S k i l l s

Data Analytics

Video Production

Leadership

Copywriting

Content Strategy

Agile & Waterfall

Digital Photography

Adobe CC

Digital Marketing

Retail & E-Commerce

HTML & CSS

Scrum & Kanban

Product Mgmt

User Experience

Customer Experience

Logistics

Visual Design

Localization

Javascript & JQuery

Marcomm

Info Architecture

XML

Global Games eCommerce Lead UX ProducerMicrosoft Xbox Live Programming (Hanson Consulting) April 2014 — Present• Led global marketing, design, business and engineering teams

to research, wireframe, prototype, localize and deploy

e-commerce experiences for over 39 million Xbox Live users

and stakeholders on Xbox 360, Xbox One and Win10

• Localized for 39 locales with special focus on English, French,

Spanish, German and Portuguese

• Used analytics, targets and multivariate testing to inform

content strategy and drive UX, conversions and uplift

• Introduced Agile processes such as planning poker, de�ned

Managed Services KPIs for MBRs via VSO and �lled in as Scrum

Master

• Released 9-10 digital sales and top-performing customer

experiences monthly, including 8 �gure sale campaign

experiences worldwide

• Conceived, calendared, localized and programmed layered

editorial content with competing priorities and conditionals for

the Xbox One Games Store bi-weekly

• Produced and programmed interactive AAA experiences and

for all Microsoft-owned and indie (ID@Xbox) games on Xbox

One and Xbox 360 including embargoed assets

Photographer/Videographer UH Marketing & Communication September 2012 — December 2013• Produced and directed digital media for events, places and

programs related to the university and its brand, including

public �gures such as Chancellor Renu Khator, Dennis Quaid,

Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar and Mayor Annise Parker

• Drove brand engagement as an ambassador and leading

member of the Cougar Red Friday team— including

representing the University of Houston as the face of an "I

Choose Houston" billboard, public safety announcements and

several other marketing materials

• Enforced university rebranding through interdepartmental ad

approval, photography and videography

• Collaborated with cross-functional marcomm teams on

projects including web development, graphic design,

copywriting and social media

E x p e r i e n c e

Multifaceted, enthusiastic, iron-willed UX, CX, creative leader and empath who has innovated, inspired and executed successful global, multilingual, cross-functional and multichannel releases over �ve years

Nine years of business, team management and customer service experience with an educational and professional background in organizational leadership and development, consumer science, graphic communications technology, and marcomm

Values a�liative leadership, diversity, minimalism, community, individual empowerment and the psychosocial implications of teams and digital media plus quality improvement—of both humans and machines

Q u a l i f i c a t i o n s

C o n t a c t

( 7 1 3 ) 3 0 1 - 8 8 9 4

g a r r o n . b a l l a r d @ g m a i l . c o m

w w w . g a r r o n b a l l a r d . c o m

Digital Communications Intern CenterPoint EnergyJune 2012 — August 2012 • Interviewed subjects and wrote company print and web publications in AP

• Benchmarked the social media habits of 33 peer utility companies

• Created original, regionally targeted content for Facebook and Twitter users

• Monitored brand mentions of the company via TweetDeck and leveraged customer complaints to designated contacts

• Prepared response content and coordinated online chats with the public through ABC 13 (KTRK) to address questions and safety concerns

• Translated past email newsletter performance across six states into digestible graphs via Excel and Net Atlantic

Vice President IGAEAUH February 2013 — December 2013• Led a team of seven to double meeting attendance and generate 68% uplift of funds in two semesters• Increased the digital presence of the organization by implementing a Facebook Fan Page, consistent posts across social media platforms and e-mailing lists• Leveraged professional growth opportunities among members by recruiting speakers with various careers related to graphic communications technology

Radio Producer/Host/DJCOOG Radio Houston August 2011 — Present• Self produced, wrote and advertised a two hour weekly online radio show as one of the original DJ's that launched UH's �rst student run radio station• Attracted international listeners and the second highest Facebook fan base of all shows at 450+ likes

Shift ManagerJamba Juice February 2007 — August 2008• Earliest and most signi�cant introduction to customer experience and loyalty programs, revenue, logististics, employee training, retention and management

