Who are you, and what do you do?
I’m Caroline!
UX designer extraordinaire, team leader, collaborative ally, and creative strategist. I’ve been with Y Media Labs for 5+ years across two office locations. Currently I’m swatting at mosquitos in Atlanta.
Having one foot in design and one foot in leadership is the best place I’ve been in my career so far. There’s nothing more rewarding than coaching designers toward having their “aha” moments with big hairy problems. Or really, just opening their eyes to the possibilities out there as they grow in their own careers.
In my time with YML I’ve worked on core digital products for key clients including State Farm, Apple, HCA, StubHub, Forever21, AutoZone, and many more.
Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Atlanta; a southern girl from a family of five women (way to go, dad 👏).
I moved to San Francisco in 2010 where I lived for 7+ years. San Francisco is where I finished school, met and married my husband, fell in love with pork buns, and first started working with Y Media Labs.
When YML opened a new office location in my hometown I jumped at the chance to be back with my family, dragging my husband along with me (bless his heart he can’t stand the humidity). It has been an amazing opportunity to have a role in the growth of our Atlanta office from the bottom up.
Tell us a little about your background.
My background is in print and graphics, like so many others in our field.
What I love about print is that something so ephemeral can make you feel so much; the smell of a book, the excitement of opening a well-designed package, the satisfaction at the perfect stock of a business card — it creates a moment.
I challenged myself when I transitioned into digital with YML to create that same quality experience, but through a device in someone’s pocket. I am inspired by the intersection of physical and digital. I worked for a short period of time creating motion graphics for trade fairs, kickstarting my love of interaction design.
Interaction plays a critical role in user experience and can breathe life into the work we do; contributing to understanding through context, and sprinkling in surprise and delight.
Why did you choose to come to Y Media Labs?
At this point it’s less about why I came and more about why I’ve stayed.
Working with YML gives me the opportunity to touch everything from drones, wine, and music to banking, healthcare, and insurance.
Our fierce leader and badass office director, Marcela, has stopped at nothing to empower the women (and men) around her. We are a team of dreamers and doers keeping collaboration and critique at the heart of our process. We value honesty and integrity.
Collectively we’re weirdos with hobbies/passions inspiring our work that range from muddy to hoppy, and our culture is definitely one to be envied.
What about this industry are you most passionate about?
There’s so much to love about what we do.
We tell stories. We decide when and how people interact with technology in order for them to have the best possible experience. We leverage that same technology to facilitate inclusivity.
I’m humbled by the opportunity to be at the forefront of design and innovation. We’re in the unique position to fully immerse ourselves in a variety of other industries in order to inspire change from the inside out.
What are some other companies you admire?
- Glossier (Emily Weiss) for a loyal dedication to what customers want.
- Wendy’s for a supremely sassy social media personality.
- Spanx (Sara Blakely) for being bold in the face of board rooms full of men telling her ‘no’ (and for making the LBD a possibility for everyone).
What are your favorite spots to eat in Atlanta?
Prison Tacos (or El Progreso) where Boulevard runs into the State Penitentiary is our favorite place for pastor. We order nothing else, just 3 pastor tacos (each). They’re to die for. We probably eat tacos way too many times a week… but really, is there such a thing?
There’s also a new place called El Tesoro that’s perfect for brunch or lunch. I hesitate to even mention it in hopes that the line won’t get too long. It’s that good. We love the tamales and the tostada.
How do you spend your spare time?
Turns out, I’m obsessed with pottery. And even better, I’m not that bad at it! I’ve been throwing pots on the wheel for the last year or so. I spend most of my spare time in my studio throwing, trimming, and glazing.
Other than that, my husband and I love to go backpacking (covered in deet), we have a vegetable garden (anything you can put on a taco), we both game (Zelda or ToeJam and Earl), and I quite often find myself with my nose in a Brandon Sanderson book that I can’t put down (sci-fi and fantasy only, please).
