What is your background?
I was born and live in San Diego, California. I am the Creative Director for TSIA, a research and advisory firm for Fortune 100 tech companies. I have been in a creative leadership role for 10+ years, managing a team of designers, overseeing UI/UX and creative operations, and leading the brand expansion of TSIA. Before that, I was a Senior Graphic Designer at Nestlé USA, where I had the opportunity to learn different facets of graphic design, I was also introduced to the most brilliant people in brand marketing. Soon after that, I realized that I wanted to be more than a Graphic Designer, I had a natural drive to be a mentor and advocate for other designers. 

Why did you decide to become an AIGA Member? 
I have always been a die-hard fan of the AIGA. There is no other design association that blends discipline and inspiration as well as we do. My favorite part of the AIGA is how much emphasis is placed on youth and students, and how it’s continuously working on providing an inclusive design community.

What are you most proud of professionally?
The proudest moment in my career is building my creative team, they push me every day to be a better leader and human. I lead by their side, always including them in the process and conversations that lead to design decisions. It’s important to me that they have a voice, and that they are recognized for their talent.

What’s the most audacious/bold thing you have ever done?
When I was 29, I packed all of my belongings and drove my 2001 Burple (not quite blue, not quite purple) VW Beetle to Los Angeles with $600 in my bank account. I’ve always wanted to be a ‘big city” girl and L.A. was the obvious destination for me. I won’t lie, there were some really hard times, but I also have so many good stories. I lived in L.A. for four years, it 100% shaped the woman that I am today and the values that I need to keep me inspired in my career.

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