Hungry to learn and grow, I am looking to design alongside a collaborative, inspiring team. As a detail oriented self-starter, I have taken a multidisciplinary approach to the many different projects I’ve undertaken—from web ads to event collateral. I am the most fulfilled when designing for humans, tackling new challenges, and uplifting the creative community.
Designing for humans
As the first person at the University of Florida to successfully complete a dual degree in Advertising and Graphic Design, I was chasing a dream of a combined love of research and strategy, as well as insightful visual design. My favorite projects are always those in which we deep dive into a client and their needs, and the most rewarding design is that which solves a problem for someone. I enjoy variety—everything from user personas to crafting beautiful experiences and typography. For my advertising degree we had a final cumulative campaigns project, in which we were given a real client and assigned an agency style team. Through extensive primary and secondary research, we strategically devised advertising goals and tactics for the client. We conducted focus groups. I acted as creative director for the team, and helped to establish a visual style for the new restaurant based off of our findings. The end product was a 100 plus page campaign book with our combined research and proposed branding. One of my first moments of strategy meets design, I’ve been seeking this high ever since. Learn more about this campaign.
Tackling new challenges
At DigitalGlobe, our imagery and data visualization specialist left mid-year and it was months before we found the right person to fill their shoes. In that interim, I filled in. I learned three new applications and made countless new connections. When our new imagery specialist joined the team, I trained them. While being a cartographer or image analyst isn’t in the stars for me, I relished the late nights searching how to order satellite images, color balance, and create data layers with shape files in GIS software. I even played in JavaScript, editing the layers of a slippy map. And while I now have a love of a good geo-referenced image, I really learned that my happiest moments are pushing myself to learn and take on new challenges.
Uplifting the creative community
The Design Kids Denver has grown since I’ve been involved. When I first joined as a Co-Host last year we were meeting at coffee shops and bars. One can only be so motivated after a full day of work to attend meet-ups, so I pushed for and coordinated more valuable events. We’ve since done meet-ups with design studio Consume and Creative, hand-letterer Adam Vicarel, the Denver Moo Creative Services team, and the staffing agency The Creative Group, just to name a few. Being a mentor, and seeking mentors, is extremely fulfilling. The creative community is only as strong as we make it, and I believe that the best way to grow as a leader and as a creative is to lift others up.
