A little about me

Here’s who I am and what I enjoy doing. (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶)

My Story

I'm Mei. I'm a UX designer focused on creating experiences that are clear, functional, and engaging.

I grew up in a small town on the Wisconsin border and traveled in and out of the states during the summers to visit family in Japan. Experiencing different cultures and ways of thinking helped shape how I see the world and sparked my curiosity about people, communication, and human behavior. I later attended the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. While there, I met a professor who inspired my interest in UX design and showed me how meaningful this field can be.

Through my studies in graphic design and my growing interest in UX/UI, I discovered a passion for creating solutions that make people's lives a little easier. I enjoy understanding how people think, learning about their decision making process, and finding ways to improve their experience through design. So far, I've loved learning UX on my own, exploring new ideas, and growing alongside this constantly evolving industry.

When I'm not designing, you'll probably find me experimenting with matcha recipes, cooking or baking, sketching in my notebook, playing board games with friends, or spending time with my cat, Kaiju, whose name means "monster" in Japanese.

Where I Explore Creatively

In my last year of college, I took a painting and motion graphics course, and I ended up loving both. I was never much of a painter growing up, but the class taught me to let go of mistakes and try different art styles, like abstract art. In my motion graphics course, I fell in love with how movement can add more emotion, personality, and storytelling to a design. I also taught myself more motion graphics outside of class and learned how to use code to create even more movement. You can see a few of these projects in my Graphic Design tab. I am really proud of them because they helped me grow as a designer and try new things. I still paint today, mostly as gifts for my family and friends.

A painting of a bowl of ramen with an egg, chopsticks, and green onions, on a brown background, surrounded by painting supplies, including brushes, paint bottles, a paper towel, and a palette.

What I’m Reading

Abstract painting with various curved and flowing shapes in shades of green, black, white, and touches of peach, yellow, and blue, on a canvas on an easel in an art studio.

I have not always been much of a reader, but this year I made it one of my New Year’s resolutions to read more. So far, I am doing a lot better than last year.

Here is my current read, recent favorite, and book I am excited to read next.

A digital display showing a book titled "Summer's Edge" by Dana Miele, with a description: "A suspenseful, moody mystery about friendship, secrets, and the things that do not stay buried." The display also includes a note: "My Current Read:"
Book cover for "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid, featuring a woman in a green gown and a pearl necklace, with a sunset and palm trees in the background.
Open book with a title page reading "My Next Read: Just Last Night" and a description about a heartfelt story. Next to it, a cover of the book "Just Last Night" by Mhairi McFarlane, featuring an illustration of a man and woman sitting on the back of a blue car, with the woman sitting on the trunk and the man standing beside it.