Lisa Théa – Multidisciplinary Designer & Brand Experience Strategist
Lisa Théa is a Bay Area-based designer and brand strategist with a rich, multidisciplinary background spanning product development, branding, and luxury customer experience. Born in Oslo, Norway, she was immersed in art from an early age, inspired by her family's creative heritage—particularly her grandfather, a renowned rosary painter who nurtured her artistic talent.
Her design journey began in Oslo’s prestigious Ungdommens Kulturmønstring at the Steiner Museum, where her early work was showcased. She later moved to the U.S. to study design and art at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, where her Mattel-sponsored toy design was recognized as a top project, and her wearable music concept gained international attention.
Over the next 16+ years in Los Angeles, Lisa collaborated with top-tier brands across luxury, fashion, and product design, developing a unique ability to blend storytelling, aesthetics, and strategic brand experiences. Her expertise spans physical product development, packaging design, and high-impact brand experiences that engage and captivate audiences.
From Oslo to Los Angeles and now the Bay Area, Lisa’s career reflects a lifelong dedication to crafting immersive brand experiences, developing innovative products, and creating impactful design solutions. She continues to push boundaries, shaping the next evolution of brand and customer experience.
Brands Lisa has worked with:
Resume
Design Professional with a Passion for Brand Excellence
Results-driven designer with extensive experience in branding, visual communication, and client collaboration. Proven ability to create compelling designs, manage client expectations, and deliver engaging brand experiences. Skilled in developing brand identities, marketing assets, and digital experiences that resonate with audiences, ensuring 100% on-time project completion and fostering 90%+ client retention.
Adept at streamlining design workflows, maintaining consistency across touchpoints, and driving business growth through creative problem-solving and strategic visual storytelling. Strong organizational and communication skills, with a focus on delivering exceptional design solutions that enhance brand impact and build long-term loyalty.
EXPERIENCE
Creative Account Manager | Development Designer | Visual & Brand Designer
April 2012- Present
Managing End-to-End Design & Client Relationships
I have successfully managed full-cycle design projects for a Los Angeles-based clothing brand with both an e-commerce platform and a physical storefront, ensuring a seamless creative process, brand consistency, and customer engagement across all touchpoints. By focusing on clear communication and strategic problem-solving, I maintained a 90% repeat customer rate, delivering high-quality branding, packaging, and digital design solutions that aligned with the company’s business objectives and customer experience.
Simultaneously, I worked on custom greeting card designs for boutique and online retailers, creating visually engaging and strategically branded collections. I ensured that each project adhered to a distinct brand identity while also aligning with seasonal trends, audience preferences, and print production standards.
Optimizing the Design Process & Ensuring Brand Consistency
I developed an efficient design workflow to streamline execution and maintain brand integrity across digital and print platforms:
Research-driven approach: Conducted brand audits, competitor analysis, and audience research to align designs with business goals.
3-2-1 Design Method: Created three initial concepts, refined two, and finalized one high-impact design to ensure clarity and efficiency.
Structured brand execution: Provided mockups, brand guidelines, and asset libraries to maintain cohesion across packaging, marketing, and digital experiences.
To uphold quality and consistency, I collaborated closely with print vendors, packaging suppliers, and production teams, ensuring all branded materials met design standards.
Development Designer | Mattel Inc.
December 2010 – April 2012
Owned end-to-end client and stakeholder communication, ensuring smooth collaboration between overseas manufacturers, designers, and engineers to maintain 100% on-time production and product quality.
Enhanced product usability based on real customer feedback, leading to design improvements that made outfit changes easier for children, reducing frustration and increasing repeat purchases.
Led product refresh initiatives, implementing new color strategies that kept products on-brand, cost-effective, and engaging—resulting in consistent positive customer reviews and higher demand.
Gathered direct customer insights from R&D testing, identifying usability pain points and implementing changes (e.g., improving doll seating in vehicles and adjusting outfit designs for easier play)—leading to higher retention and continued brand loyalty.
Built and maintained strong relationships with internal teams and external partners via clear communication, visual guides, and structured feedback loops, ensuring 100% alignment with Mattel’s brand standards and seamless execution of projects.
Presented strategic product insights and new designs to senior leadership, translating customer data into actionable improvements that contributed to revenue growth and increased customer satisfaction.
Developed cross-functional collaboration strategies by increasing communication and checking in with partners on a regular basis, ensuring all stakeholders had the tools and information they needed, resulting in faster project turnarounds and a frictionless workflow.
Industrial & Graphic Designer | Strottman
December 2010 – April 2012
Designed premium toys and packaging graphics for Taco Bell, ensuring a seamless blend of licensed and original artwork to enhance brand engagement and customer experience. Conducted market and consumer research to align designs with target demographics, improving brand storytelling and product appeal.
EDUCATION
California College of the Arts – San Francisco, CA
BFA in Design
SKILLS
Communication
Creative Problem-Solving
Cross-Functional Team Collaboration
Digital and Consumer Product Design
Software: Asana, Google Suite, Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate App
Foreign Languages: Fluent in Norwegian, proficient in Swedish, and written Danish
COURSES & CERTIFICATES
Google’s User Experience Foundation Certificate
Creative Project Management Course
Art and Science Behind Customer Retention Course
Customer Experience (CX) Foundations
Recommendations
Lisa was so wonderful to work with! Her rendition of the dogs captured not only their personalities but their spirit as well. She made the whole process enjoyable and so easy. I am overjoyed with the end product.
-M. Off
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