She/Her/Hers
Portland, Oregon
Lawrence, Kansas
Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and Journalism: Public Relations
Creighton University
UX/UI Bootcamp Certificate
University of Oregon
Summer camp, yoga, thrifting, novels, games, urban hiking, houseplants, lazy susans, Target and Trader Joe's
Introduction
Hey, hey! I'm Maria Watson, a Filipina-American User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI) Designer.
My creative career began at age 13 with a hand-me-down 35 mm camera and the magic of darkroom development. Two years later, I designed my first website on iWeb.
Since then, I have leveraged a graphic design foundation to create a range of multimedia solutions including responsive websites, brand design, marketing strategy, documentary film and more.
Summary of Experience
I have spent five years in graphic design and five years in workforce development. I have experience with nonprofits, educational institutions, international organizations, government programs, startups, a Global Fortune 500 company, and the largest franchised yoga brand worldwide.
I create solutions that integrate user research, cultural analysis, collaborative ideation, visual prototyping and performance testing.
My workforce development experience centered on optimizing case management processes for underserved youth. I strived to support diversity, equity and inclusion by promoting education and employment outcomes. I navigated government systems that were painful and exclusive, alienating people from much needed social services. This experience cemented my commitment to empowering and advocating for all users.
💡 🧐 👂 👀 ✏️ 🔁 🥲 ✨
Summary of Experience
I have five years of experience in graphic design and five years in workforce development. I have worked with nonprofits, educational institutions, international organizations, government programs, startups, a Global Fortune 500 company, and the largest franchised yoga brand worldwide.
My design process has always been rooted in UX principles. I create solutions that integrate user research, cultural analysis, collaborative ideation, visual prototyping and performance testing.
I spent 5 years optimizing case management processes for underserved youth. I supported diversity, equity and inclusion by promoting education and employment outcomes. I navigated government systems that were painful and exclusive, alienating people from much needed social services. This experience cements my commitment to empower and advocate for every user.
💡 🧐 👂 👀 ✏️ 🔁 🥲 ✨
Brand Statement
I build intuitive and inclusive digital solutions utilizing user experience methodology and design theory. My process optimizes user flow, solving for both user and stakeholder pain points, with attention to equity and accessibility.
Clients Include
I designed this poster, inspired by Jessica Sabogal and one of my mentees at POIC.
download my resume
Skills
UX
User Interviews
User Testing
Affinity Diagram
User Personas
Feature Prioritization
Usability Testing
Photo / Videography
UI
Wireframing
Prototyping
Heuristic Analysis
Branding
Color Theory
Accessibility
Multimedia Editing
Tools
Figma, #1 weapon of choice
Webflow, Wordpress, Wix, Squarespace
Adobe (Ai, XD, Pr, Ps, Au, Lr, etc)
HTML5, CSS, JavaScript, jQuery
InVision, Miro, FigJam, Trello
Canva
Additional Experiences
Documentary Film
Mexican/American border - Nogales, Sonora
Worked on a team to produce a short documentary film, El Deportado, exploring the effects of the immigration process and the response of the Kino Border Initiative to restore dignity and hope.
Follow the journey of a man attempting to cross the border to see his infant son and a young woman living out the dreams of her parents who were undocumented.
Yoga Training Work Exchange
Yoga Forest - Lake Atitlan, Guatemala
Contracted photographer / videographer, capturing and editing content for a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Media was distributed through various marketing channels and the Kula Collective website.
In exchange for the content I provided, I was able to participate in the training, and received my 200-hr yoga teacher certification.
Jesuit Volunteer Corps
North and Northeast Portland, Oregon
Completed a year of service through JVCNW / Americorps. I served at-risk youth at POIC with a focus on career exploration, developing curriculum, and leading focus groups.
Outside of service, I lived in an intentional community with 7 other volunteers. After my service year, I stayed to work at POIC for 5 amazing years.
