Hey, I'm Katie.
I consider myself a digital minstrel — a researcher and storyteller of human experiences. Or, more distinctly, I'm a product designer with a love for inquiry and a knack for content creation.
Throughout my career, I’ve gained skills in creating engaging experiences, seeing the forest and the trees, and approaching life with empathetic curiosity — Why? is the best question.
I love discovering how people think and acting on those insights to make any experience stellar.
Who I am (according to 7 teammates)
I asked people I'd worked with what they thought my strengths were, and I affinity mapped them!
My wandering path to UX (or, my secret sauce)
I began as a creative writing and filmmaking double major at Johns Hopkins University, and in my first year of working, I also completed my MFA in Creative Writing at University at the University of Southern Maine.
What originally drew me to writing and films was the fact that I could create something enjoyable for others — that I was putting something positive into the world. I wanted to be certain I was making the world a little better, even if it was just in the feelings my work evoked in other people.
Being well-versed in workshop and production settings taught me to create compelling narratives, think on my feet, adapt in volatile circumstances, and always appreciate a second (or third, or fourth...) opinion. Thanks to the constant collaboration and iteration native to storysmithing and film production, I was always confident in my colleagues' abilities to make me and my craft better.
When I came across UX design, and its blend of data-backed validation and creative expression hooked me immediately. I've always enjoyed making things people can take positive things away from; now, with the tools that design thinking gives me, I can know for a fact when I've built something that helps (and maybe even enchants) people. It's a bonus that I get to meet so many brilliant people along the way, too.