What would you do, if you weren't working as a designer?
I'd be an athlete or a chef.
What design tool do you currently use?
Adobe XD
What's your favorite band or artist to listen to while designing?
I listen to calm background sounds to help me focus.
Your favorite font? :-)
I can fall in love with almost any contemporary geometric sans-serif typeface
Favorite book or movie (non-design related)
Book! The Path of Least Resistance: Learning to Become the Creative Force in Your Own Life.
What's your favorite color in hex or RGBa? (gradients are allowed too)
I've been really into purple the past year: #5C6BC0
What was your first real/paid design project and when did you make it?
I started out designing and building Websites for restaurants in Boston back when Dreamweaver was a thing.
If you could write something on the loading screen of all design tools, so all designers can see it, what would it be?
DO YOUR BEST
Did you study design, or are you self taught? And how did that path influence your work style?
I studied Journalism in college and took some design classes, which I loved the most. The classes were print design, nothing digital, so I'm 100% self-taught in that area. It took a lot of practice, time, and trial and error. There are so many excellent digital design classes now. My path influenced my work style by forcing me to seek out good design and spend time understanding why it's good; so that I can myself be the designer I wanted to be.
The biggest innovation in product design right now is...
Is probably the tools we're using!
With all the current experience, what would you tell yourself when you were just starting out?
It's not easy, and it's a long road, but if you love it and you're determined and persistent, and you focus, you'll reach your goals.
What do you think is the biggest problem in the design industry right now and how can it be fixed?
One of the biggest challenges right now is for new designers to have the help and guidance they need to work their way up. It can be hard to find mentors or understand what type of education is the best to pursue. It is not impossible, though, and if you put the work into understanding your options and doing research, you can find a great fit and start to carve out your path!
