About me
Hi! I’m Arielle, a product designer and researcher (and an idealist at heart). My path into UX wasn’t a straight line: I started in environmental planning, working on everything from national park improvements to large-scale highway projects. My days were spent analyzing and synthesizing dense data, and I noticed I lit up anytime a task turned remotely creative. In 2020, amid the collective existential spiral, I followed that spark to design; with its mix of creative exploration and analytical problem solving, it was love at first sight.
In 2022, I attended a year-long intensive program at the Austin Center for Design (AC4D), whose mission is to teach students how to use design to tackle “wicked” problems. It was the first place my idealism had somewhere to go since college. I learned not only to sit with ambiguity, but to enjoy it: running qualitative research, synthesizing what people actually need, and shaping it into storyboards, service blueprints, and ideas worth building.
After freelancing with a startup in the Techstars accelerator program, I joined EverBright, a NextEra company that makes solar accessible to homeowners. There, I designed tools solar installers rely on to sell systems, taking projects from early generative research through to launch. I got especially good at turning dense, technical workflows into something people can actually move through.
Hi! I’m Arielle, a product designer and researcher (and an idealist at heart). My path into UX wasn’t a straight line: I started in environmental planning, working on everything from national park improvements to large-scale highway projects. My days were spent analyzing and synthesizing dense data, and I noticed I lit up anytime a task turned remotely creative. In 2020, amid the collective existential spiral, I followed that spark to design; with its mix of creative exploration and analytical problem solving, it was love at first sight.
In 2022, I attended a year-long intensive program at the Austin Center for Design (AC4D), whose mission is to teach students how to use design to tackle “wicked” problems. It was the first place my idealism had somewhere to go since college. I learned not only to sit with ambiguity, but to enjoy it: running qualitative research, synthesizing what people actually need, and shaping it into storyboards, service blueprints, and ideas worth building.
After freelancing with a startup in the Techstars accelerator program, I joined EverBright, a NextEra company that makes solar accessible to homeowners. There, I designed tools solar installers rely on to sell systems, taking projects from early generative research through to launch. I got especially good at turning dense, technical workflows into something people can actually move through.
Getting hands-on experience at AC4D
Though I'm Austin born-and-raised, I've got a strong pull toward adventure. About a decade ago, after trying (and failing) to survive Colorado winters, I took off on what became a 2.5-year run of solo backpacking, volunteering, and working across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. And recently when my lease was up, I decided to throw everything in storage and hit the road for a 5-month trip along the West Coast with my senior pup riding shotgun.
Though I'm Austin born-and-raised, I've got a strong pull toward adventure. About a decade ago, after trying (and failing) to survive Colorado winters, I took off on what became a 2.5-year run of solo backpacking, volunteering, and working across Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. And recently when my lease was up, I decided to throw everything in storage and hit the road for a 5-month trip along the West Coast with my senior pup riding shotgun.
My spunky road trip pal, Ria (aka Riri/Rihanna)
When I'm home in Austin, I'm outside as much as possible—gardening, paddle boarding, or taking advantage of the few mosquito-free months when sleeping outside actually sounds appealing. Beyond design, my creative outlets include: fingerpicking guitar and clawhammer banjo, throwing pots at a local studio, and shooting film on my step-mom's ancient Canon.
When I'm home in Austin, I'm outside as much as possible—gardening, paddle boarding, or taking advantage of the few mosquito-free months when sleeping outside actually sounds appealing. Beyond design, my creative outlets include: fingerpicking guitar and clawhammer banjo, throwing pots at a local studio, and shooting film on my step-mom's ancient Canon.
A couple of my latest attempts *ahem, pieces* from pottery class
A photo I took in one of my favorite places: West Texas
