Employee Spotlight:
Lynn Holzworth

Role with Creatis: Digital Marketing Project Manager

Digital marketing isn't just a fad—it is now the definitive mode of marketing for businesses. Companies are no longer using digital to simply support a larger strategy; but rather digital has become the strategy, especially in the time of COVID-19, where it's become even more important for survival.

Professionals with expertise around digital marketing are in high-demand at this time and often have a cornicopia of other skills that make them invaluable. Lynn Holzworth is one of these people. Over the past 17 years, Lynn has touched nearly every aspect of marketing in her career. She's worked in product management, e-commerce, integrated marketing, public relations and so much more. Leading campaigns and complex projects is what Lynn does best. 

In 2019, Lynn was seeking more flexible employment and a new opportunity. Around this time, our client H.B. Fuller happened to be in need of a skilled Digital Marketing Project manager to lead a critical content migration project and to assit with their digital strategy. Lynn was the perfect fit for this position. She continues to make an impact for Creatis at H.B. Fuller to this day! 

If you need a resource to support your team during this time, contact our This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. here.

Learn more about Lynn...from Lynn! Read our Q/A below.  

What brought you to Creatis? How did you get connected with our team? 

I was referred to Creatis and connected to Mary Schneider. I was looking for an opportunity that would work with my strengths and align me with the right manager. I also needed work/life balance to pursue Graduate School full-time.

Why is Creatis a great career fit for your right now?

Creatis allows me flexibility and freedom. I enjoy being in a focused role where I can leverage my strengths. I do not get pulled into those side-projects that a typical full-time, permanent (FTE) role would. I can focus on my work and give 110%. I find satisfaction and less stress in this role compared to other FTE roles that I have held and that has had a positive impact on my overall well-being. I can focus on more self-care and that is very important.

What do you enjoy most about your current role at H.B. Fuller?

I really enjoy the people that I get to work with and the variety of work that the role offers me. I have worked in multiple marketing roles within many different industries in the past 18 years and I have utilized my past experience to help them with strategy as the company carves out its digital marketing footprint.

What have you learned about digital marketing through your role at H.B. Fuller? 

Be flexible, open to learning new things and willing to challenge how you did it in another company. Digital is still evolving and there are always new ways of getting things done. Don’t limit yourself with past titles or responsibilities. Digital marketing experience can take you in many directions. Reach for something a little out of your comfort zone and enjoy the journey. Change is happening all around us.

Any work from home tips or advice you'd care to share with the world? 

I have worked remotely in past roles and have managed teams remotely. Communication is key. My relationship with my peers has strengthened and the project has been moving forward more now than it was before. I have an amazing manager at H.B. Fuller. We work very well together.

Do you have any hidden talents, hobbies or goals you'd like to share with the world? 

I love hiking, boating, reading, photography and yoga. My husband and I just hiked on the Canadian border and canoed in the boundary waters. I am also studying to become a licensed therapist with a focus on addiction.

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities.

Apply now

Employee Spotlight:
Cathy Challman, Designer

Check your ego at the door...is a phrase we use to add color and clarity to our Do What's Right core company value. Because most of our employees work with our clients directly, it's significant that they can live out our core values at work each day. 

Cathy is the recipient of our Do What's Right Core Value Award for 2020 because she lives out this value day to day. Cathy is an experienced creative, and came to Creatis after spending years as an art director for agencies, searching for more life/work balance. Not only is Cathy an expert in design, she brings this refreshing "balance mindset" to her role working for our client, Optum. Cathy asks pointed questions to achieve the best outcome for her colleagues, Optum and Creatis; even going above and beyond to ensure the appropriate solution.

We're thrilled that Cathy is on our team, making a huge difference in her work.

Learn more about Cathy...from Cathy! (Pictured, Right: Cathy at home with her Core Value Award monument)

How did you get connected to Creatis?

After years as an Art Director in the agency world, I switched to freelance. The work was steady, but the hours were long and I wanted balance in my life. I met with Julie Mattson, who connected me with Optum for a short gig (kind of a test run). It’s been over 2 1/2 years and I still love the assignment. It’s given me a chance to expand my skills and maintain that balance I was looking for.

