EDUCATION
Virginia Tech
College of Architecture & Urban Studies / School of Visual Arts
Major in Visual Communication Design / Minor in Business / Minor in Art History
SKILLS
Product Design
AB Testing / Agile Design Process / Client Kickoff / Discovery & Research / Moderated User Interviews / Quantitative Analytics / Roadmapping / Usability Testing / User Journey & Personas / Wire-framing
Visual Design
Atomic Design Principles / Color Theory / Component Creation / Critique Practices / Front-End Best Practices
Programs & Tools
Adobe Suite / Figma / Google Suite / InVision / Microsoft Suite / Miro / Mural / Sketch
EXPERIENCE
WillowTree / 2021 - Present
Senior Product Designer
As lead designer on projects, I am responsible for using today’s best practices to create innovative solutions for our clients. Clients I have worked with include Capital One, Edward Jones, Costco, McGraw Hill, and Sigma Squared. As a senior designer within the organization, I mentor several other designers in creating and maintaining design systems as well encouraging critique sessions with a Radical Candor approach.
Key Wins:
Actively mentoring as well as encouraging other senior designers to mentor younger designers in product best practices. Together as a design organization we are figuring out ways to highlight and share our individual experiences to benefit each other each and every day.
In only 3 months, our team designed and implemented an entire web-based product from scratch for our client Sigma Squared. Using the website as a proof of concept, our client raised $2,000,000+ in funding from investors within just a few months.
CarMax / 2017 - 2021
Product Designer / 1+ years
Took on the role of acting product designer for CarMax’s app team starting in July of 2020. Worked with a team of 4 engineers, product manager, and delivery manager to push an app-first approach for CarMax’s digital ecosystem. Presented to executive stakeholders at the end of each sprint to showcase learnings and latest designs. Consistently hosted discovery sessions to seek out user feedback and understand their behaviors.
Key Wins:
Reworked the onboarding experience for CarMax’s iOS and Android platforms which led to a projected $850K increase in sales YoY.
Initiated and lead a full-scale audit of both platforms which uncovered the need to rework the information architecture.
Established an app-first design persona, Bibi, who was created using Adobe Analytics metrics as well as interviews with app users.
Visual Systems Designer / 2 years
Worked with a core team of visual designers and developers to stand up a 1.0 and 2.0 version of a design system. Collaborated with several product teams to figure out ways to weave the new system into their designs.
Key Wins:
Initiated and created an innovative accessibility-first color system in 2018. The process and final results were presented at Axe-Con in 2021.
Learned how the atomic design system approach could propel our organization forward into a cohesive look & feel for the website.
The Martin Agency / 2015 - 2017
Associate Digital Designer
Created online advertising for clients such as: Walmart, Ritz, Penske, TIAA-CREF, Land O’Lakes, Stoli, Georgia Pacific. Art directed several social media campaigns for Walmart’s line of Star Wars exclusive toys.
ORGANIZATIONS & EVENTS
axe-con | Digital Accessibility Conference - Deque Systems
Speaker
In the Fall of 2020 I applied and was accepted to speak at axe-con, which was hosted by Deque Systems. The subject of my talk was how I had initiated, researched, iterated, & ultimately implemented a color system that was founded in accessibility practices. The research behind the process was well-received by the over 2,500+ viewers.
Cornell University Viticulture & Enology Experience / 2014
Participant
Learned the basics of viticulture and enology with Cornell faculty and leading winery owners, vineyard managers, and winemakers of the Finger Lakes region. Obtained insider’s view of the grape-growing and wine-making business.
European Immersion / 2013
Student
Spent 6 weeks in Italy and Switzerland exploring museums and landmarks while working with our design professor on projects specific to the cities. Took master classes with Rosmarie Tissi and Lucio Passerini in Zurich and Cornuda respectively.
PRISM / 2013 - 2014
Graphics Team Member
Work side by side with Marketing students to build up Virginia Tech’s business school branding through social media. All graphics were created for social media based platforms.
TEDx Virginia Tech Associate / 2013
Koofers TEDx Booth Associate
Educated the general public on what Koofers is doing to help the Blacksburg community as well as the national outreach. Networked with other companies for potential partnerships.