Hey there, I’m Jory.
My journey has been a wild ride that has taken me from a small town in Kansas to the U.S. Navy to the world of fine art where I completed both my BFA and MFA in sculpture and installation.
The real turning point for me, however, was when I joined The Trevor Project, first as a crisis counselor, and eventually as a training associate on the Training Team. It was there that I discovered the power of being present, of listening, and of empathy. I was able to hone in on working collaboratively, listening and giving feedback, and analytical skills in order to improve our training materials, both asynchronous and synchronous.
Amidst all of this, I found my true passion in UI/UX design. It's not just about making things look pretty; it's about making them work seamlessly for the people using them. This field resonates with me on a deep level because it allows me to blend my love for creativity with my desire to make a real impact in people's lives.
My design philosophy is simple: be of service to others. By creating user-centered designs that resonate with people on a deeper level, I aim to help organizations forge genuine connections with the communities they serve.
When I'm not diving deep into design, you'll find me soaking up the joys of life and engaging in active play with my kids. Their boundless energy and imagination remind me daily of the importance of staying curious, playful, and open to new possibilities.
Let's work together to create designs that not only look good but also make a real difference in people's lives.
FAQs
Why should we hire you?
I have no doubt there are a ton of skilled UI/UX designers out there, some with more experience in the field that I have, however, I bring with me a variety of experience that has carried me through life and taught me how to be the human I am today - one that believes in exploration, the power of making a mistake, the ability to communicate ideas and feedback, as well as listen to my team. I am highly adaptable and welcome the challenges of needing to pivot unexpectedly and learning as we go.
What are your greatest strengths?
I’d say that one of my greatest strengths is my ability to communicate with authenticity and to see things both objectively and subjectively, from many sides. In my last role as a training associate, my manager and I worked collaboratively to problem solve various issues by combining our unique perspectives - my work in crisis counseling and hers in education - in order to ensure alignment with the different facilitators of the instructor led workshops, to improving and building on the training materials for the many adult learners we were training to become crisis counselors.
Tell me about a time when you failed.
While working as a training associate on the training team, I was tasked with a side job, that had a timeline. During this time, we happened to be understaffed, due to recent lay-offs and I had let this task slip. When I realized my mistake, I reached out to the manager who assigned me this task and let them know that I had dropped the ball and wasn’t going to be able to finish on time. I also apologized and said that I was beginning to work on the project that day. In addition, I asked if there was another person on this team who might have the bandwidth to support me in completing this task on time. In the end, we were able to find someone who had just finished up a task and was happy to work with me in order to complete the task on time. It’s not always easy to ask for help, nor is it easy to admit when we’ve failed, but I find that being truthful and asking for support is always the best policy.