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About Me

Name pronunciation:
stef•ee mee•lee
Pronouns:
she/her
Location:
Chicago, IL suburbs

Hi! I'm Stephy. I'm a multidisciplinary creator currently working as a UX & Accessibility Engineer.

I wear many hats (figuratively; not so much in real life!). While my foundation is in design, I've also worked as a frontend developer, consultant, educator, and open-source contributor. I thrive when multiple disciplines come together to create something greater than the sum of their parts.

Stephy, a middle-aged white woman, stands outside in front of several trees. She has shoulder-length, windswept golden hair, green eyes, and a scattering of freckles and moles. She is wearing a casual blue-green V-neck shirt and a circular gold pendant necklace with a sunburst line motif above inlays of amazonite and dark brown sand. She is looking off into the distance with bright eyes and a slight smile.

What's it like to work with me?

My approach doesn't follow a standard playbook; it's shaped by my varied experience as an employee, freelancer, and educator. I bring the best aspects of each role to every project:

  • Education:I'm great at translating complex technical knowledge for non-technical audiences and finding multiple ways to explain things. I'm known for writing well-structured documentation (including cute notes) and recording video walkthroughs to support clients and teammates.
  • Freelancing:I've been working fully-remote since before it was cooland thrive with asynchronous tools. I'm a power user on a lot of platforms and enjoy helping teams become more efficient with them.
    Okay, not "cool", but many years pre-pandemic
  • Full-Time Employment: I make it my goal to gain deep knowledge of the products I work on. I'm excited by cross-team collaboration, listening to unique perspectives, and turning insights into meaningful improvements. I love the opportunity to make things better for users and teammates alike.
  • I'm a bubbly, passionate person who cares about making a positive impact and fostering connection. Most importantly, I want my work to feel human. It's my goal to create intuitive, inclusive experiences that “just work” and don't lose sight of the people using them. That extends to my special interest in accessibility and my belief that doing things the right way helps everyone.
  • Less-seriously, my home office is full of interesting art and creative objects that I love. Also, my cats. You'll get to meet Nori (occasionally) and Dashi (frequently) during internal meetings. Their presence has been described as “truly a highlight” by my teammates.
View my ResumeView my Portfolio

Out of office

When I'm not working, you can find me in the ceramics studio (see some of my traditional and 3D-printed work!), cuddling with my cats, doing the crossword, or off on an adventure. I become a good "tour guide" for any place I visit and love to discover the best small businesses, food and drink, or pretty views.

  • Stephy in a coastal Oregon rainforest
  • A view near the Gibson Steps off of Great Ocean Road in Victoria, Australia
    (also available for free use on Unsplash!)
  • Dashi and Nori as sweet kittens
  • Stephy in front of Monet's "Irises" at the Art Institute of Chicago, which she has inadvertently taken a selfie in front of at least 3 times
A full-length portrait of Stephy, a blonde white woman standing in a lush, sun-dappled temperate rainforest. She is leaning slightly, standing with her right hand extended to reach a moss-covered tree trunk. She is wears a long, flowing, dark-colored dress with a folksy botanical print and carries a large, cognac-brown leather shoulder bag. The forest is thick with vibrant green ferns, mosses, and high, tall trees whose trunks are heavily draped in moss and foliage, giving the scene an ethereal, 'forest witch' aesthetic. A shaft of bright sunlight breaks through the canopy onto Stephy and the forest floor.
A high-angle, scenic photograph of the ocean meeting a sandy beach, viewed from a vegetated cliff edge. The turquoise and deep blue ocean is vibrant, with white foam from breaking waves contrasting against the clear water. A wide strip of golden-tan beach sand separates the water from the dense, dull green and silvery-gray scrub and low-lying bushes that cover the steep slope of the cliff in the foreground. Sunlight illuminates the sand and the crests of the waves.
A cozy, close-up photograph of two female gray tabby kittens, Dashi (left) and Nori (right), snuggled together under soft, neutral-colored bedding. Dashi has a prominent white face blaze and chest and is resting her head on a pillow, looking directly at the camera with partially closed eyes. She is wearing a pink collar. Nori is positioned to the right, leaning over Dashi with her eyes closed, grooming Dashi's cheek. A slight pink tongue is visible mid-lick. Nori is wearing a teal collar. The kittens are nestled together in a tender, affectionate pose.
A close-up selfie of Stephy, a smiling, fair-skinned woman with shoulder-length, strawberry-blonde hair, standing indoors in the Art Institute of Chicago. She is wearing a chunky, multicolored knit sweater in soft shades of cream, pink, and blue. She has a dark brown leather strap from a bag across her right shoulder and heart-shaped cascading dangle earrings in pastel colors. The background is a dark gray wall, and over her left shoulder is the Impressionist Claude Monet painting titled 'Irises', featuring lush greens, yellows, wisteria purples, and pinks. The painting is in a golden frame.