About

opening can graphicI started my career as a illustrator and graphic designer. I got my first Mac in 1994. It came with a modem. I discovered the internet. I was hooked.

I pursued a web design certificate and spent many nights coding sites by hand (it is amazing how many cat fights you hear at three a.m.). Leaving my Mac behind, went to work for a software company. I wore many hats as I moved from Marketing to Product Management to Engineering over a five year period.

I learned about object oriented design and process, that there are lots of solutions to any given problem, some more elegant than others; that it is much easier to tear down a thing than to build it; and that empathy for users makes for a strong foundation.

I became a Certified Usability Analyst in 2004. I moved to a much larger software company, established a UI testing program, advocated for user centered design, started a UI patterns library, and created interactive prototypes which provided proof-of-concept for the new Division UI Standards.

education

Certified Usability Analyst, Human Factors International, 2004

Certified Web Designer, Washington State University, 2000

BA, Purdue University

training & conferences

2008 Nonprofit Software Development Summit, Oakland, CA

Web Visions 2007, Portland, OR

UIE Web App Summit, 2007, Monterey, CA

Information Architecture Institute Summit 2006, Vancouver, BC