Hi human bean! My name's Gina.

Prior to UX Design, I’ve worked in magazines, public radio, startups, nonprofits, and creative agencies. Most recently I have been working to help property managers make screening applicants easier and less risky. Before that I helped Pear Deck bring engagement and interactive magic to teachers and students.

Everything I’ve done has beenin pursuit of understanding people more deeply and fostering moments of empathy—sometimes art.
As a designer, I’m interested in how to create experiences that are impactful, intuitive, and perhaps, even a bit delightful.

As a human, I’m frequently spotted smelling bread, baking bagels, staring at birds, and talking about butter.

Experience
Freelance
Product Designer, Writer, and Consultant
November 2015 - Present

Appfolio
Senior UX Designer
April 2023 - June 2024

Pear Deck (GoGuardian)
Senior UX Designer
August 2020 - January 2023

Plywood People
Marketing Leader
February 2019 - August 2019

Emery Creative
Copy Director / Project Manager
August 2017 - November 2018
Cuz CreativeCreative Director
October 2016 -October 2017 (*project-basis)

Shipt
Content Developer
January 2016 - August 2016

90.3 WBHM NPR Station
Freelance Producer
November 2015 - January 2016

Cooking Light, Time Inc.
Editorial Fellow
June 2014 – July 2015
Skills
Design:
Market research, user interviews,
information architecture, user flows,
wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, product design, interface and interaction design, design studios, accessibility

(Collaborative environments, aligned teams, and creating pause for others when urgency without understanding happens (which definitely happens) are things that get me jazzed!)

Tools:
Figma, Maze, Whimsical, Procreate, Miro, Webflow, Invision, Photoshop, Marvel, Squarespace, Wordpress

Code:
Github, Visual Studio, HTML, CSS, React, Jira

Organizational:
Mentoring / coaching, team alignment, prioritization, project management, feedback, design critique, consulting, workshops

Education
B.A. in Journalism, Sociology
University of Georgia



If you want to know more...

I have always been inspired by people.
I think it was growing up as a second-generation immigrant that made me notice the nuances of everyday life that others may have missed. The differences between how families greeted each other, the arrangements of tetris-like lunch box meals, the ways people young and old seemed to struggle with both expressing what they really mean and then understanding what others truly intend.

It was this curiosity, this habit of noticing and not being able to un-notice that led me to a career in writing. I went to school for a degree in Journalism with a minor in Sociology. This education led me to work at a nationally-acclaimed food magazine. There I craved the humanity of human-centered narratives, so I went to work for a local NPR station, where I learned more than ever that we humans are terrible listeners. The good news I found? If we could just listen, really listen, then we might find more answers and connections in the world around us than we once thought. 

I’ve been in a variety of spaces that thrive off of telling people what they should want or need... and it can work, but it can also be better. It’s with real human interactions, narratives, and perspectives that really everything can improve.

Design asks how to solve a problem. UX asks how are people affected by the problem. UX Design is that magical space where solutions reflect the context— the problem, the people, the product.People inform design, designs inform people. It’s a symbiotic relationship.


Soul Work
GoGuardian –
Remote
AAPI Affinity Group Leader and ERG Council Member, 2021-2023
In the midst of AAPI tragedies nationally, we worked with the company to create  space for AAPI coworkers to advocate for one another and convene for community.

Wake Up Atlanta – ATLANTA, GA
Spatial Experience Designer, 2020
Consultant and Researcher, 2019
Wake Up Atlanta is dedicated to increasing civic engagement and awareness
in the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community in relation to the rest of Atlanta

Swirl Zine – UK
Editor and Creative Director, 2018-2020Swirl is a stylized booklet, designed by award-winning creatives, to provide straightforward wisdom from mental health professionals
We Love BuHi  ATLANTA, GA
Master Storyteller & Project Architect, 2018-2019We Love BuHi creates connection and belonging within Buford Highway's multicultural community through place-based storytelling and design. We Love BuHi envisions a socially and culturally inclusive, economically just, and environmentally sustainable community that is interwoven with its immigrant stories