Hi, I'm so glad that you're here!
My name is Elise (Nardo) Garrett and I'm a creative. That's the way I like to kick things off just to set the scene. I graduated from James Madison University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. I studied Studio Art with a dual concentration in Photography and Sculptural Design.
Once it was time to graduate (and I blew out my knee the day before), I knew it was time to figure out what the heck I was going to do with that degree. Can people just wake up one day and be an artist full time? Sure they can! That's just not the route I took.
I became the Social Media Intern at Bonfire in May of 2019 and the rest was history. I quickly moved from Social Media Intern, to Social Media Manager, to Brand Marketing Specialist, and then in April 2022 I became the Director of Brand Marketing.
My experience at Bonfire was extremely impactful in informing my design concepts and marketing strategies. My entire role revolves around creative design/art direction, and brand marketing. My understanding of aesthetics paired with my communication and leadership skills has allowed me to lead creative teams in a strong, collaborative manner that I take pride in.
I am currently the Brand Marketing Manager for a small underwriting company in RVA. As a single woman marketing team, I lead the brand and marketing strategy for the company and their five business units (LLCs). I do all of the creative design, strategy, and implementation.
I love strategy, but I also love being a doer. I love leading, but I also love collaborating. I love mentoring, but I also love learning. I love creating, but I also love critiquing.