John P. Cota

Strategist and Results-Oriented Marketing & Creative Executive

Personal Details

Visionary creative executive with 15+ years of progressive leadership at L.A. Care Health Plan, architecting iconic brand identities, building enterprise-wide creative organizations from the ground up, and delivering transformative brand strategies that drive member growth, market dominance, and measurable ROI. Excel at translating executive vision into bold, compliant creative campaigns across digital, social, print, and experiential channels while modernizing workflows, slashing costs, and elevating brand equity. Recognized for rebranding L.A. Care’s primary logo, achieving 80%+ gains in market presence, and fostering high-performing creative teams that consistently exceed business objectives. Ready to lead brand and creative strategy as Executive Director for a forward-thinking organization.

  • Name: John Cota
  • Phone: (323) 382.4288
  • Email: john@cotago.co
  • Location: Los Angeles, 90022.
  • Languages: English, Spanish
  • RESUME

skills

My expertise spans the full spectrum from creative design leadership to strategic marketing, allowing me to deliver compelling visual solutions that drive brand engagement. I excel at blending innovative concepts with targeted marketing strategies to achieve measurable results and elevate brand presence. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a strategic mindset, I consistently develop campaigns that resonate with audiences and support organizational goals.

Executive Brand & Marketing Leadership
Creative Direction
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Creative Vision & Innovation
Marketing Strategy
Enterprise Financial Management
Change Management
Integrated Marketing

education

Resume Available For Download.

2002

California State Los Angeles University

I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, with emphasis in General Design.

2002

California State Los Angeles University

I earned a Multimedia certificate, with emphasis in Graphic Design.

1998

East Los Angeles College

I earned a Associate of Arts degree, with emphasis in Liberal Arts.

experience

Full resume available for download

05/2021-Current

Senior Director, Creative & Marketing
L.A. Care Health Plan

  • Provide strategic leadership to Marketing and Creative Services, ensuring consistent alignment of creative output with organizational objectives.
  • Lead all aspects of brand strategy, corporate identity, creative direction, and brand communications with a focus on consistent voice and messaging across all channels.
  • Own the development and execution of Annual Marketing Plan development and go-to-market product strategies across Medi-Cal, ACA/Covered California, Medicare, and supplemental products with an emphasis on competitive brand positioning and member growth and retention.
  • Spearhead integrated campaign strategy development across digital, social, print, media, and community channels, including creative development, media, audience engagement, messaging, production, QA, and performance.

08/2017-05/2021

Director, Creative & Marketing Operations
L.A. Care Health Plan

  • Built and scaled the Creative Services unit, enabling accurate enterprise demand forecasting, brand consistency, and timely creative delivery in alignment with organizational vision and mission.
  • Owned all aspects of corporate brand development and positioning, including logo redesign and identity establishment across traditional and digital channels.
  • Led creative strategy and execution for high-impact member and product communications across Medicaid/Medi-Cal, Medicare, and ACA with a focus on clear messaging, consistency, and strict regulatory compliance.
  • Spearheaded research-backed brand initiatives, including brand assessments, focus groups, and studies, that translated key customer insights into effective creative strategy.

05/2015-08/2017

Manager, Design & Creative Services
L.A. Care Health Plan

  • Managed creative execution for enterprise marketing communications, including print, web, digital, video, collateral, and marketing campaigns.
  • Served as a brand standards subject matter expert for corporate identity, ensuring consistent brand guidelines, logo usage, templates, and asset governance.
  • Provided training, coaching, and mentoring to internal teams and external vendors on brand strategy, regulatory compliance, and communication best practices.
  • Partnered cross-functionally with IT and Compliance to modernize creative workflows and implement new marketing technologies.

01/2006-05/2015

Graphic Designer
L.A. Care Health Plan

  • Responsible for all enterprise wide creative and brand development.
  • Strategically designed visually impactful designs for health plan marketing and general materials, for all products.
  • Conducted market research and focus groups to identify customer needs and trends.
  • Transitioned analog project tracking and managment to digital platforms.

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