I started life endlessly curious about how the world works. 

Somewhere along the line this curiosity shifted--from how the world works to how people work, and how we interact with the world around us. It began with studying cognitive science and linguistics, to learn how people perceive the world, communicate, and make decisions.

This led to a career as a consultant and researcher, trying to better understand the connection between thinking, language, and behavior. Throughout this time I was unwittingly building the core competencies for UX Research, including contextual interviewing and facilitating groups both large and small.

When Philadelphia University launched its Strategic Design MBA I joined as a pioneering member of the first class, taking the leap to be part of something new and unknown. PhilaU is now a part of Jefferson University and the Strategic Design MBA is no longer offered, but that doesn’t change what I learned. It was there I discovered that all my life I've been a designer, finding joy in products that ‘just worked’ and frustration in those that ‘just didn’t.’

Today I put it all together as a UX Researcher. It’s the perfect blend of curiosity, data, and genuine human connection.

INTERESTS

Perception

I'll never forget when I first realized that we see with our brains, not with our eyes--that what we see and what's out there aren't at all the same, though they mostly do match up well. It instilled in me a deep appreciation for the fact that my view is not the only view.

Linguistics

A freshman seminar led me to a love affair with words that I never would have expected. It's the most powerful tool we have, and yet its impact is often hidden in plain sight. It can be as rough as a rusty hatchet or as precise as a surgeon's scalpel. It's staggeringly complicated, yet mastered at a young age. Few people know all the rules governing a grammatical sentence, and even fewer people ever break them. In the words of that insatiably curious blue monster Grover, "is that not fascinating?"

Cooking

The kitchen is where I go to lose track of time. I rarely wake up early to exercise, but if I need to be up at 4am to get a brisket in the oven, that's a no-brainer. It's an opportunity to work with my hands and create something, and the best part is you never know exactly how it will turn out. I love the physicality of it, I love the smells, and I love the surprise of taking that first bite. Like language, I find food to be both simple and complex.