Philosophy
My process is deeply rooted in human experience and a desire to fully understanding a user's needs and frustrations. I thrive on the challenges and constraints presented when designing for those with largely different lifestyles than myself. It is the constant learning that takes place as a professional designer, and the personal fufillment I get when I know I have improved someone's quality of life that makes it hard to imagine doing anything else.
Journey
Born and raised in Pasadena, California. I originally attended the University of Oregon planning on working in advertising upon graduation. I was, and still am, fascinated by how complex advertising is on an emotion level. Everything changed while studying abroad at the Shandong University of Art and Design in China. I had the honor to meeting with Xiao Yong, a director at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Bejing and toured his personal design studio. Although we had to speak through a translator he inspired me to want to become an industrial designer. In the years since the switch I have worked with US brands that sell product globally. I have also had the privilege of being mentored by design directors at Nike, Ziba, and Sigma. I am currently using my experience as an Industrial Designer to aid my decision making as a UX Designer for an advertising agency in Southern California.
