vision. I help businesses uncover their true identity — defining their purpose, positioning, and voice with precision. From boutique firms to national organizations, every strategy is designed to create distinction, not noise.

  • Brand foundation and purpose development

  • Audience profiling and buyer psychology

  • Messaging hierarchy and tone systems

  • Market and competitive landscape analysis

  • Naming and brand architecture

  • Go-to-market and brand launch strategy

Design That Embodies Substance and Style

Your brand should feel as exceptional as it looks. I create visual identities that express your essence — timeless, intentional, and cohesive across every platform. Each brand system is crafted with precision to enhance recognition and trust.

  • Logo and submark design

  • Typography and color palette systems

  • Photography direction and art curation

  • Mood boards, iconography, and composition

  • Brand style guides and full identity manuals

Elegant, Intelligent, and Effortless Design

As a Squarespace, Wordpress and ShowIt Certified Designer, I develop websites that balance artistry with conversion. My process prioritizes structure, storytelling, and user experience — ensuring your digital home reflects the quality of your work and connects meaningfully with your audience.

  • Website strategy and sitemap architecture

  • Full design and development in Squarespace & ShowIt

  • UX/UI design for clarity and engagement

  • SEO setup and on-page optimization

  • Copy flow and content integration

  • Accessibility and responsive design compliance

Streamlined Systems. Exceptional Service.

Your client journey should feel intuitive — from inquiry to offboarding. As a CRM developer and HoneyBook setup expert, I design automated, branded systems that simplify your process while keeping your client experience deeply personal.

  • Smart file and automation setup

  • Custom proposals, contracts, and invoices

  • Workflow design and scheduling integrations

  • Lead tracking, follow-up, and feedback systems

  • Email templates and client communications

Strategy Meets Structure

In addition to creative direction, I’ve served as Director of Marketing and Operations for Dane Fitness, where I oversaw brand development, client systems, and operational workflows. My approach to business management blends creative problem-solving with operational precision — ensuring systems not only look beautiful but perform beautifully too.

  • Business process optimization

  • Cross-department collaboration

  • Brand and marketing oversight

  • Team leadership and client communications

  • Strategic operations management

Fifteen Years of Memorable Moments

From corporate celebrations to award-winning weddings featured in top publications, I bring fifteen years of event planning, design, and production experience to every brand I touch. This background enriches my ability to craft cohesive brand experiences — both online and in person.

  • Corporate events and brand activations

  • Luxury weddings and private experiences

  • Publication features in leading wedding outlets

  • Vendor management and creative direction

  • Event branding, styling, and visual continuity

Words That Move, Sell, and Stay With You

Every great brand has a story — and every story deserves the right voice. I craft compelling, conversion-focused copy that communicates your value and connects with your audience authentically.

  • Brand storytelling and message frameworks

  • Website and sales page copywriting

  • Email and nurture sequence creation

  • Taglines, product descriptions, and campaign messaging

  • SEO copywriting for organic growth

Align Strategy with Sustainable Growth

Marketing isn’t just about visibility — it’s about velocity with purpose. I help brands build strategic systems that attract the right audience, convert consistently, and scale sustainably.

  • Offer development and pricing strategy

  • Funnel design and campaign flow

  • Digital marketing planning

  • Analytics and performance evaluation

  • Brand partnerships and affiliate strategy

 Core Competencies

 

  • Creative Leadership

    • Brand Strategy

    • UX/UI Design

    • Marketing Automation

    • E-commerce & Campaign Design

  • Art Direction

    • Brand Identity Development

    • Web & Mobile UX

    • CRM Setup (HoneyBook, Custom App)

    • Seasonal Campaign Execution

  • Copywriting

    • Messaging & Tone

    • Wireframing & Prototyping

    • Email Marketing (Flodesk, Mailchimp)

