Hello, my name is Rachel and this is my story of how I found my passion for UX/UI Design!

My passion for UX/UI design was ignited by a personal experience during the peak of COVID when my grandfather, my biggest supporter in life, faced technology barriers while in the hospital recovering from surgery after a major heart attack. The challenges faced in this situation were magnified by the fact that my family resides in Canada while I live in Dallas, Texas. During his hospital stay, strict government regulations restricted family from visiting him- including my grandmother. This meant that his only form of communication with the outside world and family was via technology, and with his first experience with an iPhone only being a few months prior, he struggled to even add family members onto the hospital portal to allow us to receive information about his condition. During his lengthy hospital stay, when we talked on the phone, I could hear that he was losing hope quickly and was finding his experience full of boring, dull moments. As I dwelled on how these problems could have been avoided, I realized that a large part of his struggle was due to the poor experiences and limited accessibility of technology, making it difficult for him to feel in community with friends and family. I began to search for a way to re-spark the hope and joy in people after two years of hardship brought about by COVID-19, and soon came across user experience design.

After taking several smaller courses in UX/UI design, I decided to pursue a program that allowed me to receive a certificate and gain over 700 hours of experience in the design thinking process. During this time, I was able to complete many projects including contract work with a company who works closely with schools. Being a former middle school science teacher, I quickly found a niche in edtech and my passion for user experience was intensified as I continued to enhance my skills for helping others achieve their dreams through intentional, methodical adventures.

Since, I have effectively melded my diverse background to positively impact countless lives, rendering technology more accessible, user-friendly, and enjoyable for a broad range of individuals, including those not part of the mainstream. By harmonizing my aptitude for planning and organization from my teaching tenure with my insights into psychology and human behavior derived from my bachelor’s degree, I craft unique user flows that cater to the distinct needs of each individual.