1. Do you have any nicknames?
Ash! I know, very unexpected.

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Hit snooze at least 3 times (yes, that is 27 minutes of snoozing and purely interrupted sleep)…then get caffeinated and do the NYT mini crossword!

3. What is your favorite part about working as a UX designer?
I thrive in a collaborative environment, so I really like that I can combine my first love of design, layout and composition, with working closely with users to understand their needs and developers/engineers to create solutions.

4. How did you get started in this industry?
I was lucky enough to discover that I wanted to become a graphic designer in high school after designing layouts for our yearbook. I majored in Graphic Design at the University of Cincinnati, School of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP), and as a part of that program we alternated quarters of curriculum and cooperative education over 5 years. I graduated having worked at some really amazing design firms around the country and a pretty good idea of which design industries I wanted to work in moving forward. I worked for an environments design firm before moving out to DC for a graphic design position in the IC…and the rest is history 🙂

5. What are your favorite apps for design?
My OG tools of the trade…InDesign and Illustrator. I love organizing a publication, print or digital, in InDesign. Character and Paragraph styles, yesss! Hoping to add XD to the list soon!

6. What do you draw inspiration from?
Travel and getting out and about! Design events around DC (pecha kucha, creative mornings, etc.). And, of course, all the talented creatives I’m surrounded by. I’ve been constantly impressed by the level of talent among my colleagues everywhere I’ve worked, and the Peppers are no exception! I also frequent all the standard design inspo sites we all know and love.

7. Rapid-Fire Round:

1. Do you have any nicknames?
Tea, Aunt T, and Trees.

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Make coffee.

3. What is your favorite part about working as the Director of Creative Services?
I believe in what we do as a creative company and it’s exciting to be a part of it. Every day is different.

4. How did you get started in this industry?
My high school had something called “Senior Project” where we went out on internships. I worked at a local cable station and caught the media bug which later turned into a multi-media design bug and was instrumental in figuring out what I wanted my concentrations to be in college. After college, a karate friend suggested I join Women in Film and Video which provides excellent networking and mentorship opportunities. And the rest, as they say, is history.

5. What are your favorite apps for organization or design?
I am a firm believer in using all the Adobe tools in your workflow for what each is best at and making them work with each other. However, I LOVE After Effects and Illustrator the most when it comes to design. I’m just so happy when I’m in those. I’m also an organization and productivity junky. My favorites right now are Monday and Reminders.

6. What do you draw inspiration from?
Interior design is a big one for me, nature, and fine art. As important as digital design is my brain needs a break from the screen sometimes. One of the designs I’m most proud of was very inspired by nature. And now that I don’t spend much time designing anymore, I find myself drawing inspiration from people. From my fellow peppers to our partners and clients. A conversation with someone or seeing how people approach things can be inspiring.

7. Rapid-Fire Round:

1. Do you have any nicknames?
Oh yes I do…many…ha. However the one that I’m most proud of is Ron Flattery. Let’s just thank David Meade Jr for listening to 105.7 the fan. It’s something about Dave from Salisbury who calls in and suggests ridiculous Orioles’ trades like Ryan Flaherty for Mike Trout. Only, he pronounces his name “Ron Flattery”. And apparently I also look like Ryan Flaherty in addition to having the same name. And since I’m from Salisbury, this just goes full circle. Thanks Dave! …Both of you!

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Slowly roll over and squint to see a fuzzy red square that sort of resembles a digital clock only to have no idea what time it is. And then hit snooze.

3. What is your favorite part about working in UX?
User Experience has enabled me to touch so much more than just design. I’ve been able to dabble in development, systems engineering, user engagement, marketing and really solve problems on a daily basis. It seems that every project is new and exciting. It also gives me a sense of helping people and helping the mission.

4. How did you get started in this industry?
After a degree in graphic design, I began working for a technical publication company supporting the Navy and Marine Corp. I found so much appreciation in helping our warfighters that I decided to continue working in this sector as a career. Design lead to web development, multimedia, and distance learning, to soon open up opportunities for user experience.

