Hey! I'm Sean, a Senior User Researcher II currently employed at Handshake, a startup headquartered in San Francisco, CA that helps democratize opportunity for early talent in an effort to make finding jobs easier. My primary role here is to be the voice of our student users through multiple research initiatives, and use them to strategize cross-collaboratively with product, design, engineering, and marketing. I’ve been fortunate to lead research on some of the highest priority initiatives here, working directly with C-Suite and other executives as Handshake rapidly grows.

Prior to this role, I’ve worked at VF Corporation leading mobile research efforts for associated brands such as The North Face, Vans, Dickies, and Timberland; at UPMC Health Plan in Pittsburgh, PA, where I was a researcher across our digital suite and and product manager for our internal design system; a researcher and strategist at a creative agency in Kent, OH called IdeaBase; and an analyst in psychology labs at Kent State University where I graduated with a concentration in psychology and a minor in user experience.

I’ve always had a knack for understanding what makes people tick. In fact, I had no idea I would end up in the field of human-centered design when I was working as a lab analyst studying mindfulness, cultural reading differentiation, and memory. My passion for understanding the science behind day-to-day habits mixed with an organic, growing interest for digital innovation allowed me to experience a distinct and rewarding career path so far.

In my free time, I’m involved in freelance work where I act as a UX consultant in both design, strategy, and research for a diverse range of clients, designing album art to sell on my own Shopify site, playing the piano, creating playlists, and burning some calories after sitting at my “UX desk” by playing soccer.

Thanks for taking some time to learn about me, and I’m always happy to grab a virtual coffee and chat more.

– Sean