
Feel free to reach out. I’m always happy to zoom, text, chat or even meet in person.
Mark DeFrancesco
Oceanside, NY 11572 | (646)279-0944 | MarkRD789@gmail.com | linkedin.com/in/mark-r-defrancesco
Creative Force | Emmy Winner | Veteran Leader | Builder of Brands
Emmy winning Creative Director and digital strategist with over 20 years of experience leading high impact content and design systems across tech, media, advocacy, and political campaigns. A United States Air Force veteran and former Communications Director for a progressive campaign, I bring a unique mix of strategic messaging, visual storytelling, and hands on technical skill to mobilize audiences and drive meaningful action. Skilled at leading creative teams, managing end to end production, and elevating brand identity across platforms including web, video, print, and motion graphics in high stakes, mission driven environments.
Accomplishments & Leadership
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Directed multi-platform creative strategy for a progressive state assembly campaign, boosting donations by 64%, social following by 68%, and engagement across all digital channels.
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Led digital media execution for CBS Sports’ top-tier events including the Super Bowl and March Madness over multiple years, contributing to a $325M Viacom acquisition and earning 3 Emmy Awards with 10 total nominations.
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Produced high-impact content for national television, advocacy groups, and political candidates spanning social, video, web development, motion graphics, and paid media under rapid-response timelines.
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Built and managed scalable creative systems across email, social, and web, including content pipelines, vendor workflows, and brand asset libraries.
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Developed branded storytelling and visual campaigns that drove 35% year-over-year growth for an online wellness platform focused on humor, sustainability, and family mental health.
Professional Experience
New York State Assembly District 14 – Long Island, NY
Campaign Manager/Communications Director
February 2024 – November 2024
- Led end-to-end digital strategy across email, SMS, social, and web, driving a 64% increase in online donations and major engagement growth.
- Created all fundraising content, targeted advertising, and donation pages, using CRM data and performance metrics to optimize message timing and impact.
- Managed brand, design, and compliance workflows, ensuring consistency across print, digital, and rapid-response communications.
- Crafted press, social, and web content that elevated the candidate’s voice, expanded media reach, and mobilized working families.
HeroicCreations.com, New York, NY
Founder – Communications & Branding Consultant
June 2023 – Present
- Led digital strategy for PACs and candidates, driving list growth, engagement, and fundraising through targeted content and campaign optimization.
- Delivered rapid-response messaging that turned breaking moments into high-performing email, social, and fundraising wins.
- Built scalable content systems across platforms, aligning brand voice with analytics to maximize reach and results.
CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network – New York, NY
Director, Graphics
August 2008 – May 2024
Led the graphics, branding, and on-air creative vision and strategy for CBS Sports programming, including high-profile live-sporting events, managing design teams, and ensuring high-quality deliverables for over 100 million viewers. Managed a team of 45 creative professionals—training on company standards and best practices, assessing priorities and supervising workflows, and cultivating a high-performing and collaborative team.
- Directed on-air creative vision and branding for CBS Sports programming, overseeing high-quality visuals for over 100 million viewers.
- Led a $1M+ rebranding initiative for CBS Sports, delivering cohesive brand identity across multiple platforms.
- Directed a 50+ person creative team, delivering broadcast graphics, motion content, and digital media while building a talent pipeline that saved $300,000 annually.
- Spearheaded a 5-year transition to a new graphics platform, improving data integration and UX/UI, targeting a $12 million saving.
Living Clean and Dirty – Oceanside, NY
Creative Director/Web Developer/Editor
August 2014 – April 2024
- Curated editorial content, built digital marketing strategies, and developed engaging communications
across social media platforms, growing the subscriber base to over 6,000. - Created social media posts, blog content, and visual assets to increase user interaction and audience
reach. - Designed and implemented a comprehensive content strategy, including blog posts, video, podcasts,
social media campaigns, and multimedia elements, to drive audience growth and engagement. - Leveraged analytics to optimize content performance, achieving a 35% year-over-year increase in
subscribers. - Produced visually compelling graphics and videos to support articles and promotional campaigns,
enhancing overall platform aesthetic and brand identity.
Macaroni Kid – Long Beach, NY
Writer and Editor
January 2010 – December 2021
Served as the editor and writer for Macaroni Kid’s local division, building the site from inception to 10,000
subscribers. Created targeted marketing campaigns for 100+ local businesses, generating $130,000 in
commissions and goods & services while highlighting local events, businesses, and family-related products and
services.
Additional Relevant Experience
Director of Graphics, CBS Sports Network
Orchestrated CBS College Sports Network rebrand, led asset creation and management, advised on design
strategies, and developed a high-performing team of freelancers to ensure adherence to brand standards.
• Led the design and branding strategy for CBS Sports Network’s high-profile events, resulting in a $325M
acquisition by Viacom-CBS.
CSTV College Sports Television Lead Designer
Established the graphics department for the television startup—building five complete on-air graphics packages,
with an average saving of $125,000 for each redesign.
Key Skills
Creative Strategy & Direction | Cross-Platform Branding | Motion Graphics & Live Broadcast Design | Digital & Visual Storytelling | Social Media & Community Engagement | Scalable Design Systems | Content Creation | UX, Interactive & Web Design | Email Marketing | Website & CMS Management | Political & Advocacy Campaigns | Messaging & Narrative Strategy | Team Leadership & Mentorship | Brand & Message Consistency | Event Promotion & Campaign Planning | Project Management & Cross-Team Coordination | Client & Stakeholder Engagement
Technical & Software Skills
Adobe Creative Suite | Canva | Video Editing (Premiere Pro/After Effects) | WordPress | HTML/CSS | Font
Creation | SQL Programming | Social Media Platforms (Meta, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok) | Microsoft Office Suite |
On-Air Broadcast Graphics | Mailchimp | Project Tracking (Asana, Basecamp, Notion) | Data & Analytic Tools
Military Service
Senior Airman (E-4), United States Air Force
August 1993 – July 1997
Served as a communications operator, working with satellite, wideband, and telemetry systems in a fixed and
deployed environment.
Education & Training
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Communications Coursework | Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, CT
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Engineering Coursework | University of Hartford, Hartford, CT
Climate Reality Leadership Corps – Completed 2024
• Focus on communication and advocacy for environmental initiatives, emphasizing clear and impactful messaging.