How I Got Here

I moved from Wisconsin to the Bay Area in 2003. At the time, I was passionate about basketball and was eager to push myself into a new, larger, and more diverse environment.

I chose to go to school and play basketball for Merritt Junior College in East Oakland. It was exactly the change I craved, and I soaked up every experience college, and the East Bay had to offer. After two years, I decided to hang up my sneakers and transferred to San Francisco State University.

Always the researcher, I decided to major in history. I used my time in college courses to do a deep dive into different events and people in history. I wanted to understand it all from the people’s perspective rather than accept the stories that have been mass-produced for easy consumption.

I graduated from SF State with a Bachelor’s Degree in European history. Along the way, I met the love of my life and shortly after started a family.

With a baby on the way and the desire to support my new family, I took the easiest and most readily available jobs in customer service. These jobs did precisely what they were supposed to do; they put money in my bank account. But, they didn’t push or challenge me to grow.

When the pandemic hit, I took the time to reevaluate my life, choices, and work. I knew I had more to give. So, with the love and support of my family and a lot of Jocko Willink podcasts ringing in my ears, I decided to make a change happen in my life.

“GET UP AND GO. Take the risk, take the gamble, take the first step. Take action. And don’t let another day slip by...The only person you can control is you. So focus on making yourself who you want to be: Faster. Smarter. Stronger. More humble. Less ego.”

-Jocko Willink

Technologies

My Skills

User Research

Research Plan
User Interviews
Quantitative Surveys
Data Visualization
User Testing
A/B Testing
Insight Synthesis
Design Thinking

User Experience

Storyboarding
User Personas
User Flow
Information Architecture
Site Map
Wireframes
Prototype
Usability Test

User Interface

Branding
Typography
Color Theory
Iconography
Interaction Design
Responsive Web Design
Design Systems
Usability and Accessibility Heuristics

What Are My Other Passions?

Climbing

I've been passionate about climbing since 2018. It is super humbling and demands creative problem solving plus an abundance of patience. Climbing has taught me the importance of celebrating the accomplishments of others.

Yoga

Yoga is "skill in action". During teacher training, I developed a greater awareness of what I said, how I said it, and the way I received criticism. Yoga has helped me gain tools to identify my thoughts and emotions and manage my overall health.

Family

Sharing experiences with my eleven-year-old daughter means more to me than anything. We enjoy hiking, playing sports, listening to music, watching The Simpsons, and visiting The California Academy of Sciences.