Jakeyla S. Cowlin

Hi, I’m Jakeyla (most people call me Keyla).

Built to optimize. Here to make work flow.

I’m an operations and program leader with 10+ years of building operational systems, leading complex programs and creative operations, and helping distributed teams work better. Most recently, I delivered 1,250+ productions across 9 global regions for brands like Hilton, Marriott, Four Seasons, and IHG, and used AI to take busywork off my team’s plate. I lead with operational rigor and genuine care for the people inside the system.

Grab my resume (PDF download) Find me on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
productions delivered end to end (photo, video, and 360 shoots)
1,250+
concurrent projects managed at peak
70+
global regions coordinated
9
less manual effort from AI workflows I built
~30%
rating on all ~40 completed client surveys
5/5
peer-voted GOAT Awards in one fiscal year
2×

A little about me

I genuinely love this work.

Not in an “it pays the bills” way. In an “I will absolutely redesign this intake form at 10pm because I can see exactly how to make it better” kind of way. I like walking into how a business actually runs, finding where the friction lives, and building something that makes the work easier for everyone involved.

I also believe warmth is a system. The way people feel is part of the product, whether that’s a client navigating their first shoot, a teammate learning a new workflow, or a family walking into a medical practice on a hard day. I bring the same three things to every room: calm, care, and a checklist that actually works.

“Jakeyla, our ‘checklist queen,’ always finds smarter, more efficient ways to keep things running smoothly.”

Elizabeth, CX team announcement, September 2024

How I got here

Every chapter taught me something I still use.

Four industries, one throughline: walking into complex operations, building structure, and making the people around me feel like they’re in good hands.

  1. 2013 – 2019

    Running the whole business

    Leasing Manager, Eagles South Apartments, then Leasing & Marketing Manager, The Standard at Auburn

    This is where I learned to run several business functions at once: the people, the sales, the marketing, and the numbers.

    • Team leadership: managed a team of 5, setting daily priorities and expectations.
    • Sales & customer experience: owned the full cycle, from first inquiry and tour to signed lease and renewal.
    • Marketing & operations: ran quarterly campaigns and marketing calendars, coordinated vendors, and kept records, audits, and compliance in order.
  2. 2018 – now

    Building the operations behind a creative business

    Founder & Creative Operations Lead, Branding University LLC

    I founded Branding University seven months pregnant with my son. I didn’t just provide design services. I built the operating system that lets a creative business run: how clients come in, how work gets scoped and priced, how revisions and approvals flow, and how everything gets delivered.

    • 80+ clients served with brand identities, logos, marketing materials, and websites.
    • Every system built by me: intake and onboarding, scoping, pricing and proposals, revisions, approvals, client communication, and delivery.
  3. 2021 – 2023

    Learning that warmth is a system

    Lead Medical Receptionist, Sylacauga Pediatrics

    High-volume operations with no room for error, on some of families’ hardest days. I coordinated 3 locations, 8 physicians, and 75+ patient visits a day, and made each family feel like the only appointment that mattered.

    • Process improvement: streamlined intake, billing, and referral workflows.
    • Confidentiality: managed 350+ confidential patient records every week.
  4. 2023 – 2026

    Where it all came together

    Project Manager, Operations & AI-Enabled Workflows, Visiting Media (remote)

    I owned photo, video, and immersive media production for global hospitality brands, carrying every project from scheduling through close-out across 9 regions.

    • Enterprise scale: delivered 1,250+ productions for 300+ clients, with 70+ projects running at once at peak.
    • Hilton LUX: owned project delivery on a 114-property enterprise rollout across EMEA, the Americas, and APAC, partnering with Product Studio so every deliverable met Hilton’s quality standards.
    • AI builder: built custom GPTs that draft project timelines and map aerial 360 drone shoot logistics, part of the AI workflows that cut manual effort by about 30%.
    • Visibility: drove the build of a live Salesforce-connected rollout dashboard, and built a click-to-update tracker that generates weekly leadership summaries.
    • Enablement: when the PMO absorbed video, I became its subject matter expert, built the documentation and QA checkpoints, and trained the CSM team in under 3 weeks.

How I work

If I make it twice, I build a template.

I spot the gap before it becomes an issue, then build something that holds, so the organization gets simpler, not more complicated.

  • SOPs people actually use

    Process documentation, workflows, and training materials built for adoption, including a new video process taught in under 3 weeks.

