MARK EL-RAYES
MBA
Creative & Strategic Executive | Strategy & Leadership
Professional Summary
Combat-veteran executive and Georgetown MBA with 15+ years leading digital, creative, and nonprofit organizations. Proven ability to build cross-functional teams, manage complex operations, and scale programs that drive measurable organizational growth.
Core Competencies
Leadership | Operations Management | Strategic Planning | Cross-Functional Team Development
Work History
Creative Director | 2023 - Current | El-Rayes Design Co, (Remote)
Oversee remote creative and technical teams delivering digital design, marketing, and development solutions for retained clients. Manage project portfolios, budgets, and team performance across multiple accounts, ensuring strategic alignment and measurable growth outcomes.
Digital Design & Development Director | 2019 - 2023 | ConnectCRE, (Remote)
Directed cross-functional digital teams responsible for product design and web development. Led a full corporate rebrand that expanded the company’s digital reach and increased inbound engagement.
Older Work History
Marketing Director | 2018 - 2019 | Goldn Bloom, San Diego, CA
Creative Director (Co-Owner) | 2017 - 2019 | Fast Grass, San Diego, CA
Mass Communication Specialist | 2012 - 2017 | US Navy, International
Technical Skillsets
Content Development and Writing
Copywriting and Editing (AP Style) / Search Engine Optimization (SEO) (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Google Keywords Planner) / Multimedia Content Creation (Adobe Creative Suite, Procreate, FL Studio, Blender, SketchUp, Microsoft Office Suite) / Studio, Documentary, and Product Photography / Technical Writing and Report Preparation / Traditional and Digital Illustration
Digital Communications & Development
Social Media Platforms Management (Later, Hootsuite, Buffer) / Content Management Systems (WordPress, Drupal, etc.) / Email Marketing Platforms (Mailchimp, Constant Contact, HubSpot) / Digital Analytics (Google Analytics, HubSpot, Hotjar, Adobe Analytics, SEO Analytics)
Public Relations and Branding & Leadership Management
Brand Management and Development / Public Relations Management / Event Planning and Execution / Team Leadership and Personnel Management / Project Management Tools (Asana, Trello) / Performance Metrics and KPI Tracking
Strategic Communications Planning & Media Relations
SWOT Analysis, Audience Segmentation Analysis, Campaign Development and Management / Press Release Writing and Distribution / Media List Creation and Management / Press Kit Development
Other Skills
Web Dev: PHP / C# / HTML / CSS / JavaScript / Jquery / MySQL / Server Administration
Personal: Guitar / Bass / Piano / Dressing Sharp / Open Mics / Poetry / Journaling / Silly Walking
Languages: English / Arabic
Personal: Guitar / Bass / Piano / Dressing Sharp / Open Mics / Poetry / Journaling / Silly Walking
Languages: English / Arabic
Education
Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Georgetown University (2024)
B.S. in Graphic Design
Art Institute of Philadelphia (2009)
A.S. in Computer Information
California College of San Diego (2018)