2014-2018 | This ain't it.

"You're 20s are all about figuring it out." a patron concluded during a poolside chat on one of my shifts as a lifeguard. Not knowing how much of a guiding light those words would be at the time, I waved goodbye and went on with my shift. Looking back, it still amazes me that humans who aren't old enough to rent a car can be responsible for safeguarding the lives of others. In many ways I doubt my daily work will ever be as high-stakes as it was then. My time at the pools taught me a lot; I was promoted to manager, and eventually would go on to oversee the teams responsible for 4 outdoor pools (and thousands of lives). However, as the summer of 2018 faded to autumn the stress took it's toll. Looking up the corporate ladder I saw little opportunity that excited me or engaged my creative brain. It was time to take a risk, ask myself what I wanted from "work", and try something new.

2018-2019 | Maybe this?

Some of my friends had started coding. Initially skeptical, I took an online course in Python and quickly became fascinated. But, who decided what to build? And why? Why, why, why. I seemed to always be asking this question. This time my searching lead me to design thinking, an entire practice dedicated to asking why?! Now I was hooked. I said goodbye to the golden-handcuffs of local government work and returned to college to study Interactive Systems Design.

2019-2024 | This!

Suddenly it was like a door opened in my head. Computers could be cool! Design thinking was more than just a concept, it was a way of engaging with the world that scratched an itch in my mind. I loved problem solving. The intersection of visual design and research. The synergistic relationship of quantitative and qualitative data. Most of all, I loved the decidedly human aspect of the field. Landing a Product Design internship at Vendasta (a local tech company) accelerated my growth and thanks to lots of practice and the guidance of many skilled and wise mentors I've found myself where I am today.

Now, standing on the edge of what's next, I invite you to join me in unfolding the pages of our stories together.