Coffee or tea?
How did you get into design?
Growing up, I’ve always been into art. During the GeoCities era, I started dabbling in Photoshop and hand-coding sites in HTML/CSS which led to a passion for graphic and web design.
Continuing my journey with computers, I initially enrolled as a computer science major at the University of Central Florida (UCF). However, I realized that coding wasn’t one of my strengths (nor passions), so I switched majors and graduated with a bachelors in Digital Media.
Starting as a web designer that naturally shifted into UX, I worked in various industries such as finance, online retail, and cybersecurity for the last 20+ years.
Want to know more about my experience? View my resume or check out my LinkedIn
I love food. Don't You?
Food is a big part of my culture. Anytime you’re invited into a Filipino home, you’ll always be offered food. It’s our way of showing we care, and it’s become my favorite way to connect with people!
I approach cooking and baking with a similar thought process to UX design. I think about who will be eating my food, figure out what they like (and if they have any allergies), look up some recipes, and try them out.
After initially testing a recipe and getting feedback, I tweak it to be healthier or more allergen-free. With recipe creation or experi-baking (experimenting + baking), I go through an intense iterative process to get it as close as I can to the perfect form of my original idea. Let me know if you’d like to be a taste tester!
I also like to go out and try new foods and drinks. Follow my food adventures on Instagram!
How did you end up in Portugal?
Amor
Who knew that I would meet ‘my person’ online, on There.com, almost 20 years ago and from another country! Learning a new language has been a bit difficult, but the overall experience here has been a nice change of pace from California/American life.
What's the meaning behind the name Aesthetic Reverie?
It’s really just my fancy way of saying beautiful dream. 🙂
The logo is a combination of the letters ‘A’ and ‘R’ in the style of Japanese calligraphy. I’ve always had an affinity for Japanese culture and aesthetics (which might have been influenced by watching anime).
Any other interesting facts?
In 2005, I was one of 8 women to charter Delta Phi Lambda at UCF.
For 10 years, I volunteered on the national board as Web Director, Vice President of Records, and President. Serving at this level of the organization provided me invaluable management and leadership experience that has supported my continued professional growth.
I’m also a donor to the Delta Phi Lambda Foundation, which helps to fund scholarships, support philanthropic endeavors, and promote leadership education.