About
I have worked in the UX community for over 10 years, starting in ad tech before transitioning to government contracting. While my education started in information technology, I stumbled into human-centered computing and quickly fell in love. My “aha moment” came after I realized I could create a career centered around my passions for people, art, and technology.
You can find me reading fantasy novels and exploring Baltimore with my family in my spare time.
Professional Skills & Expertise
Human-Centered Design & Strategy
Deep expertise in applying human-centered design across complex systems. Balancing user needs with business goals through thoughtful research, service design, and systems thinking. Adept at navigating regulated environments and driving design decisions that create real value at scale. See examples in the Experience Human-Centered Design at CMS use case.
Interaction & Visual Design Excellence
Skilled in crafting accessible, aesthetically compelling interfaces grounded in strong visual principles. Delivers mocks paired with seamless interaction patterns, sometimes contributing directly to front-end implementation. Experienced in building and scaling design systems that support consistency and efficiency. See examples in the eHCD Website or Newsletter Redesign use cases.
Rapid Execution & Iteration
Thrives in fast-paced environments, consistently delivering high-quality work with speed and flexibility. Known for iterative, transparent workflows that incorporate feedback early and often. Enabling continuous improvement without sacrificing clarity or craft. See examples in the Login Bug Fix or Room Booking Tool use cases.
Collaboration & Cross-Functional Leadership
Builds strong relationships across product, engineering, content, and stakeholders to align teams around a shared vision. Experienced in agile methodologies, backlog management, and facilitating collaborative decision-making that keeps product and design strategies in sync. See examples in the Cultivating Design Systems use case.
Communication, Documentation & Advocacy
Exceptional communicator with a knack for turning complex ideas into actionable, well-structured outputs. Creates clarity through strong documentation, engaging presentations, and visual storytelling. A vocal advocate for inclusive design, clear processes, and team alignment. See examples in the Scaling Systems & Processes use case.
Mentorship, Community & Team Empowerment
Dedicated to building inclusive, psychologically safe teams where designers can grow. Provides mentorship, shares knowledge, and encourages collaboration. Active in the design community, leading talks, organizing events, and promoting ongoing learning and knowledge exchange. See examples in the Upskilling Through HCD use case.
Tools & Technologies
- Design & Prototyping: Figma, Adobe CC, Sketch
- Research & Testing: Dovetail, Trymata, UserTesting, Moderated & Unmoderated Testing
- Project Management: Azure DevOps, Agile, SAFe, Atlassian Suite (Confluence, Jira), Miro, Mural, LLMs
- Development Collaboration: HTML, CSS, GitHub, various visual editors such as Webflow, ServiceNow, WordPress
Certifications & Education
Responsible AI for Public Professionals: Using Generative AI at Work
Earned a Certificate of Completion from the State of New Jersey. The course equips public sector professionals with practical skills to use Generative AI responsibly and effectively, covering fundamentals, prompt engineering, risk mitigation, and best practices for maintaining public trust and safety.
UX Certification from NN/g
Earned a UX Certification from Nielsen Norman Group, specializing in management. This specialization focused on learning to apply known UX and management practices to effectively plan, communicate, negotiate, and measure UX work, people, and processes. Classes included:
- Designing Influence
- Facilitating UX Workshops
- Generating Big Ideas with Design Thinking
- CX Transformation and Journey Management
- Design Tradeoffs and UX Decision Frameworks
Web Accessibility Training from Deque University
Courses from Deque University focusing on web accessibility. Self-paced online training with detailed courses that include a wealth of examples. Classes included:
- Accessibility Fundamentals - Disabilities, Guidelines, and Laws
- Designing an Accessible User Experience
- Semantic Structure and Navigation (with WCAG 2.2 updates)
- Visual Design and Colors (with WCAG 2.2 updates)
- Device-Independent Input Methods (with WCAG 2.2 updates)
- Form Labels, Instructions, and Validation (with WCAG 2.2 updates)
- Images, SVG, and Canvas
- Responsive Design and Zoom
- Multimedia, Animations, and Motion: The Basics
- Dynamic Updates, AJAX, and Single-Page Apps
- Web Accessibility Testing: Basic Methods and Tools
- Web Accessibility Testing: Screen Readers
- Usability Testing for Accessibility
Design Research Techniques from Cooper Professional Education
The training at Cooper Professional Education focused on unlocking key customer insights and driving high-impact product design. This class prepared me to:
- Learn more about users across all phases of the design process.
- Conduct contextual inquiry research.
- Design and conduct effective research interviews.
- Learn a structured process for synthesizing research into insights and personas.
- Use research insights to propel a design forward.
- Communicate research results for impact.
M.S. in Human-Centered Computing from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
The Master of Science in human-centered computing program at UMBC focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of interactive information technology systems that are both usable and accessible. The goal of Human-Centered Computing is an understanding of how humans interact with information technologies and to use this information to improve the lives of those individuals.
B.S. in Information Systems from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Double minor in Web Development and Entrepreneurship & Innovation.
The Bachelor of Science in Information Systems program at UMBC combines technical training in areas like programming, databases, and network management with business-focused coursework. This interdisciplinary approach prepares students to design and manage effective information systems that solve real-world problems across industries.
Awards
2023 Fearless Culture Code Awardee for Open Dialog
Winners of this award value the trust created through dialogue and openness. They see that everyone has a voice, and the team thrives when each individual feels able to share freely. There are no hidden agendas, and they are openly working to make their craft and company better.
“Amanda asks questions that may be uncomfortable and is receptive to answers even if they aren't exactly aligned with her expressed desires. She opens up the conversation to ensure that everyone benefits, while celebrating the wins publicly when she can.“ – Award Nominee