    • Paid Ads & Analytics

  • Team Collaboration

    • Brand Psychology

    • Accessibility Design

    • Automation Mapping

    • Quick-Turn Creative Production

features of deanna’s career

industry expertise

  • Digital & Technology: SaaS, E-commerce, Health Tech, EdTech, FinTech, Marketing Automation

  • Professional Services: Architecture, Interior Design, Real Estate, Legal, Consulting, Coaching

  • Creative Industries: Wedding & Events, Photography, Creative Agencies, Publishing

  • Health & Wellness: Fitness, Wellness Coaching, Mental Health, Practice Management, Holistic Health

  • Hospitality & Retail: Luxury Hospitality, Retail, Fashion, Home Decor, Consumer Goods

  • Engineering & Construction: Environmental Engineering, Geological Engineering, Construction, Development

education

  • Fine Art & Visual Communication – Nossi College of Art

  • Public Relations & Marketing – Lipscomb University

  • Digital Design & Development – Nashville Tech

  • Largely self-taught

certifications

  • Squarespace Circle Expert

  • HoneyBook Expert Certified

  • Flodesk Pro Certified

  • ShowIt Expert

  • SEO/AIO Expert

awards/recognition

  • Business Woman of the Year 2022 — Nashville Business Review

  • Best Website of the Year 2021-2022 — Squaremuse

  • Gold Ink Award Winner — Environmental Book Design for CSX Transportation

  • Silk & Willow — Featured female entrepreneur and wedding designer

  • HoneyBook Podcast — Guest expert on business strategy and growth

  • Lululemon Mother's Day Campaign — Featured as inspiring mother and leader

  • 2015 Parthenon Award — Collateral Design, Nashville

  • Featured In: StyleBlueprint, Rising Tide Society, multiple blogs and print magazines

technical skillset

 

  • Category

    • Platforms / Tools

    • Highlights

  • Design & Prototyping

    • Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, XD), Sketch, InVision, Framer, Canva Pro, Principle

    • Expert-level design systems, wireframes, prototypes, and high-fidelity mockups

  • App Development

    • Lovable, Supabase

    • Full-stack app development, database management, rapid prototyping

  • Development Knowledge

    • HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript (ES6+), JSON, Bootstrap, Tailwind CSS, Foundation, React basics, Material-UI, Git/GitHub, REST APIs

    • Front-end frameworks, responsive design, version control, API integration

  • Web & Digital Design

    • Squarespace, ShowIt,, WordPress, Wix, Shopify

    • 350+ branded sites built for service-based and creative industries

  • CRM Systems

    • HoneyBook, Salesforce, Dubsado, Klaviyo

    • Expert-level automations, Smart Files, client experience strategy, workflow optimization

  • E-commerce

    • ThriveCart, Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, Flodesk, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, Squarespace, Shopify, BigCommerce

    • Product listings, conversion optimization, digital funnels, checkout flows

  • UX Research & Testing

    • Google Analytics, Tag Manager, Hotjar, UserTesting, Crazy Egg, VWO, Optimal Workshop

    • A/B testing, heatmap analysis, user behavior tracking, data-driven optimization

  • Accessibility & Standards

    • WCAG 2.1, WAVE, Axe DevTools, semantic HTML, ARIA

    • Accessible web design, cross-browser testing, compliance implementation

  • Design Systems

    • Storybook, Zeroheight, Zeplin, Avocado

    • Design tokens, component libraries, pattern libraries, design-to-dev handoff

  • Collaboration & PM

    • Asana, ClickUp, Notion, Airtable, Trello, Miro, FigJam, Zapier, Slack

    • Cross-functional team coordination, project workflows, whiteboarding, automation

  • SEO & Analytics

    • SEMrush, Google Search Console, Meta Ads

    • On-page SEO, keyword research, performance tracking, organic growth strategies

  • Branding & Print

    • InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop

    • Corporate identity systems, packaging, print collateral, brand guidelines

  • Photography & Art Direction

    • Adobe Lightroom, photo editing

    • Art direction, mood boarding, visual storytelling, composition, brand photography

  • Leadership & Training

    • Creative Direction, Brand Strategy, Coaching

    • Led multidisciplinary creative teams and client training workshops

Professional Experience

  • A tablet displaying a website with the headline 'Meaningful Spaces' on a white textured surface, with white sheets of paper underneath.

