My dad has been an engineer for over 25 years, so I grew up around someone who was always building, fixing, and solving problems.

One day, he took me to his workplace to show me a Volvo project he was leading as Chief Delivery Manager. I saw engines, car models, aircraft parts, and all these complex systems up close. But what stayed with me was a huge printed sheet of a driver-facing dashboard.

I remember staring at it because it made something complex feel understandable. That was the first time I really saw design as the bridge between people and systems. I did not have the language for it yet, but that moment stayed with me.

I became a designer because I like understanding people.

What they care about. What frustrates them. What they are trying to get done. What they say out loud, and what you only notice when you really pay attention. That is the part of design that has always pulled me in.

For me, product design is not just about screens. It is about getting close to people, understanding the systems around them, and shaping something that makes their work or life feel a little clearer. That focus on people has shaped the kind of designer I am: curious, practical, research-driven, and comfortable sitting in the messy middle between user needs, business goals, and technical constraints.

I have a Master's in UX from Purdue and 4+ years of experience across research, product systems, production design, accessibility, and engineering collaboration. I have worked on products tied to Safe Drinking Water Act compliance, AI-enabled tools for factory teams, and accessibility research published at ASSETS 2024.

Outside of work, I am into scuba diving, astronomy, miniature painting, kickboxing, and philosophy. I also started AVL UX because there was a real need for a design community in Asheville, and I wanted to help create a space where designers could meet, learn, and feel less isolated.