*record scratch* *freeze frame*
I bet you're wondering how I got here
Like everyone with an interesting story, my path to design is unconventional and ever-evolving. I'm forever trying to iterate segments of my life and I landed here through many moving pieces working in tandem with one another. Through my story, my main goal is to inspire my daughter and teach her that she can do anything she puts her mind to.
Self-taught front-end coding
Learning graphic design and content creation
I first fell in love with the idea of problem-solving at a young age through teaching myself basic HTML/CSS as I created my very first website around my AOL "zine" (an early 2000s tween's version of an online magazine). I was completely immersed in this online world that would eventually lead to pioneering my digital presence.
As an 11-year-old with a huge interest in pop culture and a major creativity itch, I quickly realized I was capable of creating my own zine that would amass a following. By teaching myself basic coding (shoutout to lissaexplains.com), graphic design, content creation, subscriber interactions, and email funneling, I gained more than 3,000 subscribers over the course of several years and created a website from scratch to give my zine 'Rockstar' a landing page.
Lifelong learner habits instilled
During the several years that I grew 'Rockstar', I continued to self-teach and constantly explore new corners of the internet where I could learn something new. I still remain fond of my zine days and the sweet nostalgia of the all-nighters and insane amounts of Top Ramen that kept me fueled through my obsessive hours of designing and coding.
Unique perspective: psychiatric and tech experience
Since then, my two major career paths in mental health and telecom industries have culminated my psychological and technological insights — both of which have shaped my user experience research methods and approaches. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking and handlettering when I'm not busy being a new mom to the most amazing baby. In my career, my happy medium is found right at the intersection of structure and branding, where product design and information architecture exist.
Leveraging my background
A generalist at heart, I'm best described as a systems thinker who naturally gravitates towards strategy and solutions. With my unique background, I've channeled my zine-day energy and grit into bringing products full circle to create an even greater method of connection: human interaction and sensibility through digital design.