What makes Creatis a great career fit for you right now?

Creatis offers support in ways difficult to find on your own. Steady work, normal hours, the ability for guilt-free time off, and a community of peers to name few.

What are the perks of working remotely?

The view of the birds and the garden outside my window, access to snacks, and every day is take your dog to work day.

What do you enjoy most about your role at Optum?

I have a long history working with healthcare related clients around the country. Optum was a perfect fit. I like my co-workers, and the shared pride in what we provide for Optum’s clients (especially during this COVID pandemic). I feel very appreciated.

Any advice for those new to working remotely (as most people are these days)?

As a freelancer, I worked from a home office for over 10 years before I started with Creatis. Having a dedicated office space, taking time each day to walk outside, staying involved in outside industry related groups and keeping up with technology has served me well.

What are your other interests, skills and hobbies—any that you’d like to share with the world?

I love to travel (oh, how I’ve missed it these last few months). I’ve been taking watercolor and sketching classes, and my husband and I are building a kayak.

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities.

Apply now

Employee Spotlight:
Kelly Brown, Content Creator at Target

Kelly Brown joined the Creatis team in August of 2020, where he's since worked for our client Target as a Content Creator. Kelly brings such a unique skill set in multi-media and digital design. Among his professional skills are motion graphic videos, animation and video editing. For Kelly, challenging himself with each project is the key to expanding his expertise; the key to doing exceptional work. He receives rave reviews from clients for his passion, talent and dedication to delivering projects that are both creative and meet strict brand/industry guidelines. 

Learn more about Kelly...from Kelly!

How did you get connected to Creatis?

I first heard of Creatis through a former colleague McKaela Grasmick Baldus. At the time she had just started at Creatis and hired me to work on a Carrot Illustration for UnitedHealth Group. The project was short lived but 10 years later it came back full circle when I was contacted by Ema Adams to work on Target's Social Team. I have to say Ema and her colleagues have shown nothing but support with my employment at Creatis. I look forward to working more with them in the future.

What are your responsibilities at Target? 

At Target I'm a Content Creator for the Social Team. I have a specialty in motion design. So I work a lot of animation and video editing projects along with design and illustration projects. I've had the opportunity to work on a number different categories across the board. The Social Team shows a lot of support and respect for what I do. And we get the chance to work on some fun projects. Recently I've had the chance to team up with a fellow content creator to do a few "Teach Me" cooking videos.

What's your favorite part of the role? 

I really enjoy the collaboration aspect of working on the Social Team at Target. Everyone is super nice, responsive and shows much respect on how much time get on a project. What I find even more inspiring is the amount of thought and care that goes into every post that's put out by Target Social. One other cool aspect was being able to meet other creatives who work on different teams at Target. I've also had the opportunity to sit in on a few seminars for social media and even had the chance to sit in on a talk with one of the directors from Pixar Studios.

Do you have advice for anyone starting a career in design/content creation or on finding inspiration? 

Always do the type of work that gets you excited everyday. To a point where you're thinking about it right before you go to bed. People see your passion and I think that makes them excited about working with you. Do tons of research on your craft and surround yourself with people who are like minded and will encourage you. It always sounds cheesy but it holds weight, never give up no matter what happens. Life will happen the way that it will and oftentimes you will feel down. But everyday you wake up is another day to make decisions. Try your best to make the decisions that will make you happy.

What are your other passions, hobbies or interests? Anything you'd like to share with the world? 

I do have my own comic book story that I want to put out in the world one day. It's a superhero based comic book that revolves around a character that can control nano technology with her mind. I try to work on it in between projects but it's slow going. Beyond that I like spending time with friends and family.

Check out Kelly's incredible reel of recent work here: 

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities. Apply now

Employee Spotlight:
Patty Nieman

Patty Nieman is one of our "long-haul" employee partners who embodies our core values and is an integral part of our team. Because of this, Patty is the 2020 Core Value Award recipient for the Shared Journey value. She's been working successfully with us for an entire decade, one of our longest tenured employees. 

