Hi! I'm Alissa,
a UX designer and developer living in the Seattle area.

I'm a front-end engineer and design technologist. In the past few years, I've also built and managed several design systems! In addition to front-end implementation, I specialize in building experiences from start to finish: starting with user research, designing iteratively based on user feedback, and building low- and high-fidelity mockups as needed until the designs are ready to implement. Wherever I work I'm usually the bridge between design and engineering. I advocate for engineering when designers and product teams have questions, and also help engineers understand the specs, user needs, and accessibility requirements for implementation.

What do I do, exactly?

Research. Design. Prototype. Develop.

Tools I use:
  • VSCode
  • Figma
  • AWS
  • Jest
  • Playwright
  • Balsamiq
Technologies I use:
  • JavaScript (ES6)
  • React + Redux
  • Typescript
  • CSS in JS
  • Next.js
  • Node.js

About me

I love design and development, and loooove writing clean, reusable code. JavaScript is my bread and butter! As a designer, I utilize a thorough design process that includes user research, testing and iterating designs based on user feedback, followed by putting together a series of deliverables and/or coding out the final product. Wireframes? Yes. User flows and site maps? OH yeah. Code and brand style guides and up-to-date documentation on a project's architecture? You'd better believe it!

Organizing and documenting the design and development processes for my team and clients is a passion of mine. Designing for accessibility is important to me too! I believe that users should be advocated for whenever possible, and I love building products that users appreciate. I enjoy meeting with clients to discuss their needs - there's nothing better than hearing a user say “that was so easy!” or “I wish all sites were like this!”

I believe that good UX starts with a relationship between designers and developers, and will never come from a designer being brought in to add colors and a shiny logo.

Aside from that, I love nature, my pug Murphy and cat Maya, and being on the water! Feel free to drop a line to introduce yourself.

Projects

Bloc

Mentor + Squad Lead, 2014 - current
Mentoring the next generation of user interface designers while writing new curriculum based on industry trends. Read More

Sportsrocket

Software Engineer, 2015 - 2016
Building a JavaScript framework in-house, then building a video player that uses it! Read More

AutoLoop

UI Designer + Developer, 2013 - 2014
A study in displaying the most important pieces of data for multiple clients. Read More

USF Health IS

UI Designer + Web Developer, 2012 - 2013
Lessons in accessibility, based on the needs of our patients and the physicians who serve them. Read More

Don't take my word for it..

“Anytime you are building out a team; you have to find people who not only fit the role but individuals who want to be there. Alissa has proven time-and-time again that she is capable of both owning the intersection of design and code for our program but also interested in helping shape the holistic vision of what designers should be when they exit our program.

Her fantastic technical skills paired with her genuine desire to see Bloc design students succeed make her a valued colleague that I look forward to working with for years to come.”

-- Chris Courtney, Design Director, Bloc

“Alissa was an outstanding colleague during her time at Asimov. She had a knack for solving complex problems with creativity and dedication, and her ability to bridge design and code was impressive. She always encouraged teamwork and was approachable.

Even though Alissa has moved on, her impact on our projects remains. I wholeheartedly recommend her for her technical skills and innovative thinking. She's not only an excellent professional but also a great team player.”

-- Maximiliano Dalla Porta, Senior Software Engineer, Asimov

Let's chat!

Get in touch! Let's talk about...

  • Your next cool project!
  • Getting coffee in Seattle!
  • Cold vs. hot pizza, and other debates of our time
Message me on LinkedIn