nice to meet you.

I’ve been called a one-stop creative shop, with services including graphic design, social media, writing, publishing, photography, content marketing, and branding. My big-picture approach to creative motivates me to understand how message, identity, and audience all influence graphic design and delivery.

rubicat_tammyraabe

“Words cannot describe how incredibly talented Tammy is. …. While Tammy’s gift for design is unique, what I have come to appreciate is her ability to turn things around with great speed and accuracy. I don’t know what I would do without her.” (Linkedin recommendation)

how i got here.

My career plans had always included journalism. I was a writer and photographer for my college newspaper and yearbook, and I studied Mass Media, Communications, and photography. When I discovered the Internet in January 1993 and met an M.I.T. student online, I decided to put graduate school plans on hold for a year, and … my, where DID the time go?

During 20 years spent in Boston, with a two-year pit stop in Minneapolis, my career grew from communications to production to creative. When I began working for Aquent (then MacTemps) 1997, I learned that PowerPoint was a gateway drug to print production and graphic design. Most of my skills were developed by Aquent, who provided on-the-job training and kept me challenged with new projects.

In 1999, I was hired by an Aquent client as a PowerPoint specialist. By 2001 I was managing a creative staff of five and developing a wider range of creative services beyond presentations for the company’s teams. I saw the company through a rebrand and then a merger, where I was part of the first round of layoffs after the dotcom bubble burst. I then became inspired to jump into freelance design.

why rubicat?

Since 2003, I’ve been providing creative services under this whimsical name. I have a deep appreciation for cats, a fondness for deep red colours, and a penchant for memorable naming conventions. One day, while I was in a silly Seuss-like mood, the word “rubicat” just popped into my head and refused to leave!

a creative by any other name…

Whether a project requires design, brand, production, or marketing, I bring more than you’d expect from a designer. I consistently exceed expectations, because I have a “big picture” approach to creative. While I am generally a graphic designer, I’m able to contribute to any part (including management of) a creative project. Check out my resume for a more in-depth look at my skills and accomplishments.