I’m Christy — a UX designer with roots in illustration, storytelling, and emotional wellness. I create nervous-system-aware experiences that support clarity, regulation, and trust.

01. Where I Started

I studied illustration at ArtCenter College of Design for four years, where I explored visual storytelling, systems thinking, and social impact through the Designmatters minor — a track focused on designing for people and what truly matters.

Though I wasn’t able to complete my degree due to sudden family circumstances, those years grounded my approach in empathy, narrative depth, and an attunement to both what’s seen and what’s felt.

02. Designing for Connection

After school, I worked in seasonal product design — first art directing collections for major retailers, and later co-founding Merri Glow, a boutique brand creating emotionally meaningful seasonal goods.

We designed with intention — and our work even showed up on trend boards from brands like Target. But what mattered most was the belief that design can bring people together, spark joy, and nurture connection between friends and family.

03. When Everything Changed

As our company shifted into sustainability products, I found myself drawn elsewhere — toward deeper questions of purpose and impact. After two pandemic years, Merri Glow closed. I had just begun my UX training when my home burned down.

That collapse marked the beginning of a more intimate design inquiry:
What does safety feel like in a digital space?
Could design help me — and others — regulate, re-center, rebuild?

04. Where I Am Now

Today, I bring illustration, narrative systems, emotional depth, and lived experience into UX. I focus on creating tools that are trauma-informed, emotionally attuned, and whole-person centered.

My work lives at the intersection of mental health, public good, and systems of care — and I’m looking to collaborate with teams who believe that technology can hold people gently, not just serve them efficiently.

Too Deep?

Design is deep — but I’m also just a person who once designed glitter Easter eggs and cries during animated movies.

Here’s the part where I stop whispering to your nervous system and tell you what my dogs are named :D

  • Muji and Haku. They are both Samoyeds. Yes… I have not one but two fluffy white blankets with ID tags that says “emotional support animal”. Because their cute innocent faces supports my traumatized soul from seeing big rolls of fallen cloud hairs ALL AROUND MY HOUSE EVERYDAY :)

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.

  • It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world.