Design Journey
My journey into design started in 2004 on an American Idol message board. I was impressed and excited by the signatures users were able to post as an extension of their online identity and it immediately stuck. I had no idea that something as small as a 500 X 150 pixel graphic would change my life forever.
This small fire turned into a burning passion which lead me to invest countless years submerging myself in the world of design and finding my footing (and confidence) within the space. The search for a voice in design led me to successfully completing an A.S. degree in Applied Digital Media and Printing and 3 accompanying certifications, however, this STILL wasn't enough for me.
Towards the end of my studies in 2012, I was eligible for a phone upgrade and selected my very first smart phone. It was an HTC android phone with mostly bloatware that couldn't be deleted, however, i had no idea the world it would unlock for me creatively. I discovered apps for the first time and taken by the experience and interfaces i was engaged in.
Post-gradutation, I shifted focus in understanding this new medium and how my skills transferred to what i was engaged in digitally. There were very few opportunities for formal training and education for UX at the time, so i took it upon myself to learn from others sharing their experiences online, more specifically, on YouTube.
Fast forward two years and I landed my first gig as a UI designer, shortly after the end of that engagement, I landed my first role as a UX Designer at USAA in San Antonio, TX. This snowballed into a now 8 year career in field that i enjoy being able to successfully operate in industries such as: Transportation Logistics (J.B Hunt), Automotive Retail (Discount Tire), Automotive Retail Logistics (Fullbay), Banking and Finance (USAA), Healthcare (Willis Towers Watson), and Education (Bridgepoint Education).
I look forward to the journey ahead as a designer and the many wonderful projects (and ultimately consumers) i'm able to engage with to improve the lives of others.
Interests
music
Music plays a huge role in my daily life and is a main source of inspiration when it comes igniting my creative ideas. Few things compare to the joy that comes from putting my favorite playlist on shuffle and zoning out. Feel free to check it out and vibe with me (Warning: some songs contain lyrics which are NSFW):
Listen To My Playlist on Spotify
If i'm not listening to that playlist, i'm most likely enjoying my all-time favorite albums. There are a lot of them, but here are my current “Top 10” (click on the album covers to begin listening on Spotify):
Janet jackson - janet.
Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
St. Lucia - When The Night
Lianne La Havas - Is Your Love Big Enough?
Yebba - Dawn
Refs - Stories
Matt Corby - Rainbow Valley
Dawn - Redemption
Brandy - B7
Durand Bernarr - Dur&
sneakers
Ive always loved sneakers and have found them to be a great way of expressing person style. They are also a great source/foundation for community with like-minded individuals. I currently have a sizable collection of Nike and Jordan brand shoes with the tally currently standing at 137 pairs (this number increases often).
tennis
Playing tennis changed my approach to design and in life. The greatest lesson it has taught me iIs to embrace “what is”. All of the preparation (or process) in the world can still yield results which weren't initially anticipated or desired. With this notion, it's illustrated the importance of being flexible and agile as no two shots (or projects) operate the same way even with the most explicit notes or points of reference.
I’m also a huge fan of watching professional tennis (ive been to the BNP Paribas Open in California seven times). My favorite players are:
video games
Playing video games is very much like going to the gym for me. Navigating environments which require creative problem-solving and discovery have served me well during the most challenging times in my career. Im currently playing:
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