UXPA Community

Matt KarakilicConference On-Site Volunteer Chair Meet Matt, our wonderful and innovative UXPA International Conference On-Site Volunteer Chair. Matt has helped UXPA create welcoming and enjoyable conference experiences for more than five years. Feel free to say hi and to see him in action at UXPA 2024! 1) How did you get started in UX? When I started my journey to become an engineer, I soon realized I didn’t want to be behind the screen not interacting with people. After countless visits to my engineer advisor, he suggested I check out the new department our university had. Before I knew it, I was enjoying everything Design was bringing to my plate! I took my first internship with SAP in India as …

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Welcome to insights and stories from our wonderful UXPA Community! This new blog series is dedicated to showcasing our members and interesting UX topics. Our goal is to bring together various viewpoints from fellow UXers all over the globe. If you’d like to participate, please email volunteers@uxpa.org. “The truth is, of course, that what one regards as interruptions are precisely one’s life.” C.S. Lewis Life’s journey is a tapestry woven with unexpected challenges that shape our paths, and as C.S. Lewis eloquently noted, “what one regards as interruptions are precisely one’s life.” My journey into User Experience (UX) took place along an unconventional path that harnessed the challenges and unfolding of life. Along the way, I met mentors who pointed …

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Neloshi SilvaUXPA 2024 Reviews Chair Meet Neloshi, a dedicated UXPA conference volunteer who discovered the organization while working with Sara Mastro. Neloshi continues to help UXPA create great conference experiences! 1) How did you first learn about UXPA International? I learned about UXPA through my work colleagues. I was fortunate to be working with Sara Mastro who was a board member of the UXPA when we first started working together. I remember being very impressed with her work and the organization itself that I asked if there were any opportunities for me to volunteer as well. 2) What are your activities as a UXPA Int’l Volunteer? At first, I have been a reviewer for UXPA conferences for a number of …

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To celebrate the newly appointed president of the UXPA Boston Chapter, Jana Pantoja, the Vice President and Director of Chapters, sat down with Nick Di Stefano, to ask him our top 5 questions. 1) Tell us a little about yourself.I’m fascinated by the intersection of design, technology, and people. I’m a design lead with over ten years of experience. I am currently part of Humana’s Experience Center, an internal innovation and incubation team that believes the best care experiences are created when people come together. I’m passionate about improving the lives of others and constantly looking to learn new things. My focus has been on helping organizations expand their capacity for impact by integrating design and people-centered practices into their …

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Sara Mastro, UXPA International President, sat down with Angelina Garcia to ask her our top 5 questions. 1) How did you get started in UX?I started out as a Graphic Designer and transitioned into UX. I feel like it was a natural progression in my career. 2) What is most rewarding about working in UX?For me, it’s being able to use both parts of my brain. The analytical side to conduct research and synthesize that research. And the creative side to take that research and create a great looking product that will (hopefully) make peoples’ lives easier. 3) What inspired you to start volunteering for UXPA International?In 2022, I co-presented at UX Y’all, put on by the Triangle chapter, and …

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