My path into Product Design is not linear, however my full story connects all the dots. I’ve always found a strong sense of personal satisfaction in mentoring, coaching, and teaching. I began my professional career as a high school English teacher. I loved teaching and connecting with students, but I was unfulfilled by many other aspects of the profession—so I took a break. I traveled the world (25 countries, and counting); I worked in coffee shops (yay, latte art!); I managed a bookstore (a dream job, honestly).

I’ve always held a love of languages, research, and information, so in 2010, I moved from Chicago to New York City to pursue a Masters Degree in Library and Information Science, with big goals of becoming an archivist or researcher. During my first semester at Pratt Institute, I stumbled into a degree specialization called Information Experience Design—and the rest is history.