My childhood, like many in the 1970s, consisted of Froot Loops, Sesame Street, and Saturday morning cartoons. I lived with my single mom and worshipped my single, mustachioed father. I think my penchant for design started back then when I drew all my superheroes in vivid detail, anatomically speaking.
In college, I was in the second graduating class of the new Design program at UT Austin, and I couldn’t have been more passionate. We were taught the tenets of the Bauhaus and architecture. Our professors were leaders in their industries. They treated “design” as all-encompassing, regardless of the discipline.
The internet was in its infancy, and I immediately saw its potential to transform communication by reaching audiences previously unreachable. I learned how to code in HTML and started submitting my design projects in the format of websites, videos, and animations instead of the traditional print formats that still dominated at the time. Then I designed my first website for a paying client—and I was hooked.
Outside of design, my passions include playing guitar, drawing and sketching, my family, and my two dogs.
I was happy at NetSpend. I was Creative Director for a large team. I was working with huge partners, such as BET, PayPal, and Brinks. So, when I got a call from a friend asking me to interview for a position with the new design program at IBM, I have to admit I hesitated.
My trepidation evaporated during the interview. The brand spanking new Austin studio truly seemed like a designer’s paradise. Groups of designers were huddled around white boards and glass walls. They were using stickie notes to communicate. Delightfully, I found that each leader I spoke with matched my passion for human-centered design. When someone glided by on a scooter, I knew I’d found my place.
Two days later when I received the job offer, I didn’t hesitate at all. I was hired as a manager on the Watson business unit, but quickly got my hands dirty designing Chef Watson for SXSW that year. Watson was fun and new. There wasn’t really a product yet, so it represented an opportunity to expand my mind and try to figure out the next best thing for “cognitive computing.” I worked with some amazing designers, researchers, and developers.
It was when Watson partnered with i2 to build an analyst workflow for the grand opening of Astor Place in NYC that I found my new calling: cybersecurity.