Growing up in a single-parent home of four children, I experienced the challenges and rewards of humble beginnings. Being the first in my family to attend college, I recognized the importance of education and seized every opportunity to excel. There were struggles, but my mom's unwavering dedication and hard work provided us with everything we needed, teaching me invaluable lessons in resilience and perseverance. It is from her that I inherited my strong work ethic and never-give-up attitude.
Additionally, I was fortunate to be accepted into a charter school that allowed me to enroll in community college while still in high school. This unique opportunity enabled me to graduate with over a 4.0 GPA and earn two associate's degrees alongside my high school diploma. Early on, I realized that success is achieved through unwavering effort and determination; this lesson has remained ingrained in me ever since.
With a passion for design and technology, I have cultivated a well-rounded background in various creative and technical disciplines. In 2009, I obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Digital Visualization from ASU's Design School, equipping me with a solid foundation in design principles. Throughout my career, I have explored diverse design fields, including user experience, web design, logo design, architectural drafting, and even authoring and designing a coffee table book.
Not limited to design alone, I have also delved into the dynamic world of technology. I possess expertise in marketing, social media, project management, and startups, with a particular focus on emerging technologies such as blockchain and NFTs. In these multifaceted roles, I have consistently adopted a user-focused approach, serving as the primary point of contact for clients, vendors, and partners.
Working with clients worldwide and international companies has given me valuable insights into designing for a global audience. In addition, this experience has heightened my awareness of cultural nuances and diverse user expectations. As I continue my journey, I am excited to apply these insights and skills to shape meaningful user experiences that transcend cultural boundaries and leave a lasting impact on a global scale.
While my professional endeavors drive my passion, I believe in leading a well-rounded life. When not immersed in the world of design and technology, I find joy in traveling and exploring the world's wonders, often opting for unique experiences such as kayaking adventures. These pursuits fuel my creativity, provide inspiration, and remind me of the beauty that exists beyond the confines of the digital realm.
My journey from humble beginnings, combined with my diverse background and love for exploration, has shaped me into a resilient, adaptable, and determined individual. I am driven to create exceptional user experiences, marry design with technology, and continuously learn and grow in this ever-evolving landscape.
“I had the pleasure of working closely with Rachel as I worked as a Junior UX Researcher at involio while she was the Head of Design at the company. She was a kind, positive, supportive, and encouraging manager and mentor who made it a priority to foster my growth and learning. She taught me about best practices in UX research projects such as user interviews, surveys, affinity mapping, and usability testing, and helped me grow as a designer by teaching me about best practices in mobile app design and Figma tips and tricks.
Rachel also gives great attention to detail in her design work. She has an extensive knowledge of design principles and of Figma's more sophisticated and lesser-known features. She really cares about users and centers empathy, accessibility, ethics, and ease of use in her research and design processes. She is also passionate about keeping up with trends and new developments in the worlds of tech and design. I'm very grateful for the time I got to spend working with and learning from her."
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Rachel for nearly a decade. I’ve owned many companies, and my first hire is always Rachel. I’ve watched her excel with every task she has encountered.
Throughout her employment, Rachel has been the epitome of dedication, drive and has displayed an endless appetite for knowledge and experience. Rachel is fearless, she strives to excel, and she brings a positive attitude to boot.
I give Rachel my highest recommendation.”
“Every now and then you get to work with people that just put in that little bit of extra effort and contribute with a go getter attitude that is contagious in the best way possible, and when that happens, everything levels up a bit. Rachel is one of those rockstars that just gets things done with no ego involved. She is willing to listen and learn, and not afraid to give proper feedback.”
“I had the honor of working with Rachel at a technology startup for a couple of years, and was immensely impressed by her tenacity, abilities, and persistence in achieving her goals every time. Rachel is visually, technologically, and artistically gifted, amongst other attributes.”
“In my role as Director of Product Management at ShipChain Inc, I worked with Rachel 2018-2020 and have been impressed with her extraordinary qualities time and time again. In my opinion as a Product Management Professional, she exemplifies all the traits of a highly successful user experience designer and I am very excited to see that she is pursuing this career path. I do not believe that you will find a more deserving candidate.
Rachel possesses a work ethic unlike anyone I’ve had the pleasure to work with. She strives to develop a mastery in all aspects of her work, routinely taking advantage of any and all opportunities to gain a greater understanding of a subject matter. She has extraordinary interpersonal skills and makes high quality connections in all interactions - a quality that will prove absolutely invaluable in user research. She has routinely provided quality product feedback and has proposed several user flow suggestions that have been implemented in ShipChain’s production environment.”
“Rachel was a great help to our growing business in early 2011. She helped manage blogs for our clients, as well as assisted with web design and other development projects. Rachel has a great personality, and is always very helpful. Thank you Rachel for your help!”
“I have worked with Rachel for two years and have come to respect her for her work ethic and can-do, positive attitude. She is a team player, motivator, hard worker, and simply a pleasure to be around. Should I ever have the opportunity to work with Rachel again, I would jump at the chance. She has been able to pivot seamlessly to several different aspects within the company and is always up to speed. Rachel takes the time to learn what is needed to produce a professional presentation.”
Technical: AdobeXD, AutoCAD, Bootstrap, CodePen, Dreamweaver, Figma, Final Cut Pro, GitHub, Google Drive, Illustrator, InVision Studio, JavaScript, jQuery, Miro, Photoshop, ProCreate, SketchUp, TypeForm, Vendasta, Visual Studio Code, WordPress, Zoom
UX: Branding, CSS, Card Sorting, Design Concepts, Design Systems, Empathy Mapping, Frontend Development, Guidelines, High-Fidelity Prototyping, Heuristic Evaluation Reports, HTML, Icon Libraries, Ideation Techniques, Interactive Prototypes, Paper Prototypes, Pattern Libraries, Pixel-Perfect Mock-Ups, Prototyping, Style Guides, Usability Evaluations, Usability Reports, Usability Testing, User Flows, User Interviews, User Personas, User Journey Mapping, User Research, User Testing, User Testing Reports, Visual Style Guides, Wireframes
Feel free to email me with any additional questions: rchlsnr@gmail.com
