They can discern subtle differences in color, symmetry, and movement within a peacock’s tail feathers, helping them to select mates with the most vibrant and symmetrical displays, indicators of genetic fitness and health.
This selective process ensures the production of strong, viable offspring. Research indicates that peahens are sensitive to both visible and ultraviolet (UV) light, which is invisible to humans. The "eyespot" patterns on a peacock’s tail reflect UV light, providing additional information during mate evaluation. More reflective and symmetrical eyespots are more attractive to peahens.
A study found that peahens prefer males that perform vigorous tail-shaking displays, which enhance the perceived brilliance of their eyespots. These behaviors serve as honest signals of a male’s fitness, as maintaining such displays requires significant energy and good health. The peahen’s visual perception ensures that only the fittest males pass on their genes, contributing to the health and diversity of future generations.
Beyond mating, peahens' sharp eyesight aids in spotting predators and navigating their environment. Their muted plumage helps them blend in, protecting themselves and their young.
As the fourth operational orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle Program, Atlantis played a crucial role in over 26 years of service.
Atlantis was built in about half the time it took to assemble the first shuttle, Columbia, reflecting NASA's growing expertise in constructing reusable space vehicles. Named after the RV Atlantis, a pioneering oceanographic research vessel, the shuttle was first launched on October 3, 1985. Over its lifespan, Atlantis completed 33 missions, spending 307 days in space and orbiting Earth 4,848 times.
Key Missions and Achievements
Atlantis’s missions included launching groundbreaking spacecraft such as the Magellan probe to Venus and the Galileo probe to Jupiter. These missions expanded our understanding of the solar system and demonstrated the shuttle's capacity to support interplanetary exploration.
Atlantis was also a vital part of the Mir space station program, becoming the first shuttle to dock with the Russian Space Station Mir during the STS-71 mission in 1995. This milestone represented a significant moment in international cooperation in space exploration and helped pave the way for future collaborations, such as the International Space Station (ISS).
The shuttle was instrumental in building and maintaining the ISS, conducting multiple missions that carried essential components and equipment to the station.
Today, Atlantis is permanently displayed at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. Visitors can see it suspended as if in orbit, with its payload bay doors open, providing a dramatic and inspiring view of the shuttle's design and capability. The exhibit celebrates Atlantis’s rich history and serves as a reminder of NASA’s space shuttle era—a period marked by ambition, discovery, and collaboration.
Located in Gunnison Colorado, it's a geological marvel that captivates visitors with its dramatic landscapes and ancient formations of vertical striations that run down its steep cliffs.
The striations are vertical bands of lighter-colored rock that slice through the darker granite and gneiss that make up much of the canyon walls. These striations are particularly visible along the Painted Wall, the tallest cliff in Colorado, standing at about 2,250 feet. The contrast between the dark base rock and the lighter striations creates a striking visual effect, reminiscent of brushstrokes on a massive canvas.
The striations of Black Canyon are unique due to their composition and formation process. The bands are composed primarily of pegmatite, a type of igneous rock that is lighter in color and coarser-grained than the surrounding dark granite and gneiss. Pegmatite forms when molten rock cools slowly deep underground, allowing larger crystals to develop. The resulting bands appear lighter and more reflective, standing out distinctly against the darker rock.
Formation
The formation of the striations is a story that dates back over 1.7 billion years. The base rock of Black Canyon is some of the oldest exposed rock in North America. Over eons, tectonic activity caused magma to push up into cracks within the pre-existing granite and gneiss. As the magma cooled and solidified, it formed the pegmatite intrusions that now streak down the walls of the canyon.
Over time, the region was uplifted by geological forces, exposing these ancient formations to the surface. The Gunnison River then took over, carving the canyon through relentless erosion over approximately two million years. The river's power combined with the harder, more erosion-resistant pegmatite left behind the dramatic striations, contrasting with the smoother erosion of the surrounding rock.
Their survival depends on staying hidden. From their first days, camouflage plays an essential role. The unique spotted pattern of their fur is an adaptation designed for blending into their dense, leafy habitat.
These spots, known as rosettes, mimic the dappled light filtering through the forest canopy, making cubs almost invisible to both prey and potential predators. Jaguar cubs are vulnerable when they are young. They rely on their mother for protection and sustenance, but she must leave them hidden while she hunts for food. During these times, the cubs’ safety depends heavily on their ability to remain unseen. Their rosetted coats allow them to merge seamlessly with their surroundings, reducing the risk of being detected by larger predators or rival jaguars
As the cubs grow, their natural curiosity compels them to explore their environment. This exploration is essential for learning the skills they’ll need to survive as adults, but it also exposes them to potential dangers. The combination of camouflage and stealth is key to helping them navigate this critical stage of life safely. They learn to move silently, practice stalking prey through play, and stay close to cover where their coats can work their magic.
The importance of their camouflage doesn’t fade as they mature. Adult jaguars rely on this trait for hunting success, using it to ambush prey with near-perfect surprise. For the cubs, mastering the art of staying hidden is one of the first lessons nature teaches them.
They can discern subtle differences in color, symmetry, and movement within a peacock’s tail feathers, helping them to select mates with the most vibrant and symmetrical displays, indicators of genetic fitness and health.
This selective process ensures the production of strong, viable offspring. Research indicates that peahens are sensitive to both visible and ultraviolet (UV) light, which is invisible to humans. The "eyespot" patterns on a peacock’s tail reflect UV light, providing additional information during mate evaluation. More reflective and symmetrical eyespots are more attractive to peahens.
A study found that peahens prefer males that perform vigorous tail-shaking displays, which enhance the perceived brilliance of their eyespots. These behaviors serve as honest signals of a male’s fitness, as maintaining such displays requires significant energy and good health. The peahen’s visual perception ensures that only the fittest males pass on their genes, contributing to the health and diversity of future generations.
Beyond mating, peahens' sharp eyesight aids in spotting predators and navigating their environment. Their muted plumage helps them blend in, protecting themselves and their young.
Achieving a 30% ROI, I led a complete UX/UI transformation, implementing scalable systems, redesigning workflows, and delivering a user-focused, modern interface.
SpendHQ is an AI-powered spend intelligence platform designed to help Fortune 500 companies including Pepsi and Under Armour optimize their spending, diversity, clean energy, and diversity by integrating supplier and third-party data. Before my involvement, the platform suffered from a dated and inconsistent user experience that frustrated users and limited engagement.
Increased Net Promoter Score (NPS) by 133%
Boosted product stickiness by 125%
Extended average session times by 50%
Redesigned over 200 screens
Challenges
SpendHQ faced several challenges when I joined the team. The platform's design was outdated and fragmented, leading to cognitive overload and inefficiencies for users. The organization lacked user feedback documentation, analytics tools, and research artifacts, making it difficult to identify and address user pain points effectively.
The user base was diverse, ranging from financial analysts to C-suite executives, each requiring tailored solutions to meet their unique needs. Additionally, the absence of established design systems or workflows created inefficiencies in collaboration and development.
Compliance Mock-up
My Approach
To address these challenges, I established a data-driven foundation by implementing tools like Pendo and Hotjar to track user behavior, including NPS scores, retention rates, and heatmaps. These analytics were complemented by competitive research, user interviews, and testing, providing a comprehensive understanding of user needs. I collaborated with the head of product to develop four key user personas, representing users from technical analysts to executives, and mapped detailed user flows using FigJam to align workflows with business objectives.
Building a scalable design system was a critical component of the redesign. I created a comprehensive Figma ecosystem, incorporating atomic design principles to develop reusable components and centralized design files. This system supported both the current app and the redesigned interface, streamlining collaboration and iteration. To foster collaboration across teams, I facilitated workshops with stakeholders, product owners, and developers, aligning priorities and accelerating the iterative design process.
Design System Assets
Solutions
One of the most impactful solutions was the redesign of the "Power Filter," a global filtering tool used to refine data across all screens. I transformed this feature into an accessible, modular header component, replacing the overly complex and disjointed workflow. This redesign was validated through hi-fi prototypes and user testing, resulting in significantly faster task completion rates and higher satisfaction.
I also delivered a cohesive reskin and UX optimization, standardizing UI components across over 100 screens to reduce cognitive overload and ensure consistency. To address user confusion, I designed and integrated a comprehensive help system, including contextual pop-overs and dedicated documentation sections, which improved onboarding and reduced support inquiries. Additionally, I developed interactive prototypes to gather actionable feedback and avoid unnecessary development time, saving hundreds of hours across the project.
Power Filter Header Components
Key Takeaways
Leading SpendHQ’s transformation involved establishing scalable design processes, leveraging data-driven insights, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. By prioritizing user needs and aligning them with business goals, I delivered a modern, intuitive platform that significantly improved engagement, satisfaction, and scalability. The project not only enhanced the experience for SpendHQ’s users but also set a strong foundation for ongoing development and innovation.
Diversity Mock-up
Nov 01 2020
NASCAR: New Websites for Mexico, ARCA & Sebring
Achieving a 40% ROI, I brought expertise in WordPress development and UX/UI design to build new websites, enhance existing ones, and ensure seamless functionality during live events.
NASCAR, the premier stock-car racing sanctioning body in North America, oversees some of the most iconic racing events in the world. As part of a restructuring effort, NASCAR transitioned from third-party development teams to internal teams for creating and maintaining their digital properties.
Launched the NASCAR Mexico, ARCA Menards, and Sebring Raceway websites.
Enhanced user experience and functionality for NASCAR.com and IMSA.com.
Provided live support for digital race experiences, ensuring uninterrupted service during high-traffic events.
Bridged design and development gaps by facilitating collaboration between developers, designers, and product teams.
Challenges
NASCAR’s transition to internal teams created several hurdles. repurposed developers new to PHP and WordPress were tasked with building custom WordPress sites, while graphic designers with limited UX/UI experience were responsible for creating digital experiences.
This mismatch in expertise led to challenges in execution and collaboration. Additionally, the organization required high-performing digital platforms to support real-time race updates, which demanded seamless integration between design and development. NASCAR’s custom WordPress framework added further complexity, requiring precise modifications to themes and plugins to meet both user and business needs.
Sebring Raceway New Website
My Approach
To address these challenges, I began by participating in creative briefings with product managers and graphic designers to review research findings and project goals. These sessions informed design decisions and ensured that all modifications adhered to industry-standard UX/UI principles, accessibility guidelines, and the execution constraints of NASCAR’s custom WordPress framework. By analyzing site designs, I provided actionable feedback on development feasibility, aligning design intent with technical realities.
During development, I worked independently on projects such as the NASCAR Mexico, ARCA Menards, and Sebring Raceway websites. Each site required custom modifications to NASCAR’s WordPress themes and plugins, which I implemented while maintaining scalability and usability. To ensure efficient progress tracking, I used Atlassian Jira to document updates, manage tasks, and address QA feedback.
In addition to building new websites, I provided enhancements to existing platforms, such as NASCAR.com and IMSA.com, improving user experience and addressing technical issues. I was also responsible for live monitoring and issue resolution during high-traffic race weekends. Working from NASCAR headquarters in Charlotte, NC, I collaborated with live ops teams to resolve real-time issues, such as lap-time reporting errors, ensuring uninterrupted service during critical events.
ARCA Menards New Drivers Webpage
Solutions
One of my primary contributions was delivering three major new websites: NASCAR Mexico, ARCA Menards, and Sebring Raceway. These platforms were built from the ground up, incorporating responsive designs, modern UX/UI principles, and accessibility standards. I also enhanced NASCAR.com and IMSA.com, making UX/UI improvements and resolving technical challenges to ensure optimal performance.
Another key solution was bridging the gap between designers and developers. By providing UX/UI guidance and ensuring compatibility with the custom WordPress framework, I streamlined the collaboration process, enabling efficient execution of projects. Additionally, I played a pivotal role in NASCAR’s live digital operations, quickly addressing technical issues during live races, such as resolving errors in real-time lap-time reporting.
NACAR Mexico's New Website
Key Takeaways
My work with NASCAR involved balancing technical expertise with cross-functional collaboration to deliver high-quality digital experiences. By bridging the gap between design and development, I ensured that all projects met NASCAR’s high standards for performance, usability, and accessibility.
The successful launch of three major websites and enhancements to existing platforms demonstrated my ability to adapt to complex technical frameworks and high-pressure environments. Ultimately, my contributions supported NASCAR’s mission to provide engaging digital experiences for fans and stakeholders alike.
Feb 01 2020
Wick: Entertaining Well-being Science Education
I performed roles of product designer, user researcher, UX/UI designer, and developer.
Wick is a mobile app designed to make the journey of improving well-being a comforting and enjoyable adventure.
Achieved a 100% user approval rating
Identified and capitalized on a niche with little to no competition
Challenges
Learning and applying the science of well-being is often a time-consuming and confusing process. Users must absorb complex subject matter and track multiple goals, which can feel overwhelming and discouraging. Existing solutions lacked engaging methods to teach well-being science while motivating users to take actionable steps.
My Approach
To address these challenges, we conducted a comprehensive SWOT analysis of 25 competing apps in the health and wellness space. This analysis highlighted gaps in gamification and the repetitive interactions that users found disengaging.
To better understand our audience, we conducted phone interviews, collecting both quantitative and qualitative data, such as current app usage, likes and dislikes, and interest in our mission. Using these insights, we created user personas representing adults aged 19–40 at various stages of their well-being journeys.
We also conducted card sorting and ideation sessions to determine the app’s core features and user flows.
Card Sorting Session
Mood-boarding exercises established the app's visual tone, while whiteboarding sessions helped us design workflows and wireframes that catered to all personas. These efforts guided branding decisions, ensuring Wick would feel like a supportive companion on the well-being journey, incorporating nature-inspired aesthetics and a comforting fire motif into its logo and design system.
Our design process started with wireframes based on whiteboard designs, followed by the development of a lo-fi prototype to test the app's core features.
