My Story
I grew up an Army brat, moving every year until my freshman year of high school. This forced me to become skilled with talking to new people and being confident in myself. Knowing the army life, I enlisted into the U.S. Army just prior to 9/11. My experiences in this realm led me to 3 tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, receiving two Purple Heart awards for failing to duck, and a career change to nursing.
As a nurse, I have prided myself in giving excellent patient care. I have also felt the intense frustration of fighting with convoluted user flows to chart necessary information. In an effort to improve the efficiency of my team and to minimize charting errors, I have created multiple cheat sheets and how-to manuals. Additionally, I was selected to be a super user at a hospital when a new EMR was implemented. This gave me insight into multiple pain points and a desire to be a part of the solution.
I have always been tech savvy, including being part of a coding team back in 2002 that went to an international coding competition. Once I discovered UX Design, I came to realize that my skills in working with a team, experiences being a frustrated user, and general understanding of technology could be used for the betterment of other users. I have discovered a new-found passion for this industry and an excitement to create designs that change the world.
On a personal note, I live at home in rural Montana with my wife and kids. We have a cat, two dogs, and one incredible view of the Rocky Mountain Front. I love to live life to the fullest and maintain a positive outlook even when times are tough.
