Resume

Contact Info

Matt Finlay

matt@finlay.info

210-310-8054

Work Experience

Vysk Communications — San Antonio, TX

senior designer2016- Supervised creative team for a mobile security startup building the microphone-jamming QS1 case for smartphones. Built corporate visual/literary brand guidelines, created videos, executed product photo shoots, wrote and edited copy (distilling complex technical concepts into digestible and logical explanations), implemented design automation processes merging CSV data files with Indesign layouts), built award submission narratives based on materials I designed and won several high-profile industry awards including the HPE-IAPP award for most innovative mobile privacy technology. Created technical illustrations in isometric style, email design, presentations for high-profile clients, investors, and partners.

graphic designer2015-2016 Designed packaging materials, designed quick start guides, laid out marketing/sales collateral (docs, presentations, & more) for high-profile clients around the world, used 3D programs to model the QS1 in virtual contexts, created web design comps, built digital typefaces to accomodate multiple languages, worked on high-end retouching for fashion-style photo shoots, created technical vector illustrations.

Toolbox Studios — San Antonio, TX

design intern2011-2013 for branded content marketing firm for three summers. Created design comps for websites, researched web design processes, managed social media and internal wiki, helped design and write a children’s book iPad app (Noah’s Ark), assisted with design of book and newspaper layouts (including the Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition), prepped graphic assets for animators. see work

Carnegie Mellon Press — Pittsburgh, PA

book design intern2013-14 Designed interiors of three full-length poetry books published by the CMU Press: How I Went Red (2014, Maggie Glover), The Voices (2015, Michael D. Browne), Where Are We in This Story? (2015, Sarah Rosenblatt). Prepared final files for all books prior to submitting to printer. see work

manuscript reading intern2012 Evaluated 400+ submitted book-length poetry manuscripts to select one for publication at the CMU Press.

Tepper School of Business — Pittsburgh, PA

teaching assistant2012-2014 for Graphic Media Management course (70-160) under Prof. Tony Stanton for four semesters. Taught students to design layouts for a final project using Adobe InDesign.

teaching assistant2013-2014 for Publishing in the Information Age course (70-194) under Prof. Tony Stanton for two semesters. Led weekly lab sessions to teach students to design layouts for various projects using Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. Coordinated production and designed interior of two final books composed of students' final papers. see work

Publications

Self-published Poetry Collection

The Cyrus of Waco(2014) see work

The Allegheny Review - Volume 32

Various Poems(2014)

The Oakland Review - Alumni Edition VII

Shadyside Trig(2016)

The Oakland Review - Alumni Edition VI

Various Poems(2015)

Dossier Lit. Journal

Fete of the Sand Caver(2014)

WinningWriters.com

Scarlet Seconds After the Last March(2010)

Education

Carnegie Mellon University2014 Major in Creative Writing. Minor in History. Graduate of Humanities Scholars Program. Received Dietrich College & University Honors. Final QPA (GPA) of 3.9. Completed Nagin award-winning Senior Honors Thesis project. see work

Scholarly/Professional

Mars City Design

competitor2017 for international design competition centered around conceiving and illustrating a unique Martian colony. After months of work, my team made it to the final round and placed second worldwide in the Architecture category. I was invited to LA to accept the award. see work

Our Pittsburgh Constellation

web designer / collaborator2015- for Pittsburgh-area astronomy-outreach initiative. Designed and built a website/campaign to promote events, contests, and artistic endeavors. Partnered with Carnegie Mellon instructor and astronomy activist Diane Turnshek. see work

Carnegie Mellon Astronomy Club

president2011-14 Managed and grew annual budget, coordinated events and activities, planned trips, taught members how to observe astronomical phenomena, managed officers, designed and built booths at CMU Spring Carnival, developed social media presence, purchased a wide range of new telescope equipment. see work

Oakland Review Literary Journal

editor-in-chief2012-2013 Led the production of Carnegie Mellon’s undergraduate literary journal.

production manager2011-2014 Designed the interior and exterior of six editions of the journal (three alumni editions, three undergrad editions). see work

Sigma Tau Delta

vice president2012-2013 of the English Honor Society during the inaugural year of the Omega Tau chapter at CMU. Shaped direction of organization, organized literary events for club members and campus community.

Grants, Honors and Awards

Mars City Design Award2017 Second place worldwide in the Architecture category. Created comprehensive and extensively researched plans for a Martian colony as part of international competition. I was invited to LA in October 2017 to accept the award at a ceremony at Skirball Cultural Center. see work

Nagin Award2014 Awarded by an independent judge at the annual Adamson student writing awards (Carnegie Mellon University) for producing the best creative writing undergraduate honors thesis. see work

Adamson Award2013 Honorable mention in the category of Poetry at Carnegie Mellon's annual Adamson student writing awards.

Outstanding Student Organization Leader2014 Awarded by Carnegie Mellon Student Activities for work in the CMU community; leading the Oakland Review and Astronomy Club groups.

UIL Ready Writing State Champion2009 First place in Texas state-level scholastic writing competition. 5A division (largest high schools).

University & Dietrich College Academic Honors2014

Skills

Writing, Editing, & Design High level of proficiency in creative and professional writing as well as design for print and digital media.

Various skills Photography (Canon system) and post-processing, Web Design, Programming with graphics, Video Editing, Motion graphics, 3D modeling/texturing, 2D Illustration. See below for more detail on software proficiencies.