I'm Kate, a software designer & front-end dev for a literacy nonprofit called Innovations for Learning in Evanston, IL. We serve over 6,000 students every year, as our programs help struggling early-readers improve, both at home and in the classroom. Intuitive design is especially important to me considering that our clients can't quite read... yet. Because we are a small team of four, I spend a lot of time having to think on my feet and work outside of my wheelhouse.
I do all the html & css styling and much of the front end JavaScript for my designs after enrolling in Northwestern University's Full Stack Flex Coding Bootcamp; I also have a B.Arch in Architecture from the University of Miami in Coral Gables.
I have been in the field of web design since 2012, with experience in eCommerce, B2B marketing, and print design. After almost five years in New York City, I've moved to Evanston where I live with my boyfriend John, our cat named Khan and our new puppy named Laika. I enjoy lifting weights, running, playing video games, and drinking wine & craft beer. I also play the F horn, piano, and sing.
Skills
Web Design / UI / UX
HTML / HAML
CSS (SASS)
Wireframing
CMS
SCRUM
Photoshop
Illustrator
InDesign
Premiere Pro
Digital Marketing Design
Email Marketing Design
Lightroom
Experience
Innovations for Learning
Software Designer
Evanston, IL · November, 2015 – Present
User Experience: Designs literacy apps for early readers for responsive browser and native apps
Front-end Web Development: Implements designs with HTML (and HAML), CSS (SCSS) and JS(React)
Fitmoo
Digital Content Strategist / UX Designer
New York, NY · November, 2014 – November, 2015
User Experience: Mobile App design for iOS, Android & Desktop Web (fitmoo.com)
Project Management: worked closely with tech leads as liaison between design & developers
Graphic Design: Web Banners for desktop, mobile assets for the app, assets for digital marketing, investor deck
Canon U.S.A.
Marketing Specialist, Assoc.
Melville, NY · September 2013 – November 2014
Project Management: Launched & owned content of B2B Web Portal for Canon imagePROGRAF printers, tripling traffic, content downloads & users from previous site
Web Design: Created wireframes for relaunch of usa.canon.com & coordinated design changes to the B2B Web Portal & PosterArtist site
Graphic Design – Print & web ads for retailers e.g. B&H & OfficeMax; tradeshow booth graphics
Kraus U.S.A., Inc
Web Designer / eCommerce
Web Designer / eCommerce · May 2012 – September 2013
Project Management: Webmaster of expressDecor.com
Web Design: Produced creative graphic content for site redesign & promotional ads for print & web
Graphic Design: Designed presentations for partnerships with major retailers, e.g. Home Depot & Sam’s Club
Education
University of Miami
Bachelor of Architecture
Coral Gables, FL · August 2007 – August 2011
Design program included intensive focus on visual design, precedent, and wireframe/schematic design based on behavioral data.
Exceptional presentation skills developed after giving delivering over 25 presentations to jurists & submitting work to two design competitions.
Skills developed include: graphic design of final presentation layouts using Illustrator & InDesign, retouching computer renderings in Photoshop and writing of succinct concept statements.
Video animation class developed skills in Adobe Premiere Pro and familiarity with After Effects.
Northwestern University
Fullstack Flex Coding Bootcamp
Evanston, IL · May 2018 – November 2018
HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, jQuery, Bootstrap, Express.js, React.js, Node.js, Database Theory, Bookshelf.js, MongoDB, MySQL, and Python