I initially did a coding bootcamp, and I realized I enjoyed the design part a lot more than coding. After I graduated, I did a lot of free work for family and friends and even for equity in a startup until I was able to land my first paid freelance contract. Soon after, I apprenticed at Upperstudy, a design agency focused on early stage startups. I was placed on a startup Practica, an edtech marketplace where I was the founding designer. I worked at Práctica for a few years and the company was ultimately acquired by BetterUp. After that I worked at agencies, freelanced for many early stage startups and Webflow and now I’m back in-house designing for italki.

Often times, the job entails taking the messy ideas of non-designers and making them tangible and feasible.

Receiving feedback often makes me feel not good enough, even after 5+ years. Managing conflicting opinions and uncertainty. I deal with generalized anxiety so learning how to manage that in work contexts. I tend to rush to solutions, so it’s challenging for me to slow down in all aspects of my life.

I often use v0, Replit and Bolt to prototype ideas. I use chatGPT constantly as a thought partner.

That it will all work out, and don’t listen to people that doubt you.

I’ve sacrificed my health at times to meet the objectives of others. I would tell myself to slow down, and to prioritize my own health first.

I try to focus on the ultimate impact on people, and approach my work with love and empathy.