Resume
I'm a User Experience researcher and recruiter with 4 years of applied research experience. I have formal training from Georgetown University's Communication, Culture, and Technology program where I concentrated on design and research for social impact. During my time at the University of Pittsburgh, I studied psychology and communications. I like to inform and inspire decision making, innovate on methods, and promote a user-centered culture at companies with big impact.
Research Experience
Jan 2021 - Present
UX Research Recruiter
Upwork
San Francisco, CA
Insight
Creating artifacts is the easy part. Socializing your work is where you should spend more time.
At Upwork, I am the liaison between our Design Operations and UX Research teams. I am responsible for creating surveys, usability studies, A/B tests, and scheduling interviews with a diverse set of audiences.
I create processes and artifacts for the research team that allow them to spend time on conducting and synthesizing their research. I also empower Product and non-Product stakeholders to conduct their own user-centered research.
Nov 2020 - Feb 2021
Researcher
Jobs for the Future
Boston, MA
Insight
It is extremely difficult to find out if a program is accredited or not. Most program websites do not directly list their accreditation.
As a researcher for JFF, I sourced upskiling programs for professionals affected by COVID-19 in collaboration with our Market Analyst. We focused on low-cost, high reward programs that created greater opportunities to find a job.
I was responsible for creating and iterating on a framework used to qualitatively and qualitatively score programs according to career path and for conducting content analysis.
Aug 2020 - Jan 2021
Research Assistant
Tech Executive Leadership Initiative
San Francisco, CA
Insight
When people have been doing a task a specific way for a long time, it's difficult to change their ways. This doesn't mean they aren't willing or they don't care, but they instead require more attention and creative problem solving.
As a research and teaching assistant, I was able to assist tech executives transitioning from the private sector into the public sector.
Through survey analysis and ethnographic observation, I was able to shape the curriculum of the pilot program and programs that follow. Collecting this information, I was able to inform my work at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation.
Jan 2020 - Dec 2020
Research Analyst
Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
Washington, D.C.
Insight
It is extremely difficult to find out if a program is accredited or not. Most program websites do not directly list their accreditation.
As the lead UX researcher for the Public Interest Technology Workforce project at the Beeck Center, I studied workforce development for emerging government digital service professionals and public interest technologists.
Using prior frameworks from colleagues and my own research, we supported agencies in teaching a younger generation digital service skills to actively challenge systems put in place that require modern solutions.
Aug 2018 - Dec 2019
Communications Assistant
New America
Washington, D.C.
Insight
Sometimes simplicity is better. Users often preferred simpler designs and language over more complex, regardless of education.
As the first Communications Assistant on the Education Policy team, I was able my own initiatives and best practices. I focused on redesigning artifacts using A/B testing and creating user guides for newly incorporated software.
May 2017 - Dec 2018
Directed Research Assistant
University of Pittsburgh Center for Learning in Out-of-School Environments
Pittsburgh, PA
Insight
Transportation was the most commonly referenced barrier to having a successful literacy program and/or STEM education.
As a directed research assistant, I was able to assist a post-doctoral candidate in their research regarding the study of nature. I collaborated with museum directors, scientists, and education researchers to enhance and modify a"21st Century Naturalist" framework. I interpreted on-the-floor observations of summer camps into insights.
I also coded and transcribed interview data to better understand how rural literacy programs and maker's spaces can foster digital literacy, STEM, and creativity.
Education
2018 - 2020
Georgetown University
Master of Arts
Washington, D.C.
I studied social impact design and research in the Communications, Culture, and Technology (CCT) program.
My thesis focused on understanding anxiety within users of digital platforms. I explored the relationship between mental health and user experience by conducting my own research with college-level users and interviews of leaders in the fields of digital accessibility, technology policy, media psychology, and research.
2015 - 2018
University of Pittsburgh
Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Arts
Pittsburgh, PA
I studied Psychology and Communication and the intersection of the two. This is where I was able to identify what I was doing and find a field that had a name for it: User Experience.
Learning more about digital spaces and user-centered design, I found my interests shifting from a very physical, visitor experience towards online experiences.
My learnings from conducting on the floor observations, survey analysis, and ethnographic research further inform my understanding of human behavior online and offline.
Professional skillset
UX research methods
Human-centered design
Discovery research
Digital Analytics
Participant recruiting
Empathy
Change management
Curiosity
Technical communications
Research operations
Software
UserTesting.com
Qualtrics
Figma
Jira
Google Suite
SPSS
Miro
HTML, Java, CSS