About
I'm a designer and (design) educator with a 20+ year mishmash of self-taught, formal, and practical design experience and education. From murals to modals, my diverse skillset is driven by a love of creativity, and the thrill of exploration.
To me, the most worthwhile projects are those that use joyful, beautiful design as a conduit for community-building.
Work Experience
2023 — Now
Senior Instructional Associate - UX Design at General Assembly
- Leads lectures and acts as a subject matter expert for Figma design software, delivering high-quality visual design-focused lessons.
- Mentored and provided design guidance to 100+ student designers on client capstone projects.
- Earned company-wide recognition in the monthly employee spotlight program based on positive feedback from co-workers and students.
"I love picking Sean's brain! His passion for design and Figma is so deep, and it's so exciting to watch him talk and work. Also, he has a huge heart, and is always someone students feel like they can rely on. He consistently makes himself available to students for questions, suggestions, tutorial lessons, etc. He shows that he is invested in the students and in the class."
2022 — 2023
Instructional Associate - UX Design at General Assembly
- Collaborated with a co-instructor to deliver a dynamic, 12-week online User Experience Design Immersive certification course.
- Mentored and supported junior designers through personalized instruction, critiques, and hands-on practice exercises in various aspects of the User Experience Design process.
- Coordinated lesson plans, schedules, and instructional resources to optimize student and instructor performance.
2022 — 2022
Portland, OR
- Established comprehensive branding guidelines that ensured cohesive visual representation across various projects and mediums.
- Managed the design of cafe signage, environmental elements, and product packaging, guaranteeing high-quality execution.
- Collaborated with copywriters to maintain consistent brand messaging and immersive storytelling across all channels.
- Worked alongside agency partners to direct web design and drive strategy.
2022 — 2022
Design & Story Director at Mike Bennett's Wonderwood: The Scourge of Castle Maplehold
Portland, OR
2022 — 2022
Lighting Designer at Mike Bennett's Dinolandia
Portland, OR
2021 — 2022
Designer (Contract) - Great Minds at OrangeYouGlad
- Produced high-quality UI mockups using Figma, resulting in successful handoff to the client's development team.
- Adapted desktop product designs into mobile and tablet versions, meeting technical requirements.
- Maintained adherence to the product's design system while ensuring accessibility standards were met.
2021 — 2021
Lighting Designer at Mike Bennett's Crypto-Zoo: Museum of Mysteries
Portland, OR
Volunteering
2018 — 2022
Portland, OR
- Led the branding design for the Thorns Crosscut Collection, a successful collaboration between the Rose City Riveters and Portland Thorns FC.
- Conducted market research with customers alongside the customer service team, resulting in improved merchandise sales.
- Designed and created technical specifications for visually appealing merchandise, contributing to increased revenue.
- Contributed to a collaborative public art project featured in Providence Park, showcasing creativity and innovation.
Education
2021 — 2021
UX Design Certificate at General Assembly
2012 — 2015
BA Theatre with a Concentration in Lighting Design at University of Maryland
College Park, MD