For the past two decades, I’ve been designing the reason for users to click on ads, buy products online, and use digital products and services with satisfaction and proficiency. A practitioner in the arts of persuasive and intentional design!
Growing up in a household immersed in creativity, surrounded by talented graphic designers, calligraphers, and photographers, I developed a deep appreciation for design from an early age. Spending countless hours at my father’s Design Studio, I honed my skills in traditional analog design techniques using backlit tables and gained proficiency in large format studio photography and offset printing. As the digital computing era dawned, my passion for design evolved further, and by the age of 10, I had already become proficient in unleashing my creativity through digital design on the Macintosh IIfx. Exploring the vast possibilities of digital artistry using software like Photoshop, Corel Draw, Freehand, and Infini-D, I eagerly embraced the new frontiers of design.
Upon completing high school, I embarked on a dual degree in Computer Science and Psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia. This unique combination of disciplines provided me with a solid foundation in graphic design, software engineering, and an understanding of human behavior. During this time, I excelled as a web designer, crafting rich media flash ads, interactive games, and dynamic websites. I also took charge of programming these creations myself, mastering action script to bring my visions to life.
Thriving as a hybrid flash designer and developer, I quickly became highly sought after and worked for top agencies as a lead interactive designer/developer. I executed glamorous campaigns, pushing the boundaries of technology and design with innovative e-commerce retail fronts and creating captivating micro-sites for renowned fashion and luxury brands such as Gucci, Fendi, Dior, as well as pharmaceutical brands like Viagra and Lipitor. These endeavors not only brought me excitement and fulfillment but also earned me numerous awards and recognition for my contributions. However, the rapid rise of mobile apps and sites marked a significant turning point in the industry, necessitating a transition away from flash technology. To adapt, I became certified in native mobile app development, ensuring I remained at the forefront of industry trends.
Eager to continue pushing the boundaries of usability and experience design, I embarked on a consulting journey, collaborating with agencies and clients to optimize web and mobile app usability while enhancing their digital business outcomes. I led cross-disciplinary teams in creating large-scale digital projects from inception to production for esteemed clients such as JCPenney, Walmart, Apple, and JPMorgan Chase.
With the emergence of wearable technologies, such as Google Glass, Apple Watch, and AR/VR headsets, I applied my expertise to create immersive and mobile-first experiences for a variety of clients, including Ray-Ban, DAQRI, and The New York Times.
After a few years, I was recruited by IBM Interactive as a UX Director. There, I led a massive digitalization project for Statefarm, overseeing a talented team of 50+ professionals based in Chicago. To further deepen my knowledge and expertise, I pursued a Master’s degree in Human-Computer Interaction at Stanford University. Drawing upon my technical background, I excelled in generating substantial business development for IBM, leading to my nomination for the prestigious IBM Champion Title within a remarkably short span of three months.
Motivated by a desire for entrepreneurial growth, I made the bold decision to establish my own technology design consultancy in Los Angeles called INTERFACE HUMAN INC in 2013. Since its inception, my dedicated team and I have been committed to providing top-notch UI/UX design and technology consulting services, catering to the digital transformation goals of major corporations, defense contractors, and government agencies.
Recognizing the importance of data visualization UX to support data-driven decision-making, I observed that many existing business intelligence tools suffered from poor interface design, hindering organizational adoption and impeding the expected return on investment. To address this, I began leading BI strategy and design programs for large organizations such as LAUSD and HSBC, leveraging my expertise in transforming data into actionable insights to support the decision-making process. As enterprise technologies evolved, security, scalability, and concurrency needs led to the adoption of cloud technologies with micro-service architecture. Consequently, I further expanded my knowledge in cloud technologies and solution architecture to effectively meet these demands.
Now, as we enter a new era of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), I am excited to embrace the transformative potential these technologies hold. While digital innovation continues to accelerate, human experience remains at the core of it all. The future promises to bring exciting opportunities for enhancing our digital interactions, and I am enthusiastic about the role I will play in shaping that future.