  • AI that does the busywork

    Custom GPTs and Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini workflows for timelines, scheduling, summaries, and QA support.

  • Everyone on the same page

    Photographers, editors, CSMs, sales, and clients aligned from kickoff to delivery, usually without formal authority.

  • Quality before it ships

    QA checkpoints from upload to delivery to live review, so issues get caught before a customer sees them.

  • Travel, handled

    International flights, accommodations, and multi-day shoot itineraries across 9 regions, with weather contingencies built in.

  • Problems prevented

    Prep emails, confirmation itineraries, and check-ins that surface risk early, plus clear escalation when something still slips.

Tools I work in

  • Salesforce
  • Smartsheet
  • Notion
  • Trello
  • Slack Workflows
  • Google Workspace
  • Microsoft Office
  • Zoom
  • Claude
  • ChatGPT
  • Gemini
  • Microsoft Copilot
  • Zapier
  • Adobe Creative Suite
  • Canva

The proof

Results, not just responsibilities.

What was happening, what I did, and what changed.

  • Made AI do the busywork

    Situation
    Timelines, shoot logistics, and status updates ate hours of manual planning.
    What I did
    Built custom GPTs and AI-assisted workflows, including drone shoot logistics mapping.
    Result
    About 30% less manual effort and faster turnaround.

  • Gave leadership real-time visibility

    Situation
    A 114-property enterprise rollout spanned three global regions and many teams.
    What I did
    Drove the build of a live Salesforce-connected dashboard and sent weekly status summaries.
    Result
    PMs, CSMs, and leadership could see account status without chasing updates.

  • Stood up video operations fast

    Situation
    The PMO absorbed the video process, and the team needed to own it quickly.
    What I did
    Became the subject matter expert, documented the process, and built QA checkpoints.
    Result
    The CSM team was trained and running in under 3 weeks.

  • Earned client trust at scale

    Situation
    Hundreds of clients, tight shoot windows, and frequent last-minute changes.
    What I did
    Set expectations on every call, built prep and confirmation templates, and stayed reachable.
    Result
    All ~40 completed client surveys about my work rated me 5/5.

  • Stepped up when leadership was out

    Situation
    My manager was out and cross-functional work still had to move.
    What I did
    Ran the cross-functional Sales and CX meetings and represented the team.
    Result
    Departments stayed aligned and work kept moving.

  • Built a business from nothing

    Situation
    A new creative business with no systems and no team.
    What I did
    Built every process myself, from intake and pricing to approvals and delivery.
    Result
    Branding University has served 80+ clients since 2018.

The part I’m proudest of

Voted the GOAT by my peers. Twice in one year.

GOAT stands for Greatest of All Time. It’s Visiting Media’s company-wide recognition, nominated and voted on by colleagues rather than chosen by management. I received it in September 2024 and again in July 2025, within the same fiscal year.

same award, same fiscal year
2×
individual peer nominations
10+
chosen by peers, not management
100%

“Jakeyla shows up, shows out, and makes the team better every single day. We are lucky to have her.”

Tracy, July 2025 GOAT recognition

“Her patience, kindness, hard work, and brilliance make her an exceptional trainer, teammate, and leader.”

Cassandra

“She has a never-ending bank of knowledge and will figure out a solution to any problem in her path. She’s customer AND team focused.”

Jameika

“Jakeyla saw opportunities for improvement in the implementation process. She decided to take on a solution herself and present it to the implementation leaders.”

Jackie

“Fantastic communicator and just great at her role. Always putting the cape on. She does it all and with a smile!”

Peer nomination, September 2024

“She’s proactive in finding ways to improve our workflows and goes above and beyond in her role, taking on extra responsibilities with enthusiasm.”

Gabi

“For an amazing woman who wears multiple hats, this GOAT Award was made for her.”

Peer nomination, September 2024

Client reviews

What clients remember.

Feedback from clients after real shoots, including last-minute reschedules and complex first-time productions. This is what my communication, responsiveness, and follow-through felt like on the receiving end.

Grace under pressure

“There was a slight communication [issue] with the shooting time and day, but Jakeyla was so helpful when figuring it out, and she really helped us figure out a time to do it. She is a rockstar!”

