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ABOUT

Image of Marie

I'm a Senior User Experience Designer with a focus on digital accessibility and inclusive design.

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I follow the WCAG guidelines to ensure  my work is accessible for those with disabilities. I aim to create a more equitable digital platform with meaningful experiences so that all people can participate in a shared experience. 

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I've worked for startups, small non profits, and I currently work as a UX Designer for Navy Federal Credit Union. I lead the UX Design of several features and I serve as a Mentor for junior and rising Designers.

MY BACKGROUND

My creative journey started with fine art. After graduating from UVA with a BA in Fine Art, I started teaching art to children with Autism and learning disabilities. Witnessing their value and capabilities was a huge impact on me.

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I sold art at art festivals and picked up some portrait commissions as well.  This lifestyle was fun, but living on the starving artist diet of french bread and wine was not very sustainable.  

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I decided to adjust my career path to digital design. As a UX Designer I'm able to incorporate my creativity and focus on empathy to reduce pain points for people on digital platforms. 
 

MY CURRENT PATH

I started attending design conferences with my team. The one that made the most impact on me was An Event Apart.  It was here that I learned about Inclusive Design.  This is the moment I realized I could still work towards making life more accessible for disabled people even in the digital space. This created a ripple effect for me.  

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I started working on bringing this mindset to my organization.  This journey was not easy, but presentation after presentation and leading by example finally landed me on the ADA Taskforce.  Here is where I had the opportunity to learn more about digital accessibility, work with a mentor, and receive training and certifications. My goal is to continue to grow and help others grow in this field. 

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I serve as a mentor as part of the Digital Channels mentorship program at NFCU where I have the opportunity to teach UX Design, Inclusive Design principles, and UX methodology to my mentees.  I also enjoy mentoring junior designers on my team as well as onboarding new members to our team.  

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS

In an effort to spread more information about inclusive design, some colleagues and I gave a talk to design professionals that are part of the NoVA UX Group in the Washington, DC Area.  We've also shared this with 1000+ employees at various company events. 

Topics Discussed

  • What is Inclusive design?

  • Who are we excluding when we create?

  • Why is digital accessibility important?

  • How to start inclusive design process on your design team

  • Examples of accessible solutions on our website

  • History of Inclusive Design as a driving force for innovation

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