About

I’m Rebekah. I love drawing, reading, writing, and practicing Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

My day is better, brighter, and more beautiful when I’ve had the chance to create something, whether it’s wireframes, a digital painting, or a short story.

It’s for this reason that I decided to leave Education and pursue work as a UI/UX Designer at Encyclopedia Britannica. And, although I’m no longer a teacher in the classroom, what I learned as an educator heavily informs how I design for users.

I hope from my portfolio you can see the love, attention, and thought I’ve put into every piece. My art and designs range from pen and ink, to digital drawings, to phone and web apps.

I hope you love the work as much as I love creating it.

Rebekah

Resume

UI / UX Designer

Highly motivated UX/UI Designer with a passion for creating user-centered experiences that drive engagement. Proven ability to leverage design thinking and research methodologies to translate complex information into intuitive and accessible products. Extensive background in education and instructional design fuels an understanding of user needs. Skilled in various design tools and holds certifications in UI Design and Advanced Digital Art & Illustration.

Experience

UI/UX Designer / Encyclopedia Britannica (MAY 2023 - PRESENT, DALLAS, TX)

Collaborated with product managers, developers, and stakeholders to enhance user experience for educational products across web and mobile platforms.
Utilized user research tools (surveys, interviews) to identify user pain points and inform design decisions.
Created high-fidelity mockups, prototypes, and wireframes to translate design vision into actionable solutions.
Implemented principles of accessibility (ADA compliance) for inclusive user experiences. Created a reference website to educate and aid product managers, designers, and developers in creating ADA-friendly products.
Increased user engagement on a key learning module by 20% through improved UI navigation.

UI/UX Design Volunteer / Think Round (MAY 2023 - AUGUST 2023, DALLAS, TX)

Partnered with developers and fellow designers to create a user-friendly, accessible virtual museum exhibit.
Established a design system to ensure brand consistency across low-, mid-, and high-fidelity mockups for web and mobile applications.
Focused on user needs for a mental health and wellness space, "The Healing Rooms," incorporating features for writing, art therapy, and meditation.

UI/UX Design Volunteer / No School Violence Project (APRIL 2023 - OCTOBER 2023, DALLAS, TX)

Conducted user interviews and surveys to understand the needs of parents and educators regarding school violence prevention.
Analyzed data and created user personas, empathy maps, and user flows to inform the development of a research-driven intervention app.

Reading & Language Arts Teacher / Benjamin Franklin Middle School (JULY 2021 - JULY 2023, DALLAS, TX)

Designed and implemented engaging online and in-person curricula for diverse learners, including students with learning disabilities and ESL students.
Increased critical thinking and overall reading comprehension by 30% for a target group of students.
Fostered a positive and inclusive classroom environment that promoted socio-emotional learning.

Office Administrator / FI Health and Life (SEP 2020 - JULY 2021, DALLAS, TX)

Launched a social media marketing campaign and developed a company website, www.fihealthplan.com, which automatically captured data and generated free sales leads.
Trained agents and coworkers to use HealthSherpa, HubSpot CRM, Zoom, and other sales tools, boosting company efficiency.
Provided administrative support and organizational system for the office including calendar and meeting management, payroll, and expense reports/documentation, which decreased internal errors by 10%.

Agency Manager / Farmers Insurance (JUNE 2019 - AUG 2020, DALLAS, TX)

Initiated an online presence for the office and implemented texting and email marketing that increased customer retention by 20%.
Advised customers on Auto, Home, and Commercial insurance, assisted with claims processing/claims handling, and improved customer retention.
Nurtured collaboration among office and staff. Managed day-to-day including: payroll, agency taxes, training, sales, and state compliance.

Small Business Owner / By Air Land or Sea and Paper Comets (JUNE 2014 - NOV 2021, DALLAS, TX)

Created and sold original hand-made pen and ink illustrations, as well as reproductions.
Sold art online and in person at shows. Accepted to several prestigious regional shows.
Designed city, state, and world maps using GIS data in QGIS (map program), Adobe Illustrator, and Photoshop.
Produced marketing materials and executed SEO strategies. Worked with customers to design custom pieces and maintained online shops: byairlandorsea.etsy.com & papercomets.etsy.com

Adjunct Professor / Baker College (SEP 2013 - JUNE 2014, JACKSON, MI)

Shaped and taught curriculum for English Composition 101, English Composition 102, YA Literature, and Speech 101 for adult learners.
Facilitated a writing workshop that refined students’ writing skills exponentially.
Engaged individually with struggling students who were either new to the college experience, or had not developed the necessary reading and writing skills in order to bring them up to speed.

English Teacher / Skyline High School (AUG 2012 - MAY 2013, ANN ARBOR, MI)

Devised a “Romeo and Juliet'' curriculum that allowed students to create modernized graphic novel versions of the play, as well as their own mini productions.
Updated and upgraded Remedial Reading and Writing classes for special needs students by incorporating relevant texts and guiding students through a creative writing program that helped them blossom.
All curriculums and assignments pushed students towards greater critical thinking, reading, and writing.

Education

University of Michigan (JUNE 2013), MA in Education, GPA 3.9

University of Oklahoma (MAY 2010), BA in Journalism, GPA 3.65, BA in English Literature & History Minor, GPA 3.6

Certifications

CareerFoundry (2021-2022), UI Design Program Certification

UI Animation (DEC 2022), UI Immersion (JULY 2022), Introduction to UI (MARCH 2021)

CG Spectrum (2021-2022),

Advanced Digital Art & Illustration Certification

Intro to Concept Art & Illustration Certification

Skills/Toolkit

UX Design: UX Writing, User Research, User Personas, User Flows, Usability Testing, Wireframing, Prototyping
UI Design: Web & Mobile App Design, Illustration, Data Visualization, Design Systems, Accessibility (WCAG)
Software: Figma, Adobe XD, Sketch, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Jira
Additional Skills: Writing/Editing, Teaching, Instructional Design, Project Management

Want to Get in Touch or Hire Me?

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