My first experience with UX and UI design wasn’t in a classroom or a formal role. It was with an app that I co-created with two close friends. We had a vision, and I took the lead on design, starting with sketches that evolved into high-fidelity screens, prototypes, and finally, a fully mapped-out user journey. Collaborating with developers to bring our idea to life showed me how design could shape interactions, simplify complexity, and bring ideas into reality.

My connection to hospitality started early. My family owned and managed hotels, and as a child, I loved the experience, exploring amenities and watching how every detail came together to create a seamless guest experience. As an adult, I gained a deeper understanding of the business side, seeing firsthand how operations, service, and branding work together. Naturally, I gravitated toward designing digital experiences that enhance how people interact with spaces, services, and brands.

I studied 3D animation at the Art Institute, where I learned to model, animate, texture, and frame scenes. But what truly fascinated me was lighting, how reflections, shadows, and highlights brought an image to life. That obsession led me to experiment with different mediums, from pencil sketches to oil paintings, and later, photography.

Photography became my creative escape. Unlike 3D design, where every element must be meticulously built, photography let me focus entirely on composition and lighting, capturing a moment by moving around a subject rather than constructing it from scratch.

In UX design, I take a dual approach, looking through the lens of both business and the end user. A product must have a reason to exist before it can truly deliver a meaningful experience. Whether I’m designing a financial platform, real estate tech, or hospitality tool, I focus on creating solutions that are not just visually engaging but strategically impactful.