Her expertise with words and keen eye for detail has made her perhaps the most praised employee at Creatis. Clients are frequently sending their kudos for the excellence she brings to projects; finding errors, making helpful suggestions and delivering work that is 100% accurate. 

Patty works remotely and has a flexible schedule, which is a win-win for both her and Creatis. She works with our Studio Proofreading Program, proofing projects for clients like Optum; and also as a copy editor for Medtronic through the Staffing side of our business. The flexibility enables her to pursue other work and passions, as you'll learn about below! We are so pleased to recognize and celebrate Patty as a Core Value Award recipient this year. 

Learn more about Patty...from Patty!

How did you get connected to Creatis?

I came to Creatis after a decade of working for Thomson Reuters as a copy editor and PowerPoint designer. My first Creatis position was as a part-time, on-site copy editor at Medtronic. I soon moved to Phoenix, AZ, and eased into regular remote work as I got used to living in a new city. I’ve been working remotely ever since — for seven years in New York City and, as of this summer, in Monmouth, Illinois.

What has Creatis been such a great fit these past 10 years of your career?

I’ve been a professional actress since my early 20s, and unless you’re in a long-running show — on stage or on camera — an acting career often involves short bursts of employment with extended time between gigs. Working with Creatis has been the best imaginable career fit — it’s a collaborative effort made possible by great management (thank you Paul!) and a talented team of proofers. It works with transparent communication about long- and short-range scheduling and availability, willingness to work outside business hours on my part on days when I’m rehearsing or performing, paired with flexibility around work assignments. I also love that I get to contribute and expand both my copy editing and PowerPoint design skill sets.

What are the other perks of working remotely?

Flexibility and portability are huge perks. My schedule doesn’t always fit the 9-5 model, and working remotely allows me to adjust as needed so that I can still turn jobs around in a timely manner on a not-at-home day. The biggest perk for me is that I can work wherever I have Wi-Fi.  

Any advice for those new to working remotely (as most people are these days)?

It’s always helped me to create a work space that invites me to focus. I have a desk that I love with everything I need when I’m home, and I have a laptop for when my “office” moves with me. With copy editing, we work with a lot of files every day, so having a solid organizational system is essential. And, of course, clear communication with the home office is the key to keeping everything moving smoothly. 

You mentioned working as an actress, what other passions do you have? 

In addition to working with words on a page, I love to bring stories to life as a professional actress, singer and audiobook narrator. While in New York City, I got to work on numerous musical theater pieces in development. My favorite time of year was thesis season at NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program, when I got to collaborate with student writing teams and a cast of seven to present 90-minute musicals with three days of rehearsal. In 2020, I’ve been a part of several Zoom events to develop new works — I love it!  

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities.

Apply now

Employee Spotlight:
Amy Wozniak, Digital Content Manager  

Companies that don't go digital may not survive the pandemic, which is why the increased need for skilled digital experts comes as no surprise. Creatis has a versatile with employees who get digital and stay on top of cutting-edge trends. Amy Wozniak is one of these experts. She brings over 20 years of experience in digital marketing, including eCommerce and interactive marketing, web content development best practices, UX and so much more. 

She's been an incredible addition to her team; serving our client UnitedHealthcare on a part-time basis for the past 2 years. 

Learn more about Amy...from Amy! 

How did you get connected to Creatis?

Prior to working for Creatis, I had been an independent contractor for many years. When my last contract ended, I decided that I wanted the benefits and security of working with an agency, while maintaining the flexibility of working part time. Creatis came highly recommended to me and had opportunities that met my needs.

What makes Creatis a great career fit for you right now?

Work/life balance is very important to me and working as a contractor allows me to keep that balance. Creatis was able to find me a long term contract position with United Healthcare. I get to work part time using my skills as a digital content manager and an expert in AEM. Because my contract with UHC has been long term, I have been able to build lasting relationships within UHC and feel that I have become an important part of the team and their success.

