Vice President/ Director of Visual Communication

At age four, Jay received a paint set from Santa Claus at Macy’s in New York. As fate would have it, she eventually became the advertising art director for all Macy’s stores! That early portent, her design training from Syracuse University and the New York School of Interior Design, and the course of her professional life have led Jay to conclude that miracles do happen, on 34th Street and elsewhere. One of those miracles is that Jay returned to Metropolitan Group in 2007 after a five-year absence!

Jay rejoined MG as vice president/director of visual communication in March 2007. She previously was head of MG’s design studio, based in the Portland office, for five years. During her absence from MG, Jay was creative director for the  American Society of Pension Professionals & Actuaries for two years, and prior to that she was creative director for the national headquarters of American Red Cross in Washington, D.C., responsible for promoting the biomedical services of the world’s most recognizable brand.

Jay has worked with hundreds of nonprofit and public sector clients over the years, including Casey Family Programs, World Agroforestry Centre, AHA International, Hope Heart Institute, YMCA of the USA and many others. Her considerable experience in creating print, film, video, Web and exhibit projects for numerous clients ensures maximum visual impact, as well as branding consistency, for each client.

Jay’s 27 years in design and art direction also include serving as art director for all Macy’s stores and executive advertising art director for Meier & Frank (Portland); running her own graphic design firm; and teaching design at Pacific Northwest College of Art, the University of Oregon, Portland Community College and Bassist College (now the Art Institute of Portland). She has received many honors for her work, including awards from Communication Arts, How and Print magazines.

Jay has served as chair of the City Club of Portland’s Arts & Culture Committee and a member of the Marketing & Communications Committee of the American Red Cross, Pacific Northwest Region. She is a founding board member of Artists for the Arts, and a capital campaign founder of the Pacific Northwest College of Art. She is currently a member of the Inter-Society Color Council, an international organization that advises industry and manufacturing on color choices.

Beauty inspires. —Coco Chanel