At Clemson University I received a business degree in Graphic Communications—a unique curriculum as we learned the management, marketing, and business aspects, of the graphics world, while also learning the creative niches of the industry.
During my college years and early career, I dabbled in freelance design, while further exploring various niches of my industry to learn where I really wanted to position myself. As my career developed and began to evolve, I soon became an Art Director for a marketing and design studio located in the DC/Maryland, Marstudio. Here I was fortunate enough to play a crucial leadership role in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment, amongst a strong team of creatives and tech leads with unique skill sets. In this role, I was able to implement and expand upon my existing knowledge in business development, marketing strategy, brand identity, graphic and web design, client relations, and team management. Being immersed in this specific creative environment is where my passion for UX/UI Design and brand strategy began to flourish, becoming what I consider my expertise.
As my workload began to focus primarily on UX/UI I craved projects with larger scopes, and that is what led me to become a designer on the American Psychological Association’s Creative and Development teams. While my work was still split evenly between print and digital design, this position allowed me the opportunity to work on the larger-scoped UX project I was hoping for. Fortunately, my position at APA allowed me to play a pivotal role in determining the approach, design software, and strategy necessary for a comprehensive redesign of the APA website. Knowing I wanted to focus my career on UX strategy and design, I made my transition to Kanopi Studios.
As a UX Strategist and Designer at Kanopi, I have been given the opportunity to expand my knowledge and working experience in all that goes into a product design lifecycle; leading discovery, analytical reviews, user testing, content strategy, user journeys, to wireframing, design, inclusivity through accessibility and development. Working alongside a robust team of tech leads, strategists, and designers I have exponentially increased my working knowledge of UX/UI strategy and design.
With a passion for creating data-driven, user-centric, and inclusive designs, and I am excited to continue contributing to innovative projects and delivering exceptional user experiences.
In the initial phase of the UX/UI project; gather empirical data through qualitative and quantitative methods to synthesize a products issues and success. This forms the path for a data-driven approach to surfacing where improvements in infrastructure, design, and development can benefit both internal and external users.
Utilizing data-driven insights surfaced through the strategy phase, we may now take a tactical approach to planning the site’s structure and functionality, through key features, components, and page layouts with wireframes. We then design mood boards to serve as a visual guide that ensures all design elements once applied to the wires align with our strategic goals in a responsive environment.
I conduct research on industry standards and analyze an organization’s market positioning to create a framework for presenting the business to customers and differentiating it from competitors. This framework includes typography, imagery, color palettes, patterns, messaging tone and voice, as well as any other customized elements that contribute to a cohesive brand identity.
Specializing in the creation of visual designs for printing such as publications, ads, brochures, labels, business cards, and a range of other marketing materials. I conceptualize designs, prepare mockups, and create the final designs based on marketing goals and brand standards. With an in-depth working knowledge of various production standards, I am able to ensure that the dimensions and technical specifications are suitable for production.