About – Amy Asadi

Hiya, I'm Amy Asadi.

I'm an end-to end product designer, illustrator, & overall people-person.

I've been on a few journeys, each fostering a learning in time that has influenced my design work today. ↓

Some Learnings In Time

Teaching English Abroad

Before pursuing an MS degree in Human-Computer Interaction from the University of Maryland, I became certified through the University of Cambridge’s CELTA program and taught English while living in Japan, Poland, Sweden, and South Korea.

– Teaching and curriculum design has taught me the importance of observing between the lines to reveal opportunities that could really excel my students’ learning.

Creating an E-learning Sole Proprietorship

In 2014, I learned I could use design thinking to apply it to a larger scale, and so I took the plunge to begin an online sole proprietorship to make personalized English lessons accessible. I was able to teach people of varying ages from 15 different countries.

– Running an e-learning sole proprietorship enabled me to learn how to fail fast early - iterate, receive feedback from the world, and iterate again.

Joining Benefits Data Trust

Upon returning to the States, I joined Benefits Data Trust, a national not-for-profit that uses big data, human-centered design approaches, machine-learning, and direct-service outreach to transform how people access public benefits.

–From this experience I learned how to be a communicator and systems thinker. By untangling complexity, I could give access to services for those who need it.

Helping Communities at Scale

Promoted to Team Leader, I led a team of 10 Benefit Outreach Specialists to architect and carry-out our person-centered solutions. In 2018, The Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative and Rockefeller Foundation awarded us a spot in the top ten non-profits in the country through the Communities Thrive Challenge for changing communities at scale with human-centered design.

–As Team Leader, I cultivated the ability to problem solve within the spaces of business strategy, service design, and people management.

Human-Computer Interaction & Business Development

In 2021, I graduated with an MS degree in Human Computer Interaction from the University of Maryland, College Park. At UMD, I worked as a graduate assistant for the College of Information Studies, iConsultancy.

Upon graduation, I received the Ben Shneiderman and Jenny Preece Award for Excellence in the HCIM community.

–As the iConsultancy Graduate Assistant, I developed my problem discovery and project management skills by communicating with different companies and organizations, and aligning their business needs with core capstone project opportunities.

Nowadays when I am not designing, I am checking out new neighborhoods, telling stories, documenting memories, singing to my cats, and leveling up my skills in illustration and digital design.

Some places I remember.

There's always a good time for coffee talk. ☕️

I am currently seeking full-time or contract opportunities.

Feel free to reach out to say hello: amy.n.asadi@gmail.com
Or connect on: Linkedin.