resume

summary
 
Human Factors practitioner with experience in user research and design consulting, internal user experience/interaction design knowledge, M.S. in Human Factors in Information Design, strong background in Anthropology.  Experience with prototyping software such as Visio, Axure Pro, PowerPoint, and some familiarity with Adobe Illustrator and Fireworks.  Strong teamwork, communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.

work experience

Jan 2010-now                                                  Essential Design, Boston, MA                                                                                            Researcher
- Definition and discovery research

Aug 2007-May 2009                   Design and Usability Center, Waltham, MA                             Departmental Assistant/User Research Associate
- Gathered user data and developed persona design tools for a student loan organization
- Conducted baseline fieldwork for the design of a handheld communication device for the elderly
- Fielded surveys at Logan to improve the airport experience of people with disabilities using RFID tags
- Conducted two round of usability testing and participated in the agile iterative design process for a medical
   diagnostics manufacturer’s web-based application
- Led individual interviews with teenagers to design for their feelings about their future after high school
- Robust experience planning, implementing and reporting on:  usability tests, field research, interviews,
   surveys, and heuristic evaluations
- Experience creating internal design tools for the DUC’s client-facing website
- Experience with low-cost user research studies including automated usability testing and remote usability
   testing
- Over 20 different client projects including:  Outsight Interactive, Essential Design, Mass Mutual, Liberty Mutual, OnForce!

Mar 2008-Sept 2008                                     Autodesk, Waltham, MA                                                                               Interaction Design Intern
- Led and ran a usability test for multimedia tutorials;  including planning, testing, analysis, and reporting
- Experience with:  GOMS, user-edit usability testing, protocol development, data analysis, Section 508,
   remote testing, user interviews, taxonomy
- Assisted in the facilitation of product development team meetings and brainstorming sessions
- Created a design specifications spreadsheet to ensure the consistent look and feel of acquired products

Feb 2007-July 2007                                           The Black Cat, Boulder, CO                                                                                                 Expeditor
- Organized multiple-course food orders to the kitchen and wait-staff in an up-scale French restaurant
- Facilitated the correct and efficient movement of guest orders into the kitchen
- Optimized the expo station workflow with a tagging and arranging system
- Enhanced my leading skills through the organization of the kitchen and the wait staff
 
June 2006-August 2006                                       Urban Scholars, Boston, MA                                                                                           Art Tutor
- Developed a week-long curriculum on perspective drawing
- Organized and led the afternoon drama program
- Worked with teenagers to improve their art and communication skills

education

Aug 2007-May 2009                                              Bentley University, Waltham, MA                             M.S. Human Factors in Information Design
- Graduated with Highest Distinction; internship at Autodesk; courses in team management, business process management, user research methods, 
   quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods, human factors theory; Departmental Assistant at the Design and Usability Center; co-founder and  
   president of the Human Factors in Information Design Graduate Student Organization

Aug 2003-May 2007                                                  University of Colorado, Boulder, CO                                                            B.A. Anthropology
- Magna Cum Laude; honors thesis on the use of Principal Components analysis in cranial morphology; French minor; studied in Toulouse, France; Visual
   Anthropology project in Malta
 
skills

- Proficient in Microsoft Office, Visio, SAP, ProcessModel, Axure Pro, Techsmith’s Morae suite, WebSort, OptimalSort, SurveyMonkey, Windows
   MovieMaker, Sony Vegas
- Familiarity with Adobe Fireworks, Illustrator, Photoshop, OmniGraffle
- Proficient in French

presentations/publications and activities

- Tutorial, with co-author Chris LaRoche, accepted to the 2010 IPCC Conference:  Using the User Edit Method: “ When a Usability Method Fulfills a  
   Technical  
  Communication Need"
- Presented a poster at the 2009 UPA Conference:  "Understanding Ethnography:  A brief history of ethnography in anthropology and applied fields"
- Presented a debate at the 2009 Boston UPA Conference:  "Concept Hygiene:  Ethnography in User-Centered Design"
- Hosted the annual hFIDO Panel Discussion in 2008 and 2009
- Reviewer for the 2010 UPA Conference
- Travel writing, photography, trail running, sketching