Meet our new employees!

With combined experience totaling more than 40 years, Dowden’s three new media dynamos—Melissa Caravella, senior project manager; Liz LaBianca, project manager; and Tuyen Teasdale, design director—bring fresh perspective to the custom media group. In an interview with Dowden’s Custom Connection, the trio details their marketing philosophies and reveals their inner quirks.

Custom Connection: Our clients want to know—how do you approach projects?
Liz LaBianca: My approach is to be as proactive with my clients as possible. With so much work on THEIR plates, I think it’s important to build a relationship where clients feel they can rely on me. Melissa Caravella: I agree. When you can proactively approach your clients’ marketing goals, the focus of the project becomes clearer and readers and users can see the value in it, too.
Tuyen Teasdale: I’ve always been a follower of graphic design pioneer Paul Rand (not to be confused with Rand Paul!). He once said, “Design is so simple, that’s why it is so complicated.” That’s a designer’s job is: to simplify the complex.

CC: So, why Dowden?
LL: By nature, I’m a people person. I really like getting to really know who my clients are, and I think Dowden is a company that “gets” the importance of that.
MC: I’m technically “new,” but I’ve actually worked with Dowden in different capacities since 2006. When I moved back into the Montvale area, I was excited to rejoin the group in person. I like getting to know my clients, and being able to see and feel the product of your work is very rewarding.
TT: I enjoy working on projects that are actually helpful to people: We’re providing people with useful tools that are meaningful and valuable.

CC: Tuyen, from a design standpoint, what’s something that might help marketing managers improve their publications?
TT: Take more risks! Don’t be afraid to use more color and typographic elements … it can make technical articles more appealing. It often helps to look at a situation from a different perspective. Sometimes seeking an “opposite” solution can lead to new thinking.

CC: What else should we know about you?
LL: Fellow hockey fans should know I’m a huge NY Rangers fan!
MC: We may have been neighbors at some point—I’ve called many cities “home” over the past few years, including Seattle, San Francisco, and Columbus, Ohio.
TT: I love traveling and I’ve visited every U.S. state, except Alaska and Hawaii. Any upcoming meetings in Anchorage or Honolulu?