Design & Creative technology for compelling experiences.

BIO

As a graduate of the Industrial Design program at RISD, with a minor in Social Sciences, I have a unique perspective on design and technology. My current role as a Senior Creative Technologist at Tellart allows me to combine my design and technical skills to create novel user experiences and implement clients' visions.

In my work at Tellart, I strive to bridge the gap between design and technology. As a designer, I conduct research and develop user experience concepts, while also considering their technical feasibility. As a technologist, I have expertise in both hardware and software development, and I work to ensure that our team follows best practices in these areas.

Outside of work, I am passionate about jigs - the fundamental tools that support and guide the creation of products and habits. Whether they are hardware-based, digital, or social, I believe that careful planning and attention to detail are key to creating effective jigs. It is this focus on the underlying foundations that sets my work apart.

EDUCATION

Rhode Island School of Desig, Class of 2013
Bachelor in Industrial Design with a minor in Social Science.

AWARDS & EXHIBITIONS

Research grant Stimuleringsfonds, Amsterdam, Fall 2020
Collaborated on “Human-Plant Communication,” an interdisciplinary project focused on climate change solutions through a relational shift between humans and more than human world.
National Award in Interaction Design, 2016
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
UX Award 2017
Museum of the Future - Climate Change Reimagined
Fairground, St Petersbuf Florida, Fall 2020
Created “CAT5”, an immersive intallation in collaborating with Sabrina Verhage.
Processing Community Day, Amsterdam, Spring 2019
“Please Will You Draw Me a Sheep” - Collaborated with Bjørn Karmann and Sabrina Verhage on an interactive installation. The project invited passers-by to contribute to a community-created animation, resulting in a piece crafted by many hands at the end of the day

EXPERTISE

Languages: Fluent in English and Spanish, and basic Dutch (A1)
Coding: With over 10 years of experience in creative programming, my skills cover a wide range, including web technologies, DIY hacking, automation scripting, generative art, and the creative use of machine learning. I have delivered successful projects using OpenFrameworks ( C++ ) , such as the permanent exhibition at BioMuseo in Panama. My proficiency extends to front end web development for various applications, from kiosk interactive to data visualizations, including web apps for clients like Vista Equity Partners. Currently, my development tools of choice include Python, OpenGL in conjunction with TouchDesigner, and Unreal Engine 5, demonstrating my adaptability and expertise in modern programming environments. .
Design: My design skill include UX/UI, mood boarding, information architecture.
Prototyping; Circuit design and testing, integration with software, firmware development. Adobe Creative Suite + Figma: As a designer Adobe Creative Suite is instrumental in my workflow. My proficiency includes developing complex work flows and custom plug-ins for task automation, optimizing efficiency in each project. My primary use of this suite spans photo and video editing, graphic layout, and wireframing. This skill set allows for a creative and customized approach to design challenges.
Computer Modeling: My industrial design background has guided my choice of modeling software towards parametric solutions like Grasshopper for Rhino and Fusion 360. This expertise supports my ability to create intricate and precise models, essential for design projects
Computer Graphics: My skills with computer graphics started with simple programming environments like Processing and have evolved to encompass exploration in VR and AR, with Unreal Engine 5 and custom scripts in OpenGL creating particle and flocking systems.
Material Fabrication: Rooted in the Bauhaus-influenced curriculum of RISD’s Industrial Design program, my expertise in material fabrication encompasses both metal and wood. I actively engage in furniture making as a hobby, keeping my skills sharp and my designs grounded in practical, hands-on experience.
Apparel: My involvement in apparel design is driven by a personal hobby of customizing clothing and creating custom bags and cases. While I approach this area with a learner’s mindset, my hands-on experience enriches my creative expression and adds a practical dimension to my design capabilities.

EXPERIENCE

Tellart, Fall 2013 - Current
- Lead Creative Technologist and Designer
I deliver large scale interactive experiences, specializing in the cultural and technology sector. My responsibilities include creating and managing budgets, time lines, processes, specking technology, building prototypes, installations. As well as managing contractors and agencies, reviewing RFCs, and writing briefs. I’ve been instrumental in elevating design systems across the company and implementing efficient team strategies. My contributions span from concept to pitch, design, prototyping, production, and installation. In my wok I utilize cutting-edge technologies such as VR environments in Unreal Engine 5 for concept selling, for notable clients like the Ministry of Tourism for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the 11th Hour Ocean Race experience, and Expo 2020. A key project under my leadership is for the House of Sustainability in the UAE, involved the integration of AI technology. This project entailed developing a sophisticated workflow with voice to text user interaction, leveraging large language models for
- Creative Technologist
Fully engaged with the bleeding edge of technology, in my role I did RnD for new software libraries and programs. I became the pivotal team member who determined what was technically feasible, first on a theoretical level and then pragmatically within project constraints. A significant contribution was to Toyota’s Concept-i, where I collaborated with art directors and designers to craft an experience of an advanced AI system embodied in a car in the near future. This led to the development of Tellart’s “Experience Engine,” a complex stack of custom software and hardware designed for experience orchestration. The core of this system was a Node.js server, seamlessly integrating with Arduinos, speakers, projectors, and mapping software.
- Junior Designer and Technologist
My journey at Tellart began as a Junior Designer and Technologist, where I conducted strategic workshops with major entities like Otis Elevator, Marriot, Carrier, and Pratt & Whitney. My role involved applying user research strategies and leading creative workshop to spur product innovation, rooted in a solid understanding of design thinking methodologies. My approach focused on empathetic user engagement and creative problem-solving, essential for uncovering new insights and fostering innovative solutions.

The plant is Present, Amsterdam 2022-2023
- Co-founder
As a founding member of the Otherwise Collective, I spearheaded an audiovisual interactive experience for the Amsterdam Light Festival, installed at the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam. This project centered on the more-than-human communication, aiming to reveal its complexities to visitors. My responsibilities included leading design and technology, translating scientific research into accessible narratives, and realizing an ambitious project within a tight budget. The final product was a fully immersive interactive experience built within the main glass house of the botanical garden, visited by more than 20k people.

Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Amsterdam 2022-2023
- Guest lecturer
I mentored and gave a series of workshops on Touchdesigner and served as a guest critic for the Minor Immersive Environments Program at Hogeschool van Amsterdam, sharing my expertise and encouraging innovative thinking in immersive technologies.

Hack Your Future, Amsterdam Spring 2017
Taught web development to refugees, focusing on Node.js and MySQL, to aid in their employment search

Beacon Charter High school for the Arts, Providence RI Fall 2015
Led an after-school program on creative programming and internet fundamentals for high school students.

Apparel User Interface, Thesis project Spring 2013
In this speculative research project, Shireen Patel and I investigated the future of how we might interact with our digital life. Imagining ways in which we our.

SELECTED CLIENTS

Google
Toyota
Van Gogh Museum Amsterdam
California Academy of Scient
Prime Ministere's Office, UAE
Salama Bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation (SHF)
Ikea
The Department of Culture & Tourism, Saudi Arabia
Prime minister's office, Dubai. UAE
House of sustainability, SHF. UAE