5. What are your favorite apps for UX?
Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop are my jam. But I need to get on this XD bandwagon. And why only apps? A good sketch book can solve a lot of the world’s problems!

6. What is your favorite part about being a UX designer?
Funny you say “UX designer”. I typically say “User EXPERIENCE” because there’s so much more to it than just design. That’s kinda what I love about it. Only a small percentage of the work is really design where you’re branding and creating a beautiful website. It’s also improving the user’s overall experience through an intuitive Interface, efficient data sources, instant feedback to errors and much more. Like how Apple described the iphone, it should be SO easy even a baby can do It.

7. What do you draw inspiration from?
I’m inspired by the people we have at 11 Peppers. Just seeing what some of our colleagues are working on is enough to start the burst of creativity. Our brown bag sessions also get the mind working. I tend to be inspired by some of my hobbies as well like wood working, homebrewing, car modification and racing. I draw inspiration from the techniques and precision involved in all of those.

 8. Rapid-Fire Round:

1. Do you have any nicknames?
Popka and Pop

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Ugh, where’s the snooze button…just 5 more minutes

3. How would you describe your design style?
Detailed oriented with a holistic approach

4. How did you get started in this industry?
I started at Virginia Commonwealth University pursuing video and animation but quickly adapted to graphic design, and later on UX Design, after graduating. Opportunities for video and animation were few and far between as well as competitive because the popularity of CGI had just taken off.

5. What are your favorite tools of the trade? What are the worst?
Favorite: Pen and paper, a camera, and the Adobe Suite
Worst: PowerPoint

6. What is your favorite thing about being a designer?
The creative freedom to express an idea

7. What do you draw inspiration from?
Imgur, games, Pinterest, YouTube…and a lot is also drawn out from my peers and family

 8. Rapid-Fire Round:

1. Do you have any nicknames?
I typically go by Mel. For all the Spice Girls fans out there, I also go by Mel B.

2. What is the first thing you do when you wake up?
Let the dogs out. Who? And then make a coffee. Just the smell of it brewing is enough to get some morning energy!

3. How would you describe your design style?
I’d say my natural design style is along the lines (pun intended) of clean lines and the use of typography. I love all of the little details of a typeface and exploring font-pairings!

4. How did you get started in this industry?
For as long as I can remember I’ve loved all things creative and expressive. There is something about crafting and creating something with your own hands that has always made me happy. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents growing up, and crafts were our thing. It wasn’t until high school when I joined the Yearbook committee, that it clicked for me that I could take those interests to another level. This is when I was first introduced to layout design and fell in love.

5. What are your favorite tools of the trade? What are the worst?
Favorites – InDesign, Illustrator, Trello, blue light glasses.
Not my favorite – Excel (only because I don’t know enough about how to use it to its best ability).

6. What is your favorite thing about being a designer?
My favorite part about being a designer is the people that I get the opportunity to collaborate and work with. This includes clients and other creatives in the industry. Through my experiences I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with passionate entrepreneurs, Architects, Photographers, Interior Designers, Exhibit Designers, Marketing geniuses, Developers, and insanely talented Graphic Designers and Art Directors.

I love working closely with clients because of their energy and passion for what they do. The excitement and drive they bring to a project are contagious. Other creative team members like the ones mentioned above bring fresh perspectives and endless opportunities for learning and growth.

7. What do you draw inspiration from?
I’ve found that inspiration can come in the smallest of forms at ANY time throughout the design process! Some of my best ideas came at a time when I least expected. I am also a strong believer in stepping away from the screen when feeling stuck— I take a walk outside with my dogs, go for a run, or turn to more tangible inspiration. I have a wooden crate in my office full of great design finds that I’ve collected over the years and throughout my travels. A recent example is a coffee cup sleeve from a local shop in Charleston that has stunning hand illustrated typography. Every so often I find myself sitting on the floor picking through the crate and it never disappoints.

 8. Rapid-Fire Round: