Experience
Professional Experience
I’m a User Experience Strategist on the Digital Transformation Team at the City of Philadelphia, where I lead product design projects in collaboration with content strategists, service designers, and software engineers. We’re working to transform the way residents access information and services by providing a consistent, accessible, and inclusive experience across all public facing digital platforms.
My prior experience includes roles in Higher Education, Consulting, Nonprofit, and Hospitality. Through this diverse background, I’ve acquired a rich set of experiences, relationships, and breadth of knowledge that informs my work as a designer.
Education
I hold an Associates degree and a Bachelors degree in Human Services.
My studies in Human Services provided me with a strong foundation for understanding how social structures are created, and how people operate within and respond to those systems. Through my coursework and internships, I developed the empathy, knowledge, and skills necessary to help people in need, and to affect change at both the macro and micro levels.
From 2013 to 2018, I enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania’s Post-Baccalaureate program.
The flexibility of the program enabled me to create my own design curriculum of undergraduate and graduate-level coursework, including:
Experience and Product Design
3-D Design
Art of the Web: Interactive Concepts for Art and Design
Art, Design and Digital Culture
Designing Smart Objects for Play and Learning
Interfacing Cultures: Designing for Mobile, Web and Public Media
Visualization I: Representation (Architecture)
Design Research
Applying Anthropology Methods in Policy and Practice
Design Thinking for Social Impact
Needfinding
Independent Studies and Training
I’ve also pursued many learning opportunities on my own, including:
Hmnty Cntrd masterclass: Humanity-Centered Masterclass for UX Professionals; Practical Ethics working group
Creative Reaction Lab webinars: Intro to Equity-Centered Community Design; Co-Creating Shared Meaning; How Traditional Design Thinking Protects White Supremacy; Listening More and Speaking Less: White Folx as Allies for Equitable Outcomes
LUMA Institute two-day training: Fundamentals of Innovation through Human-Centered Design
IDEO U: Designing for Change
Interaction Design Foundation online courses: completed 8 courses in design, including Service Design; Design Thinking; and Interaction Design for Usability
Scrum Alliance certification: Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO)
AXELOS certification: ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management
Community Organizer and Volunteer Experience
I’m an active member of the Philadelphia design and tech community.
I’ve served in several leadership roles, and continue to volunteer and participate in local events. Below are the organizations I’ve been involved with over the past five years.
Lead Instructor and Teaching Assistant
2021 to present
TechGirlz’ inspires middle school girls to explore the possibilities of technology. Our vision is to create a world where girls have a lifelong passion and confidence in their use of technology throughout their careers.
Organizer and Event Volunteer
2018 to present
BarCamp is a community built “unconference” that started in cities nationwide as a response to exclusive invite-only conference FooCamp. Its mission from the start was to be inclusive, accessible and built collaboratively by the people, for the people.
Innovation Coach
Aug 2021 to Oct 2021
In partnership with the Philadelphia Eagles, the Innovation League is a first-of-its-kind competitive activity for entrepreneurial and creative youth looking to build their technology and leadership skills.
Thesis and Capstone Panelist
May 2021
Thesis Panelist for MS, User Experience and Interactive Design program
Capstone Panelist for BS, Web Design and Development program
UX Mentor
October 2020
Philly Tech Sistas is an organization aimed at helping women of color gain technical and professional skills in order to work, thrive, and move up in the tech industry.
Chair (2019), Vice Chair (2018), and Secretary (2017)
2017 to 2019
PhillyCHI is a volunteer-lead, member-driven organization. We have over 1200 members and host 12-14 events per year in the city and surrounding suburbs, including UX show and tells, lectures, workshops, lightning talks, and social events.
Volunteer Facilitator
2019
Make a Mark is a 12-hour design and development marathon benefitting local humanitarian causes.
Event Volunteer
2016 to 2019
Technical.ly grows local technology communities by connecting organizations and people through news, events and services.
Talks and Media
Speaker, GRiT conference
April 2021
Co-presented a talk on “Improving Government Services through Human-Centered Design.”
Designed for high school and middle school students, the student-run conferences aims to inspire and empower more women and non-binary individuals to confidently engage in technology.
Speaker, World IA Day
February 2021
Shared my career journey into design, exploring the parallels between my work in leadership development and the design process.
Developed a series of takeaways for designers to understand how they might apply the design process and framework to their own leadership development.
Judge, UX design competition
September 2020
Served as a judge for a remote design challenge with Buildbridge, focused on how the organization might attract and engage new participants while maintaining the quality and excitement of the art making experience during the pandemic.
Judged teams on the creativity, feasibility, suitability, and presentation of their idea.
Speaker, Executive MBA Council conference
October 2019
A discussion of lessons learned while implementing a student community designed to create a personalized experience and deeper engagement with the school.
Key aspects included effective partnership with IT, collaboration across the organization, deep understanding of student needs and behaviors, and an emphasis on the change management process.
Speaker, PANMA lightning talk
May 2019
Explored parallels between leadership development and design processes, illustrating how a shared framework can be used to develop leadership skills.
Inspired by my own experience working in the Leadership Program at Wharton while studying design.
PhillyCHI event, featured by Technical.ly
May 2019
Co-organized a team-based design challenge during Philly Tech Week in partnership with the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Immigrant affairs.
>> Design Slam 2019 sketches digital and analog solutions for Philly immigrants
Moderator, Women in Tech Summit panel
April 2019
Organized and moderated discussion on how volunteer leadership roles can enable personal and professional growth.
Speaker, Design Brew lightning talk
April 2018
Co-presented key concepts and personal stories of how design thinking can become a way of life.
Inspired by the book Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life.
PhillyCHI event, featured by Generocity
April 2018
Co-organized a panel discussion on the importance of accessibility in digital design.
Co-author, ACM Interactions article
March 2018
Co-authored article with PhillyCHI board on how we grew the PhillyCHI community in Philadelphia, featured in the Community Square column.
>> Reflections on Community Growth in Philadelphia
(ACM Interactions, Volume 25 Issue 2, p 87)
PhillyCHI event, 2017 Design Slam highlight video
May 2017
>> PhillyCHI’s 11th Annual Design Slam
Highlight real from the event, in which we partnered with Arts + Crafts Holdings, an investor and development firm with over 2 million square feet of commercial, industrial, and mixed use space in the Spring Garden district.