Lo-fi Screenshot
User feedback revealed valuable insights, including pain points and opportunities for improvement, which were addressed in the hi-fi prototype. The hi-fi design incorporated all user states identified during testing and brought the app’s visual language to life. The app’s journey-based format, combined with gamified tasks, resonated strongly with users during testing.
Wick's gamified structure rewarded users for completing tasks, with rewards weighted based on task difficulty to encourage progression. Points, badges, and other elements fostered a sense of achievement while breaking down complex well-being science into manageable steps. The app’s empathetic tone and adventure-inspired visual language created a welcoming and motivating user experience.
Hi-fi Prototype
Key Takeaways
Wick successfully transformed the complex science of well-being into a digestible, gamified experience that users loved. By combining user-centric design with gamification and empathetic communication, the app stands out in the crowded wellness space. With a 100% approval rating, Wick proved to be an engaging, supportive tool for improving well-being, setting a high standard for innovative, user-centered solutions in the industry.
Achieved 50% ROI. I addressed inefficiencies by designing and developing a new system that would standardize and automate processes, ensuring consistent quality and compliance while improving task efficiency.
Automotive Management Services Inc. (AMSI) manages all digital advertising for its car dealership clients, spanning major brands from Aston Martin to Volvo. The company faced significant challenges in managing and creating website add-ons, display ads, and email campaigns due to the lack of a project management system and frequent issues with compliance, accessibility, and coding errors.
Increased task efficiency by 400%
Reduced accessibility, compliance, and coding issues by 90%
Challenges
AMSI's workflow was a bit chaotic, with no project management system in place to streamline operations. Digital assets, including webpages, email campaigns, and ads, often suffered from errors in coding, accessibility, and responsiveness, leading to potential penalties for OEM compliance violations.
Additionally, long development times and a lack of integration between teams created bottlenecks, impacting the delivery and quality of assets. AMSI needed a centralized system to manage projects, track performance, and ensure compliance across all deliverables.
Porsche Naples Homepage
My Approach
To tackle these challenges, I began by conducting extensive research into the functions of every role within the agency. This allowed me to identify pain points and gaps in the workflow. Based on these findings, I conceptualized and designed "Phalanx," a comprehensive system to build, track, and optimize digital assets. Phalanx featured drag-and-drop functionality, real-time analytics integration, and error-free, OEM-compliant code generation, addressing AMSI's core inefficiencies.
Collaboration with account executives and OEM compliance teams was critical to understanding the specific requirements and goals of each campaign. For custom projects, I either built assets from scratch or utilized high-performing templates as a foundation. Leveraging data from tools like Google Analytics, Visual Web Optimizer, and Campaigner, I analyzed the performance of assets, identified areas for improvement, and iterated on designs to enhance effectiveness.
One of the most impactful projects was redesigning vehicle search modules for client homepages. By analyzing heat mapping and interaction metrics, we identified two distinct user groups: those with a specific make and model in mind and those with only a general idea. Through A/B testing, we implemented and optimized three variants of the module: dropdowns for year, make, and model; clickable images for body types; and a combination of both. This iterative approach ensured the module catered to diverse user preferences while improving engagement and usability.
Lexus Dealer Special
Solutions
Phalanx became the centerpiece of AMSI’s transformation. Designed as a custom WordPress theme with custom plugins, it automated the generation of digital assets such as websites, email campaigns, ads, and landing pages. The system included a UI component library built with HTML, CSS, Sass, JavaScript, and PHP, enabling users to create OEM-compliant, responsive assets quickly and efficiently. Phalanx was responsible for at least 90% of the digital assets produced, with highly custom projects handled manually.
White-boarding Phalanx's Architecture
The system also incorporated job management, staff performance reporting, budget tracking, and client relationship management features, addressing broader operational gaps. User testing with SEO, email, ad, and account management teams ensured that Phalanx aligned with their daily workflows and goals. I conducted usability tests to identify pain points and refine user paths, resulting in a seamless experience for internal teams.
Additionally, I implemented rigorous testing protocols using tools like Litmus and cross-browser testing to eliminate errors in responsiveness and accessibility. Optimized templates were informed by performance data from analytics tools, ensuring assets were both effective and compliant. These changes not only reduced errors but also saved clients from potential penalties related to OEM compliance violations.
Job Management System's Queue
Key Takeaways
My work at AMSI demonstrated the power of combining user-centered design with technical innovation to solve complex organizational challenges. By developing Phalanx, I addressed inefficiencies, ensured compliance, and enhanced task efficiency by 400%. The system transformed AMSI’s digital operations, enabling the team to consistently deliver high-quality, data-driven assets. This case study highlights my ability to identify organizational pain points, design scalable solutions, and lead cross-functional collaboration to drive measurable results.
