Seeking employment as UX Manager/Director – With over 12 years of professional experience, I am skilled in designing software and products that significantly impact the user experience needs of customers. I value critical-thinking, informed design rationale, and thoughtful questioning of digital experiences that surround us. My background includes multiple design disciplines and a Masters Degree in HCI – thus providing a practical and theoretical understanding of what it means to both design and communicate strategic UX solutions for today's makers of technology.
I believe that user-experience design is more than an artifact or deliverable of "customer thinking". It is an inclusive process that promotes risk-taking and accountability. Understanding people, culture, and the human experience is necessary to designing and driving UX value within organizations. Additionally, creating a UX culture within a company is paramount in bridging the gap between technology and people.
I feel empowered to help the designers on my team grow and learn – becoming better designers and contributing to the success of our products. As we become more fluent in understanding our customers and their needs, we are able to promote cultural and environmental change within our company – thereby furthering the value of UX.
Master of Science, Human Computer Interaction/Design - 2010
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Graphic Design - 2002
Professional Experience
UX Manager, 2010-Present More
Lead UX team from conceptual ideation to production-ready assets, facilitating progress throughout entire project lifecycle.
Anticipate production roadblocks, design hazards, and alternate solutions in deadline-driven environment.
Foster design team growth through ongoing development, training, and mentoring of team members.
Curate and maintain hiring channels with recruiters, local talent and university graduates.
Balance user research, behavior/performance data, and market trends to increase product quality and maintain project momentum.
Promote UX standards, best practices, and functional consistency across multiple products and platforms.
Foster and maintain key customer relationships for outreach efforts, user studies, and usability testing.
Develop, articulate, and embody UX strategy for senior management and direct reports while accounting for changing competitive landscape.
Strengthen UX influence within organization/environment through thoughtful evangelism and relationship development.
User-Interaction Designer, 2009-2010 More
Designs online solutions/software for research practitioners, public, and company employees
Conceptualizes product experience and stakeholder relationships using visual mediums
Creates usable interaction features within architecture framework
Works with stakeholders to balanced user needs with medium constraints
Communicates interaction processes with developers
Aggregates research data into clear design implications
Accurately identify design problems and solutions in short time frame
Develops department processes that increase product quality
Implement processes to iterate and improve websites using iterative methods
Interface Designer, 2007-2008 More
Designed user interface for EHR and online medical-research applications.
Built working mock-ups to assist product managers in application development.
Worked closely with different developers (JavaScript, PHP, .Net, C#) to meet product architecture needs.
Solved interaction/interface problems and met deadlines in short time frames.
Created user interfaces for process-specific products like medical database query tools, complicated report building applications and ontology browsers.
Designed product branding and implemented design standards in applications.
Developed library of design elements and on-line style guide for developers.
Web Design, 2006-2008More
Designed websites for online training and subscription series.
Worked closely with programmers to develop look and feel of interactive elements and online resources.
Developed website to easily accommodate multiple clients and projects.
Designed cutting edge website for Stephen R. Covey’s online subscription series.
Designed style guide for online newsletter, online library, and webinar technology.
Senior Graphic Designer, 2004–2007More
Worked with engineers, display manufacturers, and news production managers to design television studio set for KUTV news and Utah Jazz.
Developed brands for new products.
Researched existing markets and trends to produce successful branding strategies.
Managed all marketing and sales materials for new products including labels, packaging, and full color catalog.
Designed and built dynamic e-commerce site to sell products online.
Designed trade show booth for national trade shows.
Designed outdoor advertising / billboards for existing clients.
Developed and implemented branding of Pet Soup pet products in all mediums - both print and electronic.
Designed and developed industry-leading online store that carries over 1,500 products.
Learned and customized e-commerce CMS/software to fit company’s needs.
Won major trade show booth award, Best Small Booth - Global Pet Expo 2006, for my creative, attention-getting design and booth theme.
Graphic Designer, 2001–2004More
Designed logos and brands for new product lines.
Designed packaging, catalogs, and other sales / marketing resources for hundreds of products.
Directed photo shoots.
Tested new software for design department and managed rollout of new software to other designers.
Developed relationships with printers and press checked projects.
Created ads and directed photo shoots for national advertising campaign.
Developed and designed industry-leading packaging for sports products sold in national retailers.
Successfully designed and press checked hard-to-print, oversized packaging that was printed on the country’s largest flexographic presses.
