Hi there,
I am Doris Petersen.
I'm a creative operations leader who excels at the intersection of design, process, and technology.
With extensive agency and in-house experience, I bridge business goals with customer needs through cohesive branding and customer-centric approaches.
As a passionate and pragmatic creative leader, I uncover and nurture team superpowers, inspiring peak performance without sacrificing creativity. I optimize workflows, streamline processes, and enhance productivity, allowing design teams to focus on innovative work.
My track record shows consistent delivery of on-brand, on-budget, and on-time integrated marketing campaigns that resonate with customers and align with marketing strategies. By combining cross-functional collaboration, organizational skills, and a keen eye for aesthetics, I drive efficiency and impactful results.
I lead with empathy, inclusion, and calculated risk-taking, balancing roles as strategist and storyteller, cheerleader and coach. Let's transform your creative process into a seamless powerhouse tailored to your unique narrative.
About Me
Hola, mundo!
I'm a creative strategic leader with roots in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, and a passion for turning big ideas into even bigger realities.
My journey began with a dream of conquering the advertising world, armed with nothing but my imagination and a trusty sketchpad. I aspired to work for the largest agencies and with global brands.
From traditional print to cutting-edge digital, I've left my creative fingerprints on national and global brands, always pushing the boundaries of what's possible. I’ve conceived and produced items as small as the right promotional giveaway to giant tradeshow booths and mobile marketing tours.
But here's where it gets interesting: I discovered my superpower lies at the crossroads of design, technology, process, and people. Before "creative operations" was even a thing, I was already orchestrating the symphony of creativity and efficiency like a caffeinated conductor.
My secret sauce? Bringing together a motley crew of creative minds, sprinkling in the right tech solution, and stirring it all up with a healthy dose of fun. The result? Integrated marketing campaigns that don't just look pretty – they make brands shine and customers swoon.
In my world, creativity isn't just a job – it's a fiesta, and everyone's invited!
Experience
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PETCO
San Diego, CADrove efficiency in the end-to-end integrated marketing process shifting from time-crunched execution to systematic, on-schedule roll-outs. Drove process excellence by improving briefing, creative development, status monitoring and measurement of marketing initiatives.
Boosted project management efficiency by 25%.
Defined roadmaps, and managed the multi-million budget.
Developed and executed the end-to-end project plans for all seasonal and large enterprise campaigns.
Delivered on over 3000 creative projects annually.
Implemented workflow refinements resulting in 45% reduction of creative development cycle time.
Implemented prioritization, triage process and resource planning morel, reducing churn by 15%.
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PETCO
San Diego, CAOptimized the organizational strategy and operational procedures across creative teams. Improved collaboration and optimized workflows which reduced creative development cycle time.
Managed and mentored a team of 15, delivering creative projects on time and accurately.
Optimized workflows and improved team productivity by 35% using a hybrid (Waterfall & Agile) framework.
Developed and executed the outsourcing strategy producing savings of $250K annually.
Streamlined print procurement process, production outsourcing, and talent resourcing.
Doubled photo studio capacity to meet the demand for product photography by implementing efficient workflows, standard processes, and improved digital asset management.
Supported Petco's most recent IPO (2021).
Oversaw the launches of the Petco Pay credit card (2021) and Petco Insurance by Nationwide (2023).
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PETCO
San Diego, CATransformed the team with a new operational model. Entrusted to lead the most impactful campaigns from the repositioning of Petco to the launch of Vital Care, demonstrating my ability to develop complex campaigns while meeting business goals and fostering a collaborative workplace.
Configured Adobe Workfront as the enterprise project management platform increasing project management capacity by 75% and consolidating project management across all creative teams enhancing collaboration.
Optimized the creative workflows and resource allocation resulting in a 20% increase in project delivery speed.
Managed the enterprise-wide rebranding and repositioning as Petco, The Health and Wellness Company implementing the new brand in over 2,000 assets
Oversaw the transition from Pals to Petco Vital Care maintaining consistency across all channels.
Led the production of the "Stop The Shock" campaign, a stance defining idea promoting the regulation of shock collars resulting in 2.3B impressions, 52K petition signatures, and a 20% increase in training class sign-ups in the first week.
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PETCO
San Diego, CADeveloped and streamlined the creative operations function at Petco, focusing on quality, brand integrity and project governance. Improved the process and a transparent tracking system.
Optimized the budget management and print procurement process, improved forecasting accuracy and cost management contributing to a 15% savings in print and paper costs.
Established a dedicated Quality Assurance team, elevating brand consistency, and maintaining promotional accuracy on all assets resulting in improving efficiency by 20% and reducing errors by 60%.
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PETCO
San Diego, CAOversaw the planning and production process of the monthly sales circular and direct mail programs with a multi-million dollar production spend. Part of the task force that designed and implemented the Promotional Planning Process. Influenced process changes, recommended a new tech stack, and defined a new way of working.
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Carlsbad
San Diego, CAContract through Aquent.
Specialized in designing all the creative deliverables for educational institutions across California ranging from event collateral to the optimization of electronic ordering forms for educational books.