    Interim Brand & Marketing Director: MJM Architects

    Directed integrated marketing for architecture and engineering firm merger. Led brand modernization and marketing strategy across architecture and engineering divisions. Developed new website, recruitment campaigns, and visual identity system that strengthened MJM’s industry reputation and digital footprint.

  • A printed flyer or poster with a floral pattern and descriptive text, surrounded by crumpled brown paper, placed on a plain white background.

    UI/UX Freelance Designer: Kirkland's

    Oversaw e-commerce UX/UI design initiatives, proposing a modern migration. Enhanced mobile-first customer flow, optimized homepage architecture, and accelerated design-to-publish workflow by 60%.

  • A woman with blonde hair in a dress holding a glass, standing in a colorful interior with animal-themed murals, yellow chairs, and a wooden bar.

    Freelance Creative Director: Deanna Burks

    Founded and scaled boutique brand consultancy specializing in creative direction, Squarespace websites, CRM systems, and luxury brand identity. Guided 200+ clients through full-scale digital transformations.

Book Now

my expertise shapes both

strategy &

execution

I expect to be recognized as the

authority

my track record speaks for itself.

I am not a fit for organizations resistant to change or innovation.
I work best in environments where results, learning, and decisive leadership are valued.

Key Achievements, Awards & Recognition

  • 35% Average Conversion Lift

    Through strategic UX/UI redesign and brand optimization.

  • Awarded “Business Woman of the Year” (2022)

    Nashville Business Review

  • Gold Ink Award Winner

    For Environmental Book Design for CSX Transportation

  • Best Website of the Year

    2021–2022 by Squaremuse

  • 50% Faster Time-to-Market

    Through agile campaign process development

  • Featured In

    StyleBlueprint, Rising Tide Society, and HoneyBook press, several wedding blogs and print magazines

  • Podcast Guest

    For HoneyBook on growth and business strategy

  • Business Woman of the Year

    Nashville Business Review

  • Lululemon Ad: Inspiring Mother & Leader

    Lululemon Mother’s Day Campaign

  • 2015 Parthenon Award

    Collateral Design, Nashville
    Multiple Clients
    2003–2005

Drove rapid sales growth —

tripling

revenue

in four years 

as Dane Fitness COO.

 CAREER TIMELINE TABLE

 

  • Company

    • BrandRole

    • Focus

    • Years Active

  • MJM Architects

    • Interim Brand & Marketing Director

    • Directed rebrand and digital strategy across architecture and engineering divisions; led internal communications and recruitment campaigns.

    • February - August 2025

  • Kirkland’s

    • UI/UX Designer, Seasonal

    • Designed and optimized UX for Shopify Plus migration; improved conversion flow, visual hierarchy, and workflow efficiency.

    • October 2024 – January 2025

  • Deanna Burks, The Brandess™

    • Founder, Creative Director

    • 25+ years of brand strategy, website design, and CRM development for creative professionals and luxury brands.

    • 1998 – Present

  • Dane Fitness

    • Marketing Director & COO

    • Oversaw operations and marketing; grew revenue from $14K to $3M in four years through strategic branding, web presence, and partnerships.

    • 2003–2019

  • Pearl

    • Owner & Designer

    • Founded and scaled floral and event design brand featured in national wedding magazines and blogs.

    • 2005–2020

  • MoveStrong

    • Creative Director

    • Led web and event marketing design; built visual identity and online presence for national fitness brand.

    • 2013, Freelance 5+ Yrs

  • SunTrust Bank

    • Creative Director

    • Directed creative and digital marketing for regional bank; led transition into digital-era branding and web initiatives.

    • 1996–2000