Beauty

I look for beauty wherever I am; I open myself to the “beauty experience” of being and feeling connected to other things in the world.

In design, beauty means that things should work well. They should be pleasant to interact with. In facilitation, beauty means taking the time to pay attention to things, to really see things as they are without judgment.

Community

I aim to feel embedded in a place, connected with the environment and people, contributing to that whole through my actions.

This means employing human-centered design, working with stakeholders and audience to understand their needs. I aim to do work that builds connections and resilience in communities.

Self-Development

I understand that there is never a “finish line:” I will always be in development, and that is what makes life interesting and worthwhile.

In design, self-development translates into iteration—always learning, growing, and changing. It means thriving within challenges, being able to say “I don’t know,” and move forward anyway.

Justice

I am motivated to create a more just, equitable world, and I align my choices with my values.

I aim to contribute to the creation of a more just world through design, where people can exercise their rights and easily access public services and products. I want to use design to increase equity, access, and growth opportunities for all people, not just to make a profit. Design has a role in increasing justice, but also must be vigilant in how it can cause harm. 

Optimism

I believe people are inherently good, and that we have the power to make changes and transform the world into a preferred state.

Optimism is fundamental to design; design provides a method for acting upon the belief that things can be made better. We can use design to create tools, processes, and environments that help people succeed and grow.

Design Context

We live in a world of polycrises—we need new tools, strategies, and approaches for dealing with the messiness of reality and finding creative, positive ways to engage.

I see government and creative public/private partnerships as a primary lever for making change in communities. I believe governments have an opportunity to build more just, connected, and beautiful communities that can to adapt and evolve over time.

Design Work

My design work creates a framework in which positive action can take place, even in a space of uncertainty and contradiction.

I aim to build a more just, connected, and beautiful world; where people can easily access the products and services they are entitled to, and where those products and services are excellent. Engaging with the government and community should feel empowering and connecting. Each interaction with a government service should build trust and goodwill between individuals, communities, and institutions.

Design Goals

Short-term: Build my professional experience in UX design and research across the design process while learning from designers in civic tech or another mission-driven field. Hone my craft and design sense, in order to contribute meaningfully to complex design problems on a multidisciplinary team. Grow my understanding of my own capabilities and what roles and organizations those best align with.

Long-term: Cultivate my leadership and community-building skills in the civic design space through my work, community involvement, and education.