Hi, I'm Michele—with one "L"!

I'm a design leader with 10 years of experience across nonprofit, travel, real estate, and beauty, applying design and systems thinking to create products that are accessible, adaptable, and intuitive through an iterative, data-driven approach.

I believe that change is the only constant in design and that the best ideas emerge from staying curious, asking the right questions, and paying attention to the unspoken details.

In my free time, I hike to find balance, say "ya'll" often in conversation, and never turn down some good Tex-Mex. Above all, I love spending time with my family and our pets!

Approach

While technical skills, aptitude, and process are crucial, my approach prioritizes collaboration, adaptability, and a continuous learning mindset. I empathize with the situation at hand, remain open to feedback and tradeoffs, and maintain a positive outlook by showing the capacity to fail fast and try again.

By staying open-minded and flexible and working closely with diverse teams and disciplines, I navigate the non-linear ebb and flow of the design process, mitigating risk and discovering opportunities for creative solutions.

Experience

My background spans B2B and B2C environments, including startups and small to mid-sized companies, where I've integrated product, engineering, and marketing perspectives to frame problems, design solutions, and build scalable, human-centered products.

Product Design Lead & Co-Founder, Planet Nacho
February 2019 - Present

Co-founded a design studio providing end-to-end solutions—from UX to full-stack development—for clients across web and native platforms, delivering optimized, user-centered experiences.

Senior Product Designer, American Bible Society
August 2023 - Present

Leading initiatives in cross-functional design to promote collaboration, quality, and systems thinking to orchestrate user experience across application development for nonprofit.

UX/UI Designer, AutoRentals
July 2021 - February 2023

Managed product design development for a travel-comparing e-commerce web app, prioritizing search optimization, conversions, revenue growth, and minimizing friction.

UX/UI Designer, ZYYAH
January 2021 - June 2021

Centralized user experience for real estate products at ZYYAH and co-brands, Hello Covered and Certus Title, to increase customer acquisition, retention, brand awareness, and startup growth.

Creative Designer, FusionPKG
July 2016 - March 2020

Facilitated design and photography asset creation to elevate FusionPKG and co-branded FusionPKG BeautyLab, drive marketing performance, and achieve organizational goals within the beauty space.

Education

My educational background combines the rigor and discipline of fine arts with evidence-based design practices and human-centered interaction and innovation methodologies.

Master of Arts (MA), Interaction Design, University of North Texas
August 2023 - December 2025, 4.0

Earned an MA in Interaction Design from the College of Visual Arts and Design (ranked 24th nationally, 3rd in the Southwest, and 2nd in Texas), completing a 30-hour in-person program while working full-time.
Focused on invention through immersive, hands-on, human-centered design, with an emphasis on research, prototyping, and testing.
Awarded 3rd Place for Best Master of Interaction Design Capstone.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Communication Design, Texas State University
August 2011 - May 2016, Magna Cum Laude

Earned a BFA in Communication Design from the School of Art and Design (ranked 46th nationally, 6th in the Southwest, and 3rd in Texas), graduating with honors while working 30+ hours per week.
Built a structured foundation in problem-solving and strategy, grounded in design thinking, principles, and applied theory.
Inducted into Alpha Chi National College Honor Society for academic excellence.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Photography, Texas State University
August 2011 - May 2016, Magna Cum Laude

Earned a BFA in Photography as part of a double bachelor’s degree.
Developed an individualized creative voice through the study of historically informed and contemporary fine art practices.

Associate of Arts (AA), Liberal Arts, Lone Star College
August 2008 - May 2011, Cum Laude