SUMMARY

I love to work. I’m the Peggy Olson of my era. I love working in UX design and with ever-evolving language and technology.

Work is where I get to learn new things every day, meet new collaborators, and make things that work well for the people who use them. I love supporting and mentoring coworkers and helping people work smarter, not harder. When I’m not working, I enjoy making photographs and videos, redesigning rooms in my house for optimal comfort and function, clearing out clutter, and making cardboard townhouses for our cats.

EXPERIENCE

Endurance — XC (cross country), 400, 800, mile, 2-mile, 400 relay

  • The best thing I learned in school was how to endure things you believe are impossible. The trick is to not think about The Thing, but focus only on being done with The Thing. 

    • For example, don’t think about running 10 miles for practice this afternoon. Instead, think about being back in the locker room when it’s all over. This has helped me more than anything else I learned in school. 

  • Also, always be a team player. Do whatever is needed to help you win the meet, even if just by a single point.

    • I ran any event that could help us get more points for our team. I didn’t have to win, just get into the top 3. Oftentimes that one extra point made all the difference. I was team MVP for this reason.

Perseverance  —  Say yes and figure out the rest later

  • My very first office job was a 3-day “walk on” temp gig to do data entry at a huge defense contractor. I had no idea what data entry was, but I love learning new things. Taking a “walk on” role meant no previous experience required - they would train me on the job.

  • I did that job so well, my manager immediately extended my contract, which lasted well over a year. I supported countless teams with desktop publishing, media/asset management, copywriting and general assistance.

  • That experience was my bachelor’s of science in myriad software packages and computer systems including; DOS PCs, early Apple Macs and Next computers. Forever grateful for all that experience and my great manager.

Levity & Wit — Maintain proper perspective, always

  • Design should be fun. Sometimes it’s stressful, but unless we’re designing an actual cure for a terminal illness, it should be enjoyable.

    • At Facebook, I worked on Reels and Story creation flows. Most of my teammates had never created a reel before and didn’t understand the frustrations our users had in not being able to easily complete a video.

      • To encourage “dogfooding,” as it’s called, I created a Reels Film Fest for a Facebook Design Summit – over 200 designers, program managers, engineers and senior leadership in attendance. There were five award categories: Best in Show, Most Creative, Funniest, Weirdest, and Best Performance.

        I expected some participation, but not full participation and the intense competition to win the awards. People who emphatically proclaimed “I will not dance in a video” did, indeed, dance in a video. Our head of design, Tagu Kato, enthusiastically participated by recording his own video to add to his team’s final reel. This activity is still one of my proudest career moments.

EXPERTISE

  • Telepathic empath - if there are vibes, I’ll feel ‘em.

  • Trusting my gut - it never lies.

  • Totally transparent, always.

SKILLS

High emotional intelligence, lightning fast, rule bender when necessary, always 10 steps ahead while being *right here,* tireless user advocate, asking all the questions, BS avoidant

EDUCATION

Orchard Supply Hardware
–  Bachelor of Arts, Retail
–  Bachelor of Science, Cart Collection 

Villa Fontana
  –  MFA, Tray Balance
  –  PhD, Coffee

The Internet
  –  MD, Women’s Health
  –  DVM, Feline Medicine