About Me

From the earliest time I can remember, I have been curious about how the world around me worked. Why do things work the way they do? How can something be made better? How do other people experience their world? Why does 2+2=4?

I spent many hours when I was young writing stories and sketching, usually horses and other animals.

I’ve also always been the person people go to when they have a problem because I’m approachable, a good listener, and have empathy. I love being able to brighten someone’s day and help solve a problem they’re having. It’s not all seriousness though because the flip side of the deep, introspective person that I am is someone who enjoys making people laugh and I’m known in my friend circle as the entertainment.

What does any of this have to do with my being a UX Designer? A lot! My questioning how things work has led me to take an approach to design that brings about innovation and creative ways to solve user problems. Being approachable and a good listener helps me in conducting user interviews as well as collaborating with developers who are often offshore.

Looking for ways to make a product better lead me to start my own manufacturing and e-commerce business and my love of problem solving helps me to find simple solutions to complex challenges.

While hard skills and staying on top of new tools and UX trends are important, it’s the soft skills and drive to continually improve that make me the UX Designer that I am.

What I enjoy about about being a UX Designer:

• Looking at a website, app or product and thinking about how the user experience can be improved
• Coming up with new ideas for a product or service – I’m an entrepreneur at heart
• Collaborating with stakeholders including Product Owners, Developers, Users, and Clients
• Managing the end to end UX design process. I love to dive in and get involved wherever I can.
• Designing websites that have a clean, intuitive interface so users easily find what they need
• Doing competitor and user research to dig up hidden opportunities
• Learning about and understanding users and why they do the things they do
• Turning something complex into something simple
• Turning data into a story that meets user needs and business goals
• Writing content that conveys emotion, connects with users, and builds relationships
• Playing with words
• Working in a fast paced, agile environment

Want to know about my qualifications? Contact me for my resume. 

Other things you might find pertinent:

• I worked in retail sales during college and learned how my words can influence buyer behavior
• My first job after college was in financial services. I was licensed to trade stocks within six months. Not bad for an art major!
• I worked in branding and corporate identity. It exposed me to design, user experience, and marketing.
• I was a marketing coordinator for a boutique commercial real estate firm.
• I was a professional horseback riding instructor, training riders from their first time on a horse to competing in shows as well as training several of my own horses.
• I developed a new niche product for horses. The unique design and branding were a first in what was a very traditional industry and the products achieved a cult like status with customers.

While my experiences are varied, what they share and taught me was:

• How to market a product or service
• The importance of communicating in a way people can understand
• How branding and voice influence user behavior
• The customer/user experience with your product or service is always the main focus
• A willingness to be open to learning something new
• Discipline
• Patience
• Empathy

Outside of work, I am an avid road cyclist and aspiring golfer.