About Me

I’m a designer because I thrive on collaborating with creative people—brainstorming, exchanging ideas, and bringing concepts to life. I'm drawn to design for its perfect balance of form and function, and I’m passionate about creating experiences that enhance people's lives.

Areas of Expertise

Design

User experience, User interface, Design Thinking, Design Systems, Responsive Design, Mobile, E-commerce, SaaS, Healthcare design, Prototyping, Accessibility.

I have a user-centered approach to design problems and a deep understanding of design principles that guide my designs from concepts and wireframes, to high fidelity mockups and prototypes.

Brand

Photo styling, Logos, Print design, Social media, Art direction, Creative direction.

I have worked to design and develop complete brand experiences and marketing campaigns from concept to completion.

Leadership

I have managed small teams of designers, photographers, writers, interns, and contractors while also performing as a full time designer. I have developed specs & style guides and have contributed to design systems. I enjoy working alongside development and technology teams to take mockups and concepts and make them live beautiful customer experiences.

Resume

I am a highly experienced designer who specializes in user experience design and user interface design. I also have a thorough knowledge of visual design, branding, and identity development. My background in psychology and clinical social work has always helped me to be an advocate for the people using the products I design.

Experience

Signet Jewelers
Lead UX Designer - Purchase
Austin, TX
Oct 2021 to present

Express Scripts
UX Manager & Senior Designer
Austin, TX
Jan 2018 to Oct 2021

Amazon.com
Senior UX Designer
Seattle, WA
May 2011 to October 2013

Freelance UX & Visual Designer
kathleenjohnsondesign.com
Albuquerque, NM
Oct 2013 to Jan 2018

PayScale.com
Creative Director
Seattle, WA
Oct 2004 to May 2011

Education

M.S.W. - Clinical Social Work
University of Washington

B.A. - Psychology
University of New Mexico

Software and Design Skills

  • Highly skilled in Figma, Sketch, and the Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator

  • Experience with using and contributing to Design Systems

  • Advanced protoyping in Figma, Axure and InVision

  • Responsive design experience

  • Mobile design experience: iPhone, Kindle Fire, iPad, limited Android

  • Understanding of JAVASCRIPT, HTML, and CSS

  • Proficiency in designing for WCAG 2.0 accessibility standards

Outside of work…

Wellness

I love staying updated on the latest wellness trends, experimenting with creating natural skincare concoctions, and different forms of exercise, especially weight lifting and practicing yin yoga. I’ve also developed a new obsession with understanding the art and science behind perfume.

Art & Design

My husband works as physical product designer in the world of luxury lighting and decor. In my free time, I help him brainstorm ideas for lighting, tabletop, and other decorative design, often using AI.