Mitchell, client
Proactive communication

“One of our photographers had to reschedule the morning of due to a family situation. Jakeyla was prompt in sharing this info and finding a new time for the shoot. She is always energetic, friendly, informative, timely, and helpful in her communications. The shoot was easy thanks to her.”

Jennifer, client
Attention to detail

“Jakeyla was incredibly helpful throughout the scheduling process and was willing to hop on calls whenever I had additional questions… This attention to detail allowed me to create a solid plan and prepare the team with accurate expectations for photoshoot day.”

Sara, client, first drone video shoot
Professionalism

“…Their proactive attitude, flexibility, and attention to detail ensured that the final output fully met our expectations. This level of dedication and professionalism is truly commendable.”

Habiba, client, international team

Professional recommendations

In their own words.

From the photography partners I coordinated and the colleagues I built alongside. These speak to leadership, collaboration, judgment, and reliability, and every one is public on my LinkedIn.

Photography partner, 40+ shoots together

“Since then, we’ve worked together on more than 40 photoshoots across multiple states, and she made every one of them easier.”

“…many involved flights, hotels, and rental cars. Jakeyla always had the itinerary to me in plenty of time, and whenever I had a question she answered quickly… For a photographer on the road, that kind of reliability is gold.”

“Jakeyla is organized, detail-oriented, calm under pressure, and a true advocate for everyone she worked with: the company, its clients, and its contractors.”

Tom Sparks, CEO, Sparks Media Group
Photography partner, 100+ projects

“Beyond her cheerful disposition regardless of the challenges at hand, her attention to detail, adaptability to changing circumstances, and unwavering commitment to getting the job done set her apart.”

“More importantly, she is someone you can trust to follow through on commitments and represent your team with professionalism and integrity.”

Sebastian Arenas, CEO, Rigid Visualz
Account Manager, Visiting Media

“At any given time, Jakeyla successfully managed as many as 70–80 photoshoots and projects.”

“Our customers loved working with her because she communicated clearly, handled every interaction with care, and made even complex scheduling needs feel seamless.”

Charlotte Bell, worked with Jakeyla for 3+ years
Enterprise Success Manager, Hilton LUX

“…I saw firsthand her passion for improving operations and her forward-thinking approach to using AI.”

“…would gladly recommend her to any team looking for a strong project management and operations professional.”

Michael Estrada, Visiting Media
GTM Enablement Manager, Visiting Media

“She always worked to simplify the message for teams, create automation and standardize processes that were vague or new.”

“Her superpowers are connecting with people on any level and being highly collaborative and resourceful.”

Jessica Zarnowski, partnered on field trainings

Read all my recommendations on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)

If you hire me

My first 90 days.

Trust comes before systems. I learn the business first, then organize it, then help it grow, with targets set against your real baseline.

  1. Listen & learn

    • Meet the team and key stakeholders
    • Understand business goals and priorities
    • Shadow operations and map current workflows
    • Find the friction points and build trust

  2. Organize & document

    • Audit processes, KPIs, and reporting
    • Pinpoint operational bottlenecks
    • Close documentation gaps, keep what works
    • Bring recommendations to leadership

  3. Build & grow

    • Tackle the highest-impact bottlenecks
    • Improve accuracy, efficiency, and workflows
    • Set up clearer performance visibility
    • Share measurable next-step recommendations
“I’ve found that going straight to the source, asking employees directly what they need, gives you the exact feedback needed to build real solutions.”
My leadership philosophy

What makes me different

Operations skills can be taught. This combination is harder to find.

Psychology-backed leadership

My B.A. in Psychology shapes how I think about motivation, communication, and how people actually use a process. I ask why someone is stuck before I decide what to fix.

A designer’s eye

As a graphic designer since 2018, I know a confusing process has the same problems as a confusing layout. I design operations for clarity and usability.

A customer lens, always

Healthcare, hospitality, creative services, and enterprise clients taught me that every operational decision lands on a real person. I design for the team and the customer.

Proactive by habit

Prep emails, contingency plans, and early escalation are how I work, which is why problems rarely reach clients and why two options are ready when they do.

Let’s talk

Ready to bring a little extra sparkle to your systems. ✨

I’m open to fully remote operations, program, and creative operations leadership roles with teams that value both people and process. If that sounds like yours, I’d love to hear what you’re building.

Email ms.cowlin11@gmail.com My story, in one page (PDF) Connect on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)