First: Wife & Mother
Second: UX/UI Designer, Artist, Photographer, Lover of Plants, Coffee Addict

When I was 16, I could be seen carrying my camera around in school, spending hours tweaking the css and hex values of my MySpace, and experimenting with Photoshop elements. I might be showing my age… but really that is where my love for art, merged with the digital world.

Born and raised in Louisville, Ky (pronounced: Loo-a-vul). I began taking college web design classes before I even graduated high school. I had decided this was the best career choice for me, it fit so perfectly with the growth of technology and the internet evolving at the time. It really was the best time to learn both worlds. I started my professional career designing for an e-learning company, eventually making my way into the healthcare industry a few years later. I created my own photography side business and went from doing photoshoots for free, to doing high-end weddings and engagement sessions. All while learning how to be an entrepreneur- I learned firsthand what it takes to communicate clearly, the value of time, what my skillset is worth, and the ever-long importance of a work-life balance. When I decided to conclude that side of business, I developed my skillset in UX/UI design and learned the ins-and-outs of designing for the web while keeping up with the newest tools and trends.

Fast forward to now, I’m 36 happily married, we have two kids, two tortoises, two cats, and three quail. I am working for Cedars-Sinai as a Lead Product Designer and I create unique digital experiences and team processes grounded in empathetic & systematic thinking. I’m a firm believer in neurodiversity and an advocate for the ‘what-if’ cases. I do my best to reduce barriers and friction for users who may not fall into “the normal user” category.

Neurodiversity: The idea that people experience and interact with the world around them in many different ways; there is no one "right" way of thinking, learning, and behaving, and differences are not viewed as deficits. Source

Having a 7 year old son who is neurodivergent, learns by doing, and is expressive in his own ways - has really changed my entire perspective. Raising such a talented and smart boy, has allowed me to unlearn the “normal” ways of communication. I think we as a society are slowly dissolving the over-generalization of being “disabled”. I find being inclusive and having empathy while designing for humans in a world where everyone is different, is part of the value I bring as a UX/UI designer. This is in fact, is what keeps me motivated in this little corner of the web. I have the chance to include, advocate, make sense, solve problems and make it easier for people like my son, to access information in a digital space.