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Alternative & Innovative Marketing
Escondido, CALed experiential marketing campaigns and mobile marketing tours for the US Hispanic market, managed design and production for clients such as Sony, Campbell's, Johnson and Johnson, LA Dodgers, POM Wonderful and Coca-Cola.
Words of appreciation
“Doris is one of the most loyal and caring professionals I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. Beyond that, she excels at her job and brings a wealth of resources to the table. Her expertise in organization, project management, logistics, and her keen eye for aesthetics are unparalleled. Doris is a true team player, and I have never felt more supported by someone in an upper management role.
Even after I was laid off, she continued to be an incredible source of support, generously offering her time and resources to help me secure my next opportunity. She’s one of my biggest champions, and I’m truly grateful to have her in my corner.”
Ivy Walsh
Sr. Graphic Designer
“I have had the privilege of working with Doris for over 6 years. Her passion for her work is truly infectious, motivating those around her to excel. Doris's proactive approach to problem-solving stands out, as she consistently takes the initiative to find effective solutions. Doris possesses a comprehensive skill set and a positive attitude that enables her to confidently tackle any challenge
What sets Doris apart, is her genuine care for every team member, fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment. She leads by example, creating a ripple effect of compassion and support throughout an organization.
Doris's leadership qualities and technical expertise make her an invaluable asset to any organization, as she consistently elevates the performance of those around her. Any team would be fortunate to have Doris as a member.”
Nicki Gamble
Art Director
“Doris has been an incredible operations partner for the past 7 years. She jumps into any new initiative with curiosity and a can-do attitude. She is a strategic partner in building out a plan and building or deploying existing processes to help us navigate complex, cross-functional projects on time and on budget. Plus, she cares immensely about ensuring that we not only produce good work, but that we do it in a harmonious (and fun!) way. I attribute a lot of my success to Doris’s partnership. Anyone would be lucky to have Doris on their team!”
Alysa Frost
VP, Revenue
“I had the amazing opportunity to work with and partner with Doris over five years. She is an amazing marketing and creative leader that would be an incredible asset to any organization. Her strategy, creative, planning, and execution management led to her and her team excelling in their roles. Her incredible leadership, passion, positive attitude, and energy made her one of the best leaders across the board. You would be lucky to have Doris on your team!”
Soumik Chatterjee
Chief Strategy Officer
“I had the privilege of working with Doris for several years and can confidently say she is one of the most talented creative professionals I have ever met. As the Director of Creative Operations at Petco, Doris consistently delivered exceptional results, even under the most challenging of circumstances. She is a great listener and communicator, able to balance multiple tasks and priorities with ease. Her ability to think strategically and develop concepts that resonate with consumers, in both English and Spanish, is truly impressive.
Furthermore, Doris is a dedicated team player who always puts in the extra effort to ensure her team and clients are satisfied. She is a reliable, flexible, and loyal collaborator, with an eye for creative solutions that maximize results. I enjoyed working with her, and I'm confident that her leadership skills, attention to detail, and ability to exceed expectations would make her an asset to any organization.”
Rua Hasan
Program Manager
“Doris is a tremendously talented individual who always looks to partner to develop the best possible outcome. Her leadership within the CMO Team transcends beyond her team members through the constant oversight and management of all internal colleagues within Merchandising, Marketing, Advertising, Operations, Services and Senior Leadership.
Doris’ passion is to keep the team on task to hit key milestones to stay on timelines and she goes the extra mile to overcome challenges while coming to the office with an amazing attitude. She is a consummate professional that combines innovative thinking and design to accomplish the end result. Her leadership and experience makes her a tremendous asset to any organization.”
Harry Kammerzell
President at Pet Jerky Factory
“Doris is truly a diamond in the rough. She is one of those people that was trained to do one thing but learns as she goes and becomes whatever you need her to be.
Doris was an expert on creative production, project management and most importantly leadership. On a daily basis I witnessed the energy Doris would put into developing her team and the way she would individually coach each person. Seeing her people get promoted and grow gave her more satisfaction than anything else.
Doris is a pleasure to work with and I would hire her to work with me in any company”
Tami Conrad
VP Marketing Operations
“I had the pleasure of reporting directly to Doris for my first two years at Petco, as well as continuing to work with her after my reporting structure changed.
First and foremost: Doris can do anything and everything. While her job title may have specified operations/program management, she somehow always knew how every other department worked, too, and that well-roundedness is a huge asset.
As a people leader, Doris set an excellent example: She held her team to a high standard, and she provided the support needed to reach that standard. I can personally attest to making leaps and bounds in my professional development under her leadership!
As a project manager, Doris is the person you want running the ship. She has the knowledge and background to foresee problems before they even happen and get you on the right track. When issues do arise, she's a cross-functional problem-solver who triages to keep things moving.
I wholeheartedly recommend Doris for any position she should pursue. Her leadership style, extensive knowledge and dedication to getting things done make her an invaluable asset to anyone. She is already sorely missed on our team.”
Amy Surbatovich
Quality Control Manager
“Doris is an amazing person. She has a wealth of knowledge of marketing operations and design and finds ways to improve processes and working cross-functionally. Doris makes everyone feel welcomed and part of the team. I have worked along side and for Doris for over 10 years. She has been a terrific mentor, guiding me along my own career journey. Doris will be a great addition to any company.”