Given your background in eCommerce, digital & UX - what helps you stay current in the evolving world of digital marketing? / Any advice for folks wanting to get involved in a digital-heavy career?

Technology is always changing so staying current has been a priority of mine. I am always looking for opportunities to expand my skill set through continuous training like webinars or informal "lunch and learn" sessions. Networking and connecting with others in the eCommerce field and hear what industry experts are saying keeps me informed on emerging trends and technology.

What kind of responsibilities do you have in your current role? / What’s your favorite aspect of what you do?

I currently manage the content updates on the UnitedHealthcare acquisition website, along with updates on a mircosite of approximately 300 landing pages through Adobe Experience Manager (AEM). This includes Managing the day to day editing, publishing and monitoring relevant and timely digital content, while ensuring the content integrity and quality are compliant with necessary legal and regulatory rules and meets established digital content and policy standards. I have worked with the Optum IT team and a 3rd party agency on the redesign of the acquisition website along with two upgrades within AEM over my time at UHC. I enjoy the fast paced, deadline driven work and the amazing team I work with.

What are your other interests, skills and hobbies—any that you’d like to share with the world?

I love to travel and hope to be able to travel again in 2021. I took up paddle boarding this summer and I love to garden and spend time with my husband and son.

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities.

Apply now

Employee Spotlight:
Erin Cella

Erin Cella is a Creatis employee working on assignment at Optum as the Renew Active Program Manager — a role she's held for two years. Erin is also an active volunteer and a coalition member of It's About Time, a Twin Cities-based organization focused on bridging the racial achievement gap by connecting diverse candidates to employers. Read this Q/A with Erin.

What's your role at Optum?

I'm a Program Manager on Optum's Renew Active program, within their Medicare and Retirement services. Renew Active is a program for seniors on Medicare who have UnitedHealthcare insurance, encouraging fitness through free gym memberships and personalized fitness plans. I help manage fitness partnerships.

How has COVID-19 affected your work?

Well, as we all know, the fitness industry has been super affected by COVID. We had to pivot [Renew Active] to focus on things like virtual fitness visits and group Zoom workouts for our members. I'm also able to work for Optum remotely, and have recently relocated to Miami, Florida! Creatis and Optum were both open to the idea, and so great during the moving process. 

How did It's About Time get started? 

I was approached by my former colleague, Charlie Hackerson (Global Sales Chief at Site Improve) in the summer of 2020. Charlie had an idea to create a group that actively fought racism by getting more Black and minority people involved in business here in the Twin Cities. The ideas was to do that by connecting candidates of color with employers and business leaders — to just help people make meaningful connections. A small group of coalition members has been meeting virtually every two weeks since August to bring It's About Time to life. Like we say, "It's just about time" to have a more diverse workforce. The coalition members are a mix of Black and white people. We're all volunteers. 

What kind of events do you host & how does the process work? 

We work to build a pool of candidates, who will apply and get an orientation to get prepped for our Career Fair. We then reach out to potential employers who would be interested in meeting these candidates. So far we've done one virtual Career Fair in February 2021 that featured a keynote speaker who educated [all attendees] on bias and prejudice in the workplace. After the speaker, we did what's like professional "speed dating" — we break out into Zoom rooms, where candidates meet individually with business reps or hiring managers from different companies so they can learn about the company, ask questions, talk about their skills and explore job opportunities. We hope to do another Career Fair this spring!

What is your role with the organization? 

[All coalition members] do a little bit of everything. My primary role is supporting and working with candidates. That means contacting potential candidates, then onboarding and preparing candidates to meet with employers at the career fairs. I also do social media promotion. It's About Time is not a placement firm, though, we're clear about that with candidates. I help prepare and answer questions for our candidates and then let them take ownership of next steps in terms of applying for work or making further connections.

What kind of support are you looking for right now?

 We're always looking to connect with potential candidates and employers. People can contact us through our website here. 

Apply to Creatis today and get started an flexible, exciting career with some of the best marketers and creatives in the Twin Cities. Apply now