About Me

Before becoming a UX designer, I graduated from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art with a concentration in Animation/Interactive Media and pursued a career in the game development industry. As an avid gamer with a lifelong interest in game design, I’ve always pushed myself to find ways to make the games I helped prototype fun and easy to play. I always tried to find methods to communicate information and design intent without relying on written instructions, and I felt that a good game should not demand too much from a player in order to be playable. If a game required a player to spend hours reading through instructions or to look up guides on the internet, I considered it poorly made. This attitude extended beyond my game development. Whenever I documented my work or synthesized my experiences into presentations for UMBC’s Game Development Club I tried to communicate precisely and effectively with any methods at my disposal.

Initially, this desire led me to pursue game art as my career path because I felt it was the best way to hone my skills. However, after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and taking continuing education courses in 3D modeling I discovered that I did not enjoy the game art process as much as I had before attending college. After spending a few years doing freelance and commissioned work, I decided that I needed to make a radical shift. I fell back on my other Interactive Media skills to find a new career goal. I discovered that what motivated me was a desire to communicate effectively rather than only create good art. After a few months of research, I decided the field of UX Design was a perfect fit.

Now, as a UX Designer, I still try to put accessibility and clear communication first before anything else. I believe that, just as a good game is easy to pick up and play, good UX requires design that emphasizes intuitive visuals and clear information architecture to communicate effectively. To me, UX Design is a way to continue working creatively while also expanding my knowledge base beyond what I was taught as just an artist. By combining my previous experiences with my new focus, I hope to push myself beyond my comfort zone and create work that helps people connect with information in new ways. I look forward to using my new skills to grow and become part of a community that puts user experience above everything else!