B.S. in Digital Media: eCommerce University of Houston: Magna Cum Laude — 3.7 GPA

E d u c a t i o n

Providence Hospice Patient Care volunteer, IA/UX Meetup, General Assembly, IXDA, UXPA, AIGA, PMI, WSAA, Freelance digital creative work with a focus on personal and social consciousness

A c t i v i t i e s

Garron Ballard

LinkedIn: www.l inkedin.com/in/garronbal lard

R e f e r e n c e s

Global Games eCommerce Lead UX ProducerMicrosoft Xbox Live Programming (Hanson Consulting) April 2014 — Present• Led global marketing, design, business and engineering teams

to research, wireframe, prototype, localize and deploy

e-commerce experiences for over 39 million Xbox Live users

and stakeholders on Xbox 360, Xbox One and Win10

• Localized for 39 locales with special focus on English, French,

Spanish, German and Portuguese

• Used analytics, targets and multivariate testing to inform

content strategy and drive UX, conversions and uplift

• Introduced Agile processes such as planning poker, de�ned

Managed Services KPIs for MBRs via VSO and �lled in as Scrum

Master

• Released 9-10 digital sales and top-performing customer

experiences monthly, including 8 �gure sale campaign

experiences worldwide

• Conceived, calendared, localized and programmed layered

editorial content with competing priorities and conditionals for

the Xbox One Games Store bi-weekly

• Produced and programmed interactive AAA experiences and

for all Microsoft-owned and indie (ID@Xbox) games on Xbox

One and Xbox 360 including embargoed assets

Photographer/Videographer UH Marketing & Communication September 2012 — December 2013• Produced and directed digital media for events, places and

programs related to the university and its brand, including

public �gures such as Chancellor Renu Khator, Dennis Quaid,

Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar and Mayor Annise Parker

• Drove brand engagement as an ambassador and leading

member of the Cougar Red Friday team— including

representing the University of Houston as the face of an "I

Choose Houston" billboard, public safety announcements and

several other marketing materials

• Enforced university rebranding through interdepartmental ad

approval, photography and videography

• Collaborated with cross-functional marcomm teams on

projects including web development, graphic design,

copywriting and social media

• Viacom Summer Associate Program �nalist (2014)• Technology Outstanding Student nominee (2013)• Sugar Land Rotary Scholarship $1000 (2013)• PGSF Scholarship $2000 (2013)• Paul G. Smith Scholarship $1500 (2013)• Selected AIGA Houston Design Loop Mentee (2013)• Represented the University of Houston as the face of an “I Choose Houston” billboard campaign (2012—2014)• 2012 Graph Expo HPMA Scholarship $1000 (2012)• Acceptance into UH Creative Writing Program (2011)

H o n o r s

Engl ish : Nat ive pro�ciencySpanish: Intermediate (wr i t ing and speaking)

L a n g u a g e s

Digital Communications Intern CenterPoint EnergyJune 2012 — August 2012 • Interviewed subjects and wrote company print and web publications in AP

• Benchmarked the social media habits of 33 peer utility companies

• Created original, regionally targeted content for Facebook and Twitter users

• Monitored brand mentions of the company via TweetDeck and leveraged customer complaints to designated contacts

• Prepared response content and coordinated online chats with the public through ABC 13 (KTRK) to address questions and safety concerns

• Translated past email newsletter performance across six states into digestible graphs via Excel and Net Atlantic

Vice President IGAEAUH February 2013 — December 2013• Led a team of seven to double meeting attendance and generate 68% uplift of funds in two semesters• Increased the digital presence of the organization by implementing a Facebook Fan Page, consistent posts across social media platforms and e-mailing lists• Leveraged professional growth opportunities among members by recruiting speakers with various careers related to graphic communications technology

Radio Producer/Host/DJCOOG Radio Houston August 2011 — Present• Self produced, wrote and advertised a two hour weekly online radio show as one of the original DJ's that launched UH's �rst student run radio station• Attracted international listeners and the second highest Facebook fan base of all shows at 450+ likes

Shift ManagerJamba Juice February 2007 — August 2008• Earliest and most signi�cant introduction to customer experience and loyalty programs, revenue, logististics, employee training, retention and management

E x p e r i e n c e ( C o n t d . )