Helping people find their next step
The information architecture and UX communities have been generous with me. People shared what they knew freely, and I take passing that knowledge on as a serious obligation.
Mentoring
Mentoring is where I can do the most lasting good. I work with designers across tech, focusing on women from communities underrepresented in the field. I take on four mentees at a time so each gets my full attention, and my current group is full.
Opening doors
Plenty of capable people are never shown a way into this field, and I've worked on that throughout my career. I've helped recruit college interns at USAA, Amazon, and Zillow. At Amazon, I was active in Diversity in Design and helped organize and run its workshops for non-traditional college students and at high schools serving students from underrepresented backgrounds. At Zillow, I'm the executive sponsor of CASA, our Latine employee resource group.
Teaching
I taught Information Architecture and UX Design at Seattle's School of Visual Concepts for five years. I wanted students to see the structure underneath an experience, and teaching made me put into words what I'd been doing by instinct.
Conferences
Design conferences and the communities they create have given me so much, and I do what I can to return the favor. I’ve presented at them for years, given time behind the scenes as a reviewer and volunteer, and co-chaired the IA Conference in 2019.
Boxes and Arrows
In 2016, I became owner and publisher of Boxes and Arrows, a peer-written design journal that was close to shutting down. Many practitioners learned their craft from its articles, and I keep the archive online so people entering the field can too.
TikTok
As @amy.techcareer, I share what I've learned with people I may never work with directly. My short videos cover leading in tech, building the right portfolio, and life as a working mom.