About Me

Born in San Francisco, I grew up in Fremont, California with three brothers and a sister. My dad is a tinkerer; he raised another generation of the same. Growing up we made stuff, and we made do. As a result, I know how to build a crystal radio set, run wires under the house, and garden.

I graduated from San Francisco State University with a major in English Literature and a minor in Tech/Museum Writing. I later earned a Ph.D. in English Literature at the University of New Mexico. Specialties: the Grotesque, Literary Theory, and 18th Century British Literature.

After I finished the Ph.D., I returned home to San Francisco to focus on my book, and I accidentally fell into the technology world. Since then, I’ve held positions as a product designer, strategist, UX and interaction designer, Creative Director, instructional designer, information architect, and HTML/web developer. I’ve worked in startups, small design firms, and large agencies. My work has focused on several industries, including government, civic technology, e‑commerce, financial services, travel, automotive, and lifestyle.

In 2012 I had the honor of being a Code for America Fellow, where I worked with 25 other brilliant Fellows creating beautiful and useful civic technology. After spending three years at Mozilla making the web a better place, I worked as a UX Researcher and Designer for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as part of the United States Digital Service.

I’m currently working as a UX Researcher and Designer in the Department of Safeguards with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In my spare time, I pursue my interests in art, interior design, and civic technology. And I tinker.