Hi, I'm Kellie.
I'm an Orlando-based Product Designer passionate about using data to craft beautiful, accessible products for real people. I recently wrapped up an 18-month contract as a Product Designer with The Walt Disney Company. I was lucky enough to lead an effort to pave a new path for design at Walt Disney Imagineering's Technology Studio, provide design support on a new initiative for Disney Cruise Line's mobile app, and modernize a legacy booking system for Disney Vacation Club. Prior to Disney, I was the sole UX Designer at a small start-up called OverOps, which is now a part of Harness.io. As a proud tech boot camp grad, I bring my drive, passion, and grit to every project I work on.
How did I become a Product Designer?
Creativity has always been a part of my life. In elementary school, I was a doodler and had a dedicated notebook for my cartoon art. Throughout middle and high school, I used all my elective classes to explore various art forms. However, as I entered college, my interests shifted toward languages, travel, and understanding the world around me. I relocated to Tokyo to study Japanese extensively with the goal of returning there to work. Despite obtaining my undergraduate degree and working for a Japanese company in the US, my desire for creative expression persisted. To satisfy this longing, I enrolled in local art classes and contemplated the possibility of pursuing a design education.
My plans to return to school were put on hold when I was accepted into a prestigious international exchange program to teach English in Japan. Unforeseen circumstances of the pandemic forced a change of course and halted my goal of moving to Japan for work. I viewed this as a now-or-never moment to start my career in the design industry. Within two weeks of withdrawing from the exchange program, I secured a scholarship for a tech boot camp. About four months later I landed my first gig as a UX designer and haven't stopped creating, learning, and growing ever since.
What aspects of Product Design do you gravitate towards the most?
Visual Design
I love doing visual discovery, comparative analyses, and creating supporting visual artifacts.
Information Architecture
I enjoy creating visual maps to help bring sense and structure to ambiguity.
Design Systems
I create design system libraries in Figma with heavy emphasis on documentation and developer collaboration.
Product Strategy
I like creating roadmaps, understanding user needs, prioritizing features and the overall structure having a clear plan brings.
How do I spend my time outside of work?
Outside of my design work, I take full advantage of living in downtown Orlando. I'm a regular at my local spin studio, where I love pushing myself to new limits, and I love spending my Sundays walking around the local farmer's market. On weekends, I fully embrace Florida's natural beauty by exploring local springs, enjoying dog-friendly beaches, and enjoying state and national parks. I also spend a lot of time bonding with my pup, Marcel. He's earned an AKC Good Canine Citizen title and is currently blazing through tunnels in his advanced agility course.
I also love to eat my way through Orlando's amazing food scene. I have been fortunate to document this journey through my dedicated foodie Instagram page over the years. Trying out the latest restaurants and discovering hidden culinary gems brings me joy and satisfies my passion for food. When I can't find time to travel to a new city, I find peace in eating the large variety of foods that Orlando has to offer.
While my design work fulfills many of my creative desires, I find even more fulfillment by exploring various creative outlets. I love staying up-to-date on fashion and interior design trends, drawing inspiration from these trends and infusing them into my home decor and personal style. Though my sketchbook has evolved from cartoons to figure drawings and portrait sketches, it remains a constant in my life. I think my next creative endeavor might involve pottery or busting out my sewing machine to try my hand at quilt-making.
Marcel being a good boy
Juifen, Taiwan
Breckenridge, Colorado
Hong Kong
Taipei, Taiwan
Enjoying the Florida Springs
My friend and I at Disney World
Multnomah Falls in Oregon
