Experiences and Empathy for the User leads to the Best Designs & Stories
My story begins with New York City. I was born and bred here, which allowed me to experience so much in a little amount of time. I was brought up by a single mother by the age of 9. She was my first teacher; the city was my second. The melting pot of Queens opened my eyes to different types of people, music, languages, and food and I credit my childhood as enabling me to be open to new experiences. Through will and grit, I was able to surpass expectations and graduate from an elite high school, obtain an undergraduate finance degree from a top business school, and receive employment from an investment bank.
Through my 11 year career in Finance and through my travels, I learned so much about myself and obtained skills that have impacted my life for the better. I learned to be driven and curious, methodical but creative, detailed but concise, and independent yet collaborative. Despite my success, the one thing that was lacking from my professional was the freedom of expression or creativity. Therefore, I made up for it with my hobbies such as playing the saxophone and involving myself in various DIY projects.
My recent promotion to Vice President made me re-evaluate my life and I came to the conclusion that I want a career that combines my creative passions with my skill set. That is when I found UX. I was able to merge my research and data-driven skills to the principles and tools afforded to me by my UX Design education and projects. Now, I see the world in a different light and have the passion for design in a way I never thought I did. I see problems and want to solve them, but always with the user in mind.
Publications