Happy Cog
Design Director
June 2021–present
Responsibilities:
Lead and direct digital projects from ideation through quality assurance
Research, write and deliver design strategy, manage large stakeholder groups, quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, and present cohesively to external stakeholders including c-suite team members
Contribute to and direct design concept ideation and design systems based on project strategy with team of designers
Scope projects based on client goals and budget, work with project management to create appropriate project plan, determine deliverables, and keep projects in scope
Design and facilitate presentations and workshops
Create and present extensible design systems and style guides
Oversee fellow designers and give direct and actionable feedback
Create cohesive content strategy, restructuring, content modeling, taxonomies, and voice and tone guidance for client content teams
Organize and restructure information architectures based on strategic project goals and user experience research
Collaborate often with development team, working closely with front-end developers on animation and quality assurance with back-end developers on CMS structure
Audit digital projects for accessibility and offer cross-departmental guidance on best practices and advancing the company’s a11y culture
Use each design project to advance our clients’ digital brand presence
Collaborate with marketing team to analyze user experience pain points and present areas for large revenue improvements for high profile clients
Bolster communication and transparency processes across internal teams
Drive new business by building lasting, co-creative relationships with client teams that lead to additional projects and word-of-mouth recommendations
Senior Designer
August 2018–June 2021
Lead small, medium, and large scale projects from discovery through quality assurance
Assist with project definition tasks and stakeholder interviews
Create and present design concepts
Plan, create, and support flexible design systems and style guides
Organize and restructure information architectures based on strategic project goals and user experience research
Identity & brand design
Facilitate usability testing
Designer
2013–2018
Wireframes and Information Architecture
System design
Primary illustrator for company blog, Cognition
Assist with project definition tasks and stakeholder interviews
Identity & brand design
Interactive prototypes
Conceptual design
Facilitate usability testing
Quality assurance
Creating editorial calendars and writing for social media
Select clients: American Astronomical Society, Cirrus Logic, Citi Bike, Gettysburg College, Grand Ole Opry, Harvard Extension School, The Harvard Law Review, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, MTV, Sky & Telescope Magazine, Wayside Publishing, United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW), Urban Land Institute (ULI)
Grassroots Advocacy for South Philadelphia
Co-Chair, Co-Founder and member of Steering Committee
2017–Present
Co-founded GRASP, a non-partisan group of politically-involved neighbors dedicated to connecting residents with elected representatives and political candidates
Plan community meet-and-greet events with local candidates for US Congress, PA State House, PA Lt. Governor, City Council, City Commissioners, and more.
Help make candidate endorsement decisions and organize volunteers for canvassing and voter registration
Offer pro-bono design of all digital and print material for organizational branding and event promotion
Philadelphia First Ward
Elected Committeeperson
Ward Officer (steering committee)
June 2018–present
Elected member of the Ward Executive Committee in Philadelphia’s Ward 1, Division 11 for a four-year term. My committeeperson responsibilities are to: register new voters in my neighborhood, canvass for progressive endorsed party candidates, organize get-out-the-vote efforts, work at the polls on election days.
Within the Ward Executive Committee, I was also elected into a leadership position on the Steering Committee as the Ward Secretary. As Secretary:
I lead internal and external communications and bolster transparency with our constituents
I’m the leader of the communications subcommittee including website design and development, newsletter, etc.
Use my design and writing skills to create a clear, thoughtful, and welcoming messaging to get my neighbors excited about voting in local elections
I-SITE
Lead Interactive Designer
2010–2013
Conceptual design
Interactive design systems
Interactive, print, and identity design
iPhone/iPad/Android app ideation and design
IA/UX: sitemaps, wireframes, prototyping
Illustration and hand lettering
Work closely with front-end and back-end developers
Quality assurance
HTML email development
Client communication/collaboration
Select clients: Alliance for Downtown NY, Sprout Children’s TV Network, Great Apes Survival Partnership, Hidden City Festival, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians.
Freelance
Designer and illustrator
2007–Present
Capabilities: Editorial illustration, interactive, print, identity design.
Atomni
Responsibilities: website planning, design, front-end development
Freelance Designer
2010–2011
Azuna
Design Intern
2008
Responsibilities: Illustration, print design, new project development
Education
BFA in Graphic and Interactive Design
Tyler School of Art
Studies: Interactive design, illustration, animation, printmaking, ceramics, art history, sociology
Recognition
2021 Gold Winner, Muse Award for Nonprofit Website: American Astronomical Society (aas.org)
2021 Silver Winner, Muse Award for Nonprofit Website: Results for America (catalog.results4america.org)
2021 Silver Winner, Muse Award for Law & Legal Service Website: Harvard Bluebook (legalbluebook.com)
2020: Webby Winner, People’s Voice Award for Association Websites: American Astronomical Society (aas.org)
2019: Graphic Design USA, American Graphic Design Award: Jovia Rebrand and Site Design (joviafinancial.com)
2019: Gold Winner, Muse Award for Education Website: Gettysburg College (gettysburg.edu)
2016: Webby Honoree, Mobile sites/apps: Harvard Extension School (extension.harvard.edu)
2012–2016 Best Costume Awards: Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby
2014: Appy Award Finalist, Reference Category: apeAPP (iPhone/Android App)
2013: IAC Award, Best Family Mobile Application: Sprout Family Challenge iOS app
2012: W3 Silver Award, Mobile Travel Application: Downtown NYC iPhone App
2011: Gold Horizon Interactive Award, Website Consumer Information: The Trestle Inn website
2011 Gold Horizon Interactive Award, Utility Mobile Apps: Downtown NYC iPhone app
2011: Bronze Horizon Interactive Award, Educational Mobile App: Build a Bird iPhone/Android app
2010 Interactive Media Award, Best in Nonprofit: Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians