About Ann

Who I Am

I am a UX Strategist and Design Systems Specialist who connects creative vision with technical implementation. My focus is on documentation-centered Atomic systems frameworks, AEM authoring, and scalable standards that align design, development, and content across complex enterprise environments.

My approach combines user research and testing with technical understanding. I advocate for users while collaborating with cross-functional teams to create practical solutions that work within real-world constraints. This means not only designing interfaces but also understanding technical architecture well enough to influence design decisions upstream and prevent costly rework downstream.

What drives me is solving systemic problems. Whether it's standardizing components for large teams or building documentation frameworks that eliminate translation gaps, I focus on creating scalable solutions and processes that empower teams to work more efficiently.

Creative Foundations

Design has been a part of my life since childhood, from drawing and painting to creating dioramas from natural materials. In high school, I discovered graphic design and spent time teaching fellow students how to use desktop software to create digital art. That passion led me to study Visual Communication in Phoenix, forming the foundation of my career.

Building Experience

My first professional role was as an Art Director at a Fortune 500 company, where I created campaigns for clients such as Apple, HP, and NEC. After moving to Seattle, I expanded into branding and web design, working with notable companies such as Egghead Software, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Mission Fed Credit Union, Union Bay Clothing, and the 14/48 Theater Festival. During this time, I began developing sitemaps, wireframes, and websites, collaborating with developers to create experiences for nonprofits, financial institutions, and e-commerce sites serving both B2C and B2B audiences.

In addition to client work, I also served as the creative lead and strategist in launching a new company focused on providing affordable branded marketing and website design solutions for smaller financial institutions.

Deepening Expertise

After freelancing while raising my children until they were school age, I returned to school to enhance my technical skills. I earned a Web Application Developer Certificate from Edmonds College and a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Technology and Culture from Western Washington University, Vancouver. This formal training in XD design, psychology, and web development complements my degree in Visual Communications and more than 15 years in the design and UX field. This multidisciplinary background enables me to bridge design thinking and technical implementation seamlessly.

Enterprise-Scale Impact

From 2021 to 2025, I served as the UX Website Analyst and Documentation Lead for Intel.com. In this role, I was instrumental in developing a documentation-centered Atomic design system while simultaneously maintaining the legacy Adobe Experience Manager (AEM) platform in production. This dual approach allowed the next-generation system to evolve without disrupting ongoing operations. By collaborating closely with UX, engineering, and QA teams, I established documentation as the shared source of truth, reducing rework and accelerating delivery among global contributors.

Another significant contribution was standardizing the authoring dialogs in Adobe Experience Manager. Through thorough audits and usability testing, I identified systemic issues and implemented consistent patterns that reduced authoring time for over 125 content creators. This resulted in a 98% decrease in support requests related to dialogs, which significantly enhanced communication between internal teams and external agencies.