ABOUT ME

Curious by nature. Strategic by design.

 

With 16+ years of experience, I thrive at the intersection of business goals and human needs, crafting intuitive digital experiences that drive impact. My work spans public, private, and non-profit sectors—each with unique challenges that fuel my passion for problem-solving through human-centered design.

I bring design ingenuity to innovation teams, blending strategy with creativity to make the complex feel effortless. Whether leading design vision, uncovering insights through research, or shaping seamless interactions, I’m here to elevate the experience—for users and organizations alike.

“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo DaVinci

UX Case Studies

Compassion

Responsive Web Design

Case Study: Compassion.com Checkout

Improving the usability and conversion rate of the Compassion.com checkout

My Baby's Family

User Research

Case Study: My Baby’s Family

Heuristic evaluation, creating personas, and usability studies for mybabysfamily.com

Information Architecture

Case Study: Tactical 16

Navigation and website redesign to optimize content for Tactical16.com

Responsive Web Design

Case Study: Compassion.com Homepage

Optimizing the user experience of the Compassion.com home page

What I Do

User Experience

User Interface Design

Conversion Rate Optimization

WEB Development

RESUME

Education

  • 2014-2015

    MASTER'S

    Information & Communications Technology, University of Denver

    Concentration in Web Design & Development

  • 2007-2009

    BACHELOR'S

    Graphic Design, The Art Institute of Pittsburgh (Online)

  • 2005-2007

    ASSOCIATE'S

    Visual Communications, Colorado Technical University

EXPERIENCE

  • September 2021 - Present

    Director of User Experience

    Raft, LLC

    - Designed key features for Raft Data Platform, including AI chatbot, knowledge graph, data pipeline and data lineage tools, and geobuilder, improving user decision-making and data access efficiency. - Integrated UX strategy into product management on mission-critical DoD programs by participating in live field exercises, PMRs, and engaging in warfighter feedback forums to ensure Raft products aligned with mission and technical constraints; translated field insights into product decisions that directly shaped roadmap and prioritization. - Scaled and operationalized UX across DoD and Federal programs by integrating UX processes into technical product development, ensuring user needs shaped DevSecOps and data platform delivery. - Contributed to business growth by leading UX input on 19+ RFPs, demonstrating how user-centered, technically sound design enhances value and mission effectiveness in defense products, with effective procurements of ~$100 million in total contract value. - Mentored and led a team of high-performing UX Designers to deliver consistent, user-centered outcomes across multiple defense and federal programs, aligning design execution with technical and operational goals.

  • October 2019 - September 2021

    User Experience Designer, Associate

    Booz Allen Hamilton

    - Improved usability of DoD data platforms and DevSecOps tools by conducting end-user research and translating insights into actionable UX improvements. - Redesigned Advana’s onboarding experience by identifying user pain points and streamlining instructional content, resulting in increased adoption and faster time-to-value. - Facilitated a design thinking workshop with 20+ stakeholders to align cross-functional teams, uncover unmet needs, and prioritize features that deliver mission impact. - Led UX and product content strategy for Platform One’s marketing site by developing personas, building a design system, and collaborating across teams to improve developer engagement. - Redesigned and launched a website for the Air Force Missileers Association by applying UX best practices to restructure content and enhance site navigation for the user base of 4,000+ former and current missileers and civilians.

  • January 2011 - Present

    User Experience Specialist

    Compassion International

    - Led UX strategy for donor-focused digital experiences by aligning design with engagement goals across web platforms. - Redesigned the online checkout flow to resolve user friction, resulting in a 28% boost in conversion and 38% increase in revenue. - Built and rolled out a digital design system to unify UI patterns and enforce web standards across Compassion.com. - Improved donation workflows and content architecture by optimizing navigation and form usability based on user behavior analysis.

  • July 2008 - August 2010

    Graphic Designer

    University of Pittsburgh Medical Center

    - Designed marketing collateral, journal publications, and annual reports to support brand and communications strategy.

  • August 2007 - July 2008

    Graphic Designer

    Landmark Marketing

    - Designed annual visitor guides and marketing campaigns in collaboration with project managers and a production team, delivering cohesive print and digital assets.

Military Experience

  • 2007 - 2012

    U.S. Army Reserve

    25B Information Technology Specialist

  • 2005 - 2007

    U.S. Air Force Reserve

    2T2 Air Transportation

  • 2003 - 2004

    U.S. Army

    14J Air Defense C4I Tactical Operations Center Operator

Skills

UI Design

Tools
〉Pencil/Paper

〉Omnigraffle
〉Balsamiq
〉Photoshop
〉Sketch

Prototypes

Tools
〉JustinMind

〉UXPin
〉Macaw
〉InVision

HTML / CSS

Tools
〉Brackets

〉CodePen
〉Web Console

Usability Studies

Tools
〉UsabilityHub

〉SurveyMonkey
〉TryMyUI – remote user testing
〉UserTesting – remote user testing
〉In-person/moderated user testing

Conversion Rate Optimization

Tools
〉Optimizely

Web Analytics

Tools
〉Google Analytics

〉Quantum Metric

Heatmap Analysis

Tools
〉Hotjar

〉CrazyEgg

Information Architecture

Tools
〉Optimal Workshop (Card Sorting and Tree Testing)

I'm available for freelance projects

Get in touch