About
*I'm currently on maternity leave until summer 2025*
I'm Valerie, a product designer based in East Sussex.
I have been working for 10+ years in the design industry first as a product designer and then as a design manager managing teams of up to 7 designers plus external contractors.
I have had the opportunity to work with a variety of companies, from large corporations to start ups.
Once I became a mom, I decided it was time to work for myself.
My background
With in-depth experience across the full product design cycle and years of working alongside c-suite leadership while managing and leading design teams, I am comfortable at any stage of design and any size of team. My love for design began when I was a teenager in rural North Carolina, glossing over fashion magazines. I studied their layouts and how they harmonised themes with photography, which made me realise this was a real job people pursued - art direction and design.
In the years past, I’ve learned so much about the design process that I love and feel so lucky that I’ve had the chance to work in a field that I enjoy so much. From working across different countries (UK, Norway, Bulgaria) to learning the ropes of becoming a design manager, I’ve always been open minded to keep growing as a person, designer and leader.
Besides design, I love fashion illustration, music, gardening and spending time with my two boys and husband.
What is your design process?
What makes your work unique?
How do we communicate and how often?
Interview with Women Leaders in Tech
I talk about my start in North Carolina, moving to the UK, finding my first design job, the ups and downs of design management and how I worked my way to where I am today.
