A little about me...
Nice to meet you—I’m Brea!
I use my multifaceted background in project management and research to support the well-being of my local and broader communities. As someone raised by the many friendly faces of my neighborhood, I understand the importance of giving back. Using a "people-first" mindset in my work as a Graduate Research Assistant studying HCI Informatics at Pennsylvania State University, I explore complex digital systems to ensure the cognitive safety of all online.
As a master organizer and methodical researcher, I have set research and organizational standards for the teams I’ve worked with. As a scholar and student at heart first, I try to lead with curiosity and always make room to learn from my mistakes.
Currently, I am pursuing a doctorate in informatics focusing on Human-Computer Interaction at Pennsylvania State University. My meticulous approach to research enables the teams I’m on to tackle complex challenges with confidence. In my free time, as a self-proclaimed people person, I enjoy spending my time organizing community events to meet new people and learn their stories.
-
Authenticity and Transparency
As a queer woman of color, being able to express your truest self is crucial. Authenticity and transparency foster a culture of trust that in UX research establishes a user-centric approach.
Balance Between Form and Design
As someone who appreciates fashion just as much as comfort, form & function are near and dear to my heart. For me, it’s important that aesthetics and practicality complement each other in design, just as they do in life.
Curiosity
The educational programs I was in growing up showed me the importance of being curious in life. Letting go. Playing dumb. Judging none. And above all being curious helps keep me an open-mind ready to expand my knowledge and discover new perspectives.
-
UX Process
When it comes to UX research, it can seem like a lot of information to tackle at first. But if you ask anyone in my family, they’ll tell you that I’ve always had a knack for creating order of chaos. You can tell because I’ve always had the cleanest room of my siblings. At the beginning of every research project, I define the problem and research goals. Then, through a secondary research review, I gather insights and clues that help paint a better picture of the reasons for the problems. Next, either by myself or with a team, I’ll collect data through user interviews, surveys, and analytics. Once I have my data, I simplify and interpret it based on the audience and research goal to make relevant insights and recommendations for my stakeholders. Easy, right?
Research Tools
Maze ● User Interviews ● Prolific ● Figma ● FigJam ● Excel ● Canva ● G-Suite
-
Embarking on a journey that kicked off with coding classes in high school, I delved into the captivating world of technology's "why." A trail of internships in digital, tech, and aerospace fields added color to my path before venturing into program management. There, I explored the world of leading impactful company-wide initiatives. However, I began to realize that the work didn’t feed my more creative interests, leading me to UPenn's Liberal & Professional Studies Exp.Lab course. Networking with program alumni paved the way for a contract role as an individual UX Researcher at Aeropay. It wasn’t too long before I joined the company full-time as the Head of Research where I spent much of my time enhancing research operations.
——
But my journey doesn’t end there. Now I’m exploring other professional opportunities that promise